Broadcast Dialogue announced the winners of the inaugural Canadian Radio Awards on Monday, Dec. 14. Station of the Year (Major Market) went to Stingray’s boom 97.3 (CHBM-FM) Toronto, while Corus Entertainment’s 680 CJOB Winnipeg won the Medium Market honour and independent 989XFM (CJFX-FM) Antigonish, NS taking the Small Market category. Ronnie Stanton, Program Director at CFOX and Rock 101 (CFMI-FM) Vancouver, won Program Director of the Year (Major Market); Andy Ross, who helms Harvard Broadcasting’s Regina stations as well as 96.3 CRUZ FM (CFWD-FM) Saskatoon, won in the Medium Market category, while the Small Market award went to Bill Hallman, 104.5 Fresh Radio (CFLG-FM) & boom 101.9 (CJSS-FM), Corus Entertainment, Cornwall, ON. Find the complete winners list, hear the winning audio submissions, and read more about our jury, at CanadianRadioAwards.com.
Pure Country 89 (CIMX-FM) Windsor has picked up The Bobby Bones Show, weekday mornings from 6-10 a.m. ET. The syndicated show, featuring Bobby Bones and co-hosts Amy, Lunchbox and Eddie, airs on more than 170 stations in the U.S., in addition to other stations in Bell Media’s Pure Country network. CIMX-FM flipped to the Pure Country format in November.
Corus Radio country stations Country 105 (CKRY-FM), CISN 103.9 Edmonton and Country 104 (CKDK-FM) London, will air a two-hour Christmas Day special A Washboard Union Christmas, featuring the three-time Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Group of the Year winners. Airing at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. local time on Dec. 25, the special will be hosted by all three members of the band, and feature special guests including Old Dominion, Dean Brody, Tenille Townes, and The Hunter Brothers.
CBC Ontario has announced the launch of the second season of Hard To Stomach. Hosted by the interim host of CBC Radio’s Fresh Air, Jason D’Souza, the three-episode podcast examines the interconnected issues of economic uncertainty, affordable housing and access to food amidst a global pandemic. It also offers insight into the lives of those who are facing and working to fight food insecurity, including Leticia Ama Deawuo, Executive Director of the Black Creek Community Farm, and Jessica Mclaughlin, coordinator of the Indigenous Food Circle.
The Radio Revolution – A Virtual Tribute to Margaret Lyons is planned to remember the late CBC Radio vice-president on Jan. 28. A fierce advocate for public broadcasting, the tribute is being organized by former colleagues celebrating Lyons’ legacy and her instrumental role at CBC from the late 1960s to her retirement in 1991. Originally set to take place at the Glenn Gould Studio in the Toronto Broadcast Centre in late spring, organizers have now opted for a Zoom event. Find details and registration info here. Lyons passed away at the age of 95 in October of last year.
SiriusXM Canada has announced it has extended its agreement with Mazda Canada to continue offering Mazda customers with equipped vehicles a complimentary three-month SiriusXM All Access trial subscription. Customers purchasing new, navigation-equipped Mazda vehicles will also receive a complimentary five-year subscription to SiriusXM Traffic Plus and Travel Link.
LISTEN: Drex, who recently took over the JACK 96.9 (CJAX-FM) Vancouver morning show, along with Lena Schulman and Bob Addison (aka “No Fun Bobby”), joins the Sound Off Podcast. The former host of Corus late night network talk show, The Shift, talks about the challenges of the pandemic, including keeping his mental health in check and going through a break-up while pivoting from evening to morning radio, and AM talk to FM music.
Acadia Broadcasting’s 99.9 The Bay (CJUK-FM) and Country 105 (CKTG-FM) Thunder Bay held “The 36 Hours of Cheer” radio event, Dec 10-11. Morning show host and program director John Ongaro anchored the event that raised over $260,000 for the local Christmas Cheer Fund. That’s $100,000 more than the total raised in 2019.
Bayshore Broadcasting’s 98 the Beach (CFPS-FM) Port Elgin raised $177,545 through its Light the Way Radiothon on Dec. 10 in support of the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation. Funds raised will go toward a $510,000 campaign raising money to fund the purchase of a new x-ray machine.
