Radio & Podcast News – Bell Media pulls plug on TSN Radio format in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Hamilton

Bell Media has pulled the plug on its TSN Radio format in Vancouver, Winnipeg and Hamilton, citing the “quickly evolving broadcast media landscape.” In a note to listeners posted on the TSN 1040 Vancouver and TSN 1290 Winnipeg websites Tuesday morning, Bell Media said CKST-AM and CFRW-AM would no longer be sports talk radio stations. TSN 1150 AM (CKOC-AM) in Hamilton has also undergone a format change, adopting the BNN Bloomberg Radio format, which features a simulcast of BNN Bloomberg’s linear television broadcast, in addition to specialty programming from Bloomberg’s radio service. Wade Oosterman, President of Bell Media and Vice Chair, BCE, revealed in a memo to employees that the Winnipeg and Vancouver stations will take on the company’s “Funny” stand-up comedy brand later this week. The TSN Radio brand is still being carried by Bell Media stations in Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. Read more here.

The CRTC has denied a request by Bell Media to reduce the amount of local programming on TSN 690 (CKGM-AM) Montréal from 96 hours to 63 hours per broadcast week. Bell submitted that while “it is committed to providing its audience with comprehensive sports coverage, the obligation to broadcast at least 96 hours of local programming during each broadcast week can at times require it to make programming decisions that result in Montréal sports fans being deprived of live play-by-play coverage of compelling sporting events, since such coverage is typically not considered local programming.” The commission says the station’s condition of licence relating to local programming was an important factor in the approval of an exception to the common ownership policy and therefore, it is of the view that reducing CKGM’s local programming requirement is not appropriate.

The CRTC has found that the market of Salt Spring Island, BC could sustain a radio station at this time. Given that no parties other than Gulf Islands Community Radio Society (GICRS) expressed an interest in serving the market, the commission won’t publish a call for applications, but will publish the GICRS application for a broadcast licence to operate a new community station as part of the non-appearing phase of an upcoming public hearing. The commission has already received 200 interventions in support of the GICRS application.

The CRTC has concluded that the market of Ajax and Pickering, ON cannot support an additional radio station at this time. The commission is returning an application from Durham Diversity Radio for a broadcasting licence to operate a commercial ethnic FM radio station. 

Stingray Radio is set to rebrand three of its stations in the Maritimes under the Classic Hits ‘Rewind’ banner. Starting Friday at 12 a.m., Adult Hits stations Up! 93.1 (CIHI-FM) Fredericton, NB, and 95.9 Sun FM (CHHI-FM) Miramichi, NB, as well as Active Rocker 89.3 K-Rock (CIJK-FM) Kentville, NS, will be under the Rewind umbrella. Each station’s local personalities will remain, including local morning shows The Wake Up show with Dave in Fredericton and Mornings with Darcey in Miramichi. Darrin Harvey, who has helmed mornings on 89.3 K-Rock for the last 13 years, will also continue in his timeslot. With a focus on playing the greatest hits of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, Stingray’s CHNO-FM Sudbury has carried the Rewind format since 2010.

NEWS 1130 (CKWX-AM) Vancouver celebrated 25 years as an all-news station this week. The Rogers Sports & Media station switched from its previous Super Country format to all-news on Feb. 8, 1996, under the leadership of General Manager Chuck McCoy and News Director Tom Mark.  

Flow 93.5 (CFXJ-AM) Toronto is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Canada’s first Black-owned radio station hit the airwaves on Feb. 9, 2001 with Bob Marley’s “Roots, Rock, Reggae.” Denham Jolly’s Milestone Radio was only successful on its third attempt to seek a licence for the urban music format. Credited with helping propel the careers of numerous Canadian R&B and Hip Hop artists, the station was acquired by CHUM Radio in 2010 and later Newcap (now Stingray) in 2014.

Waze has announced that Audible has joined its Audio Player Program. Audible on Waze offers drivers with an Audible membership access to its catalogue of more than 600,000 Audible Originals, audiobooks, podcasts, and other audio programs. Audible members can listen on Waze via the Waze app by tapping the music note icon to select Audible as their audio player. Audible members will also receive next turn directions from Waze inside the Audible app. Audible is the latest streaming service to integrate its audio experience into Waze using the Waze Audio Kit. 

LISTEN: On the latest Sound Off Podcast, Steve Goldstein of Amplifi Media talks with Matt Cundill about audio trends, including the evolution of smart speakers and how radio has fared on that front during the pandemic. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here:

Quebecor Sports and Entertainment has announced the acquisition of French-language record label Audiogram. Its properties also include Éditorial Avenue, Canada’s largest French-language music publisher. Under the leadership of Québec music industry pioneers Michel Bélanger and Rosaire Archambault, Audiogram has played a key role in the Quebec music scene since its founding in 1984. Philippe Archambault, who has led the company since 2015, will stay on as Audiogram’s General Manager and becomes Vice President Music of Quebecor’s Sports and Entertainment Group. Quebecor Sports and Entertainment already owns Musicor and STE-4, headed by Anne Vivien, Executive Vice President, Music Development of Quebecor, and MP3 Records, headed by Mario Pelchat.