Radio & Podcast News – CRTC approves UCB acquisition of CJLT-FM Medicine Hat

Numeris has released the fall PPM ratings covering the 13-week period from Aug. 28-Nov. 26. For Toronto, CBC Radio One delivered a 13.2% share, A12+, (up from 11.5%), followed by CHFI with 12.8%. boom 97.3 was on top with women 25-54, with a 12.1% share. With men 25-54, CityNews 680 leads with 9.0%. Vancouver: CKNW grabs the #1 spot for A12+ with a 15.1% share of hours tuned (up from 14.5%). Taking the top spot for F25-54 is 94.5 Virgin Radio with 19.4%. CKNW holds the lead for M25-54 listeners, delivering a 14.4% share. Edmonton: 102.3 NOW! Radio takes #1 A12+, posting a 9.4% share. NOW! holds top spot for F25-54, delivering a 15.8% share (down from 16.9%). The Bear topped M25-54 with an 11.6% share. Calgary: CBC Radio One leads the way A12+ with an 11.0 %. Star 95.9 is #1 for F25-54, delivering a 12.4 % share. For M25-54, X92.9 rules with a 13.4% (down from 14.2%). Montreal: CHMP 98.5 FM is #1 for A12+ (Franco) with a 22.4% share. For A12+ (Anglo), CJAD 800 is #1 with 27.5%. CHMP-FM is also #1 with F25-54 (Franco), delivering an 18.5 % share. For F25-54 (Anglo), The Beat 92.5 is out in front with a 29.8% share (down from 36.5%). For M25-54 (Franco), CHMP 98.5 FM is on top at 23.7%. For M25-54 (Anglo), CHOM-FM is #1 at 19.9% (up from 18.9). Read David Bray’s breakdown here.

Corus Radio has announced that Peggy@99.1 (CFPG-FM) will be rebranded as Country 99: Winnipeg’s New Country later this month. Carrying an Adult Contemporary format spanning ’70s and ’80s pop hits to ’90s hip-hop since Dec. 26, 2016, Corus released Peggy@99-1’s on-air staff in late September ahead of the impending format flip. Prior to dumping its on-air talent, Peggy@99-1 had earned a 4.7% share of hours tuned, A12+, and had the same share with women 25-54. It captured 3.4% of listeners, A25-54. Currently playing Christmas music, Corus says the flip will happen Dec. 27 at 12:01 a.m., introducing a third Country radio station to the market of roughly 840,000. Read more here.

The CRTC has approved an application by United Christian Broadcasters Media Canada (UCB Canada) to acquire Vista Radio’s CJLT-FM Medicine Hat, AB. Seeking to operate the Religious music station under the same terms and conditions as those in effect, it’s purchasing its assets for $20,000. UCB proposed a transaction value of $185,437, which includes the purchase price and value of two leases payable over the next 60 months. The CRTC granted UCB’s request for a tangible benefits exemption, saying that given the financial difficulties CJLT-FM is currently facing, imposing tangible benefits could have an adverse effect on efforts to stabilize the station’s financial situation. 

The CRTC has formally revoked Dufferin Communications licence for CKPC Brantford. Arise Christian Radio AM 1380 had been broadcasting a Christian Contemporary music format since September 2020 when parent company Evanov Communications moved its former Country format to sister station CFWC-FM, with an eye toward making the station more competitive and maximizing profitability on the FM band. The station had been off the air since Aug. 4.

Rogers Sports & Media blasts the CRTC in its application to revoke its licence for CIWW Ottawa, saying the commission’s lack of flexibility, outdated policy, and moratorium on applications related to radio undertakings are exacerbating radio’s challenges. The CRTC has published its formal revocation of the licence  which Rogers announced it was turning in on Oct. 26, the same day it shuttered its CityNews radio operations in the Capital Region, citing low audiences, revenue declines and a restrictive regulatory environment for AM radio. Since December 2020, the company had been simulcasting programming from CityNews  1310 (CIWW-AM) on the FM frequency formerly used by Country 101.1 (CKBY-FM). While simulcasting AM on FM is in contravention of current CRTC policy, Rogers had asked the commission to grant an exception until a full review of the regulation could be conducted. Read more here.

Corus Radio is expanding its Toronto evening show to more stations and introducing two podcasts to its network talk lineup following the cancellation of late night talk show, The Shift with Shane Hewitt. As of this week, Let’s Talk with Dani Stover, which airs from 7 – 10 p.m. ET on 640 (CFIQ-AM) Toronto, 980 CFPL London and 900 CHML Hamilton, will join the lineup on 980 CKNW Vancouver, 630 CHED Edmonton, QR Calgary, and 680 CJOB Winnipeg, from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. PT/ 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. MT/ 12 a.m. to 3 a.m. CT. Two podcasts also join the network programming lineup, including long-running music documentary show, The Ongoing History of New Music, hosted by Alan Cross, and Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry, also hosted by Cross, diving into true stories of crime, murder, scandal and strange behaviour from inside the music industry. Read more here.

Stolen is among the podcast casualties at Spotify as the streaming service announces its third round of layoffs this year. Produced by Brooklyn-headquartered Gimlet Media and hosted by former CBC journalist Connie Walker, Stolen has been recognized with numerous accolades, including a Peabody Award and Pulitzer Prize. Spotify plans to lay off 1,500 employees, amounting to 17% of its workforce. It let 600 staff go in January, and another 200 in June.

CBC British Columbia’s 37th annual Food Bank Day on Dec. 1 raised $1,628,996 for local food banks, with donations open until the end of December. CBC British Columbia livestreamed special programming on all platforms throughout the day, highlighting stories about the impact of food banks across B.C. and the increasing demand for their services. This year, the CBC Vancouver Broadcast Centre once again held space for an intimate studio audience experience to watch free, live broadcasts of local CBC Radio One programs.The event has raised $20 million since its inception in 1986.

The 104.3 Fresh Radio (CKWS-FM) Kingston team wanted to make sure that children in the Kingston community keep warm this winter season through Clothes for Kids. The goal was to raise $50,000 to provide snowsuits to children in need, which the Fresh team was able to meet thanks to the support of the community and clients. Funds were raised through events like Pizza Day with Domino’s Pizza. Every Wednesday for five weeks, when listeners and viewers made a $5 donation, they received a medium pizza as a thank you from Domino’s, raising $22,655 for Clothes for Kids.

Magic 106 (CIMJ-FM) and CJOY Gueph participated in their annual Adopt a Family broadcast on Nov. 21. The event, broadcast live on location from The Children’s Foundation, saw 91 families adopted, resulting in over $32,000 in donations for the community.

640 (CFIQ-AM) Toronto and The Children’s Breakfast Clubs are partnering to collect gently used winter coats for the inaugural 640 Toronto Winter Coat Drive. On Friday, Dec. 15, they will be stationed in the lobby at Corus Quay from 6 – 10 a.m. where listeners and staff will be invited to drop off winter coats for adults or children in need. Toronto Today with Greg Brady will be broadcasting live. 

Corus Radio London is hosting a Drive-Thru Toy Drive in support of the Salvation Army. Fresh 103.1 (CFHK-FM), Country 104 (CKDK-FM), FM 96 (CFPL-FM), and 980 CFPL are aiming to ensure that every child wakes up with a gift on Christmas morning. Each station will be collecting donations on-site at the Delta London Armouries and online, with FM 96 on-site Dec. 8, and Country 104, 980 CFPL and Fresh 103.1 on Dec. 14.

SiriusXM Canada has struck a new partnership with MusiCounts, Canada’s leading music education charity to launch SiriusXM Soundwaves: A MusiCounts Community Fund. The program marks the evolution of the MusiCounts Community Music Program and will help support youth music programs across Canada with grants of up to $20,000 for instruments, equipment and resources provided to community groups or not-for-profit organizations. The fund strives to make music education at the community level accessible to youth in need, who wouldn’t otherwise have a chance to learn to make music. 

The Roy Hennessy Achievement Award for Excellence in Broadcasting, which has been established at BCIT, in memory of the late broadcaster, is now expanding to more colleges. The annual $1,000 scholarship, based on academic and overall achievement, has been expanded to NAIT in Edmonton, SAIT in Calgary, RRC Polytech in Winnipeg and Seneca Polytech in Toronto. Hennessy is best known for his 12-year run in mornings at CKLG Vancouver, serving as General Manager at CKY/CITI FM Winnipeg, CKXL and CHFM Calgary, and his work with Standard Broadcasting in the early ’90s, helping transition CFRB 1010 Toronto to an all-news format.

LISTEN: Phil Becker, Executive Vice President of Content at Alpha Media, is on the latest Sound Off Podcast. Becker has a hand in the programming and content efforts of over 200 radio stations across the U.S. He and Matt Cundill discuss his unorthodox career path, the unique decisions that led him to it, and of course, the future and AI’s prospective role in it. 

The 2023 Broadcast Dialogue Canadian Radio Awards winners will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 14 at CanadianRadioAwards.com and via our social channels. Stay tuned to our socials for more details next week. A huge thanks to this year’s jury who had the monumental task of judging a record number of entries. Read more about our jury here.