Radio & Podcast News – Harvard Media expands reach of ‘play’ brand

Harvard Media has expanded its play brand to more markets, rebranding kraze 101.3 (CKIK-FM) Red Deer and Mix 103.7 (CFVR-FM) Fort McMurray under the format, which blends throwback pop with current hits. It first introduced the brand to Edmonton in 2019 and expanded it to Regina in 2020. The format changes come with a revamped lineup that sees play92 (CHMX-FM) Regina morning show team Mark and Jess extend their footprint to the new play101 Red Deer. Mark and Jess are also heard in afternoon drive on play107 Edmonton. Jake Ryan handles middays across the play network, while Edmonton morning show duo Ryder and Lisa, are now also heard in afternoons on play in Red Deer and Regina. Kierstyn Pare moves into evenings across the brand. Handling mornings on play103 Fort McMurray are Steph & John (Steph Seidel formerly hosted mornings on Mix 103 and serves as APD) with Mike Booth (formerly heard in mornings on Kraze Red Deer) in afternoon drive. Meanwhile, X100.7 (CKEX-FM), Red Deer’s Alternative, also sees some lineup changes. Read more here.

Luminate has released its year-end metrics for 2023, reflecting audio listening growth in Canada and the U.S. over the past year. Total on-demand song streams were up 33.7% globally, with on-demand song streaming in Canada up 18.3% from 2022 to 145.1 billion and on-demand audio streaming up 15.3% to 130.2 billion. Total album consumption in Canada was up 15% year-over-year, while total album sales – both physical and digital – dropped 1.9%. Canadian artists increased their share of total album consumption by 9.1% with total consumption of the Canadian album catalogue also up by 17.4%. Ranked by overall streaming volume, Canada comes in ninth globally with total streams of 145.3 billion. Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” secured the most on-demand audio streams in Canada in 2023. Read more here.

OnAir Coach’s RadioStar ‘23 has come to a conclusion naming Grace Nicoll, the host of weekends on Heart Scotland, as the winner of the 6th edition of the global talent search. Sarah Nick, co-host of the morning show on Kelowna’s 104.7 The Lizard (CKLZ-FM) placed third in the competition, which sees talent develop their skills through a tailored series of challenges, voted on by a jury of radio professionals from around the world. Watch the final here.

Radiodays North America has unveiled CRTC Chairperson Vicky Eatrides as one of its keynote speakers at the second annual radio, podcast and audio conference, set for June 2-4 in Toronto, as part of Canadian Music Week. Eatrides, who is one year into a five-year term, has so far dealt with a number of critical issues facing the broadcast industry including Bill C-11, the Online Streaming Act, Bill C-18, the Online News Act, and ongoing discussions with the radio industry over the Commercial Radio Policy Review released in 2022. 

The National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA) and Farm Radio International (FRI) are hosting a World Radio Day event in Ottawa on Feb. 13 to celebrate the importance of radio. The theme for this year’s World Radio Day is A Century Informing, Entertaining and Educating. NCRA/ANREC and FRI are also partnering with Carleton University campus and community station CKCU-FM to host a live broadcast, featuring broadcasters past and present. More details will be forthcoming.

The Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC) has opened its grant period with a new round of Radiometer officially open to all community and campus radio stations for content creation, skills development and digital initiatives. Stations that hold a valid campus or community broadcasting licence are eligible for funding of up to $35,000. The deadline to apply is Feb. 20.

The Stu Jeffries $1000 Make-A-Wish Minute on Stingray’s boom 97.3 (CHBM-FM) Toronto raised over $585,000. The average cost to grant a wish for a Make-A-Wish Canada kid is about $10,000. boom was able to grant 56 wishes in 2023. Now in its 9th year, the event has raised over $2.5 million dollars, $1.5 million of that in the last three years.

CBC says $9,024,359 has been raised for local food banks as a result of the public broadcaster’s Dec. 2023 fundraising drives in communities across the country, an increase of 12% from 2022. Twenty-six CBC holiday campaigns across Canada encouraged donations under the banner of Make the Season Kind, featuring special events and programming, including: a holiday market in Montreal; a turkey drive in Happy Valley-Goose Bay; Sounds of the Season across Ontario with the flagship public event at the CBC Toronto Broadcast Centre; and special programming days from Edmonton to Iqaluit, Regina and Moncton. Since 2015, CBC’s local fundraising drives have collectively raised more than $51 million for food banks and other charities.

JAZZ.FM91 (CJRT-FM) has launched a new province wide 50/50 draw. As a listener- supported radio station, funds raised will go towards supporting JAZZ.FM91 and Canadian jazz artists through on-air and live performance opportunities, as well as the station’s education and outreach programs to engage youth communities with music. Tickets are available now through Feb. 14 at jazz.fm/fiftyfifty.  

Pro Bono Group has released a new PSA for the Feed Ontario cause, titled “Zoe,” voiced  by JUNO Award-winning jazz artist Molly Johnson. Offered free to Canadian radio stations, the new PSA aims to help increase donations to the more than 1,200 food banks under the Feed Ontario umbrella, which have seen an increase in demand of 36% in the last two years. Find the new spot below and learn more about the Pro Bono Group here.