(l-r): Mike “Pelash” McKenzie, Chief of Innu Takuaikan Uashat mak Mani-utenam; Mathieu McKenzie, Director of Public Relations and co-owner of Makusham Musique and Maten band member; singer-songwriter Florent Vollant; and Ghislain Picard, Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador.
The CRTC is being asked to introduce a five per cent minimum quota for Indigenous music content on commercial radio, based on the recommendation of the Mémoire sur le contenu musical autochtone (Memorandum on Indigenous Musical Content), the result of a public consultation conducted last summer, spearheaded by Indigenous record label Makusham Musique, in collaboration with Innu Takuaikan, the Innu First Nations band government in Quebec. It found that 94.83% of the 312 Canadians surveyed believed a percentage of Indigenous music content should be imposed on commercial radio stations in Quebec and Canada, expressing that they almost never hear Indigenous music on the radio. The commission’s Radio Review, unveiled in early December, laid out an expectation that commercial radio broadcasters include Indigenous music in their playlists without setting specific quotas, noting it continues co-development on a new Indigenous Broadcast Policy with the public consultation phase upcoming. Read more here.
CBC/Radio-Canada is shortlisted for 23 New York Festivals Radio Awards. Programs garnering multiple nominations include Turtle Island Part III (Entertainment: Best Regularly Scheduled Music Program, On-Air Talent: Best Music Program Host); and Marvin’s Room (On-Air Talent: Best Music Program Host, Entertainment: Best Regularly Scheduled Music Program). CBC Radio News: The World at Six was also nominated for its coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (Best Extended News Coverage), as well as Best News Feature for “The Face of Hunger.” Podcasts dominated the Shortlist with the Grand Jury advancing 105 podcast entries to the next round. Award-winning entries will be announced during the New York Festivals’ 2023 Storytellers Gala virtual event on April 18.
The Country Music Association of Ontario (CMAOntario) has announced the nominees for the 11th Annual CMAOntario Awards, taking place Sunday, June 4 at Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton. Hosted by Jason McCoy and Shannon Ella from Pure Country Radio, the CMAOntario Awards show will close out the CMAOntario Festival & Awards Weekend, June 2-4. Nominees for Radio Station of the Year (Large Market) are Country 104 London; Country 106.7 Kitchener; KX-947 Hamilton; KX96 Oshawa; and Pure Country 94 Ottawa. Medium Market nominees include COOL 100.1 Belleville; Country 92.9 Chatham; Country 93.5 Kingston; Hot Country 93.9 Brantford; and Pure Country 105 Peterborough. Nominated for Radio Station of the Year (Small Market) are 100.1 FM The Ranch Listowel; Country 103 Manitoulin; Country 89 Welland; Country 93 Owen Sound; and Pure Country 106 Orillia.
Carolina Bermudez, morning show host at iHeartMedia’s 103.5 KTU (WKTU-FM) New York will be joining the Radiodays North America lineup in Toronto on June 9 at the Westin Harbour Castle. Bermudez got her start in radio as a co-host of the “Kenny and Footy Morning Show” on Y100 (WHYI-FM) Miami, but was quickly recruited by “Elvis Duran and the Morning Show.” Bermudez also holds the title of Senior Editor at In Touch Weekly, is a freelance reporter for E! News, and hosts weekly podcast “Life in Spanglish” with fellow radio personality, Honey Germain.Early bird pricing for Radiodays North America ends March 31.
99.3 County FM (CJPE-FM) Prince Edward County launches “Voices from the Shadows: Homeless in a Rural Community” on April 6 during “The Grapevine.” Funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada and the Prince Edward County Radio Corp., it will run every Thursday through May 25. The series explores the unique challenges the “unhomed” face, especially in a rural community. Wendy Mesley serves as narrator with the script written by Astrid Young. Over the past eight months, volunteers from the community radio station spoke to and interviewed more than 60 individuals from the Hastings Prince Edward homeless community and the organizations that serve them.
SiriusXM has announced its broadcast plans for Masters Week, April 1-9. Live tournament coverage will air Thursday, April 6, through Sunday, April 9 – starting at 2 p.m. ET and running through the completion of play. Mike Tirico returns as SiriusXM’s lead play-by-play voice for all four tournament rounds, joined in the booth Saturday and Sunday by new SiriusXM personality Rocco Mediate, who competed in 10 Masters Tournaments in his career. Steve Melnyk, who competed in five Masters Tournaments and was the Low Amateur in the 1971 Masters, will be the analyst for the Thursday and Friday rounds. SiriusXM’s broadcast team will also feature play-by-play from Taylor Zarzour, and commentary from Fred Albers, Mark Carnevale, Brian Katrek, Maureen Madill, John Maginnes, Chantel McCabe, Jim McLean, Carl Paulson and Jason Sobel. Programming will be available to subscribers across North America in their cars (channel 92) and on the SXM App (SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio).
LISTEN: RTDNA Canada President Lis Travers joins the latest Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast to talk about the association’s aggressive membership drive and new board of directors, in addition to why she feels we need to spend more time celebrating the industry’s wins, rather than focusing on the challenges. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here:
LISTEN: Ian Leonard, Chief Meteorologist at Fox 9 in Minneapolis, is on the Sound Off Podcast. A second generation broadcaster, Leonard talks about growing up in Edmonton and being a part of television at an early age. He also discusses how he’s evolved his presentation of the weather over the years and which social media tools are most important to him right now. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here:
