Roundhouse Radio (CIRH-FM) Vancouver went dark on May 6 with the station’s ownership group confirming that an offer has been received from an unnamed buyer to take over operation of the fledgling news/talk station. With the deal pending CRTC approval, the ownership group made the decision to cease broadcasting in the interim. The station employed about 30 people.
The New Classical FM (CFMZ-FM) Toronto has made some programming changes. Alexa Petrenko has taken over hosting weekend morning show Breakfast Classics from Bill Anderson. Petrenko will also continue to host Sunday Night at the Opera. Bill Anderson, broadcasting out of the station’s studio in Collingwood where he now resides, takes over Saturday midday staple Solid Gold Classics from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. He’ll also continue his popular weekday request show Bill’s Classical Jukebox.
The CRTC has issued broadcast licences for two new Christian radio stations. United Christian Broadcasters Media Canada has been approved to operate a specialty Christian music station in Regina at 107.9 MHz. Faith Baptist Church of Sydney, NS is looking at broadcasting Christian and interdenominational religious spoken word programming at 90.7 MHz.
Mark McKenzie from 89X (CIMX-FM) Windsor and Doug Elliott from 94.9 The Rock (CKGE-FM) Toronto both walked away from the WorldWide Radio Summit Industry Awards in Hollywood with hardware. McKenzie won International Radio Personality of the Year, while Elliott took home the award for International Program Director/Controller Of The Year. Fellow Canadian Wendy Duff from CHFI-FM Toronto was nominated in the same category. Lisa Grossi of CHUM-FM Toronto and Jasmine Kota of Virgin Radio (CFBT-FM) Vancouver earned nominations for International Music Director of the Year, while Newcap Radio was nominated in the International Radio Group category.
CISN 103.9 FM Edmonton and Country 105 (CKRY-FM) Calgary took off May 10 with two plane loads of fans for the 5th Annual Tennessee Takeover in Nashville. The weekend fan experience includes a private concert headlined by Dierks Bentley, as well as performances by Jordan Davis and Canadian up-and-comers The Reklaws.
Rogers’ Kitchener radio stations 570 News (CKGL-AM), CHYM-FM 96.7 and Country 106.7 (CIKZ-FM) supported the 13th Annual KidsAbility ‘Kids Can’t Wait’ Radiothon on May 4. The event raised a total of $167,515 to fund KidsAbility’s work with children and youth in the community who have special needs.
The 800 CHAB Family First Radio-thon raised $209,856 to support health care in Moose Jaw and surrounding area on May 3-4. This was the 12th year for the 36-hour live radio event with funds raised focused on buying new surgical equipment for the F.H. Wigmore Hospital.
Jim Pattison Broadcast Group stations 99.3 The Drive (CKDV-FM) and 101.3 The River (CKKN-FM) Prince George raised $62,096 for the Spirit of The North Healthcare Foundation on May 3. Spirit Day was part of an overall campaign to fund four ECHO ultrasound machines with 4D capabilities for better detection and diagnosis.
Rob Steele, president and CEO of Newcap Radio, is the new campaign chair for the Dalhousie University Performing Arts Campaign. The announcement was made at a private reception at the East Coast Music Awards in Halifax on Saturday night. The project will see the construction of a new addition to the Dalhousie Arts Centre, including state-of-the-art performance and rehearsal spaces, and new Costume Studies studios. The campaign will also support much-needed enhancements to the 45-year-old Arts Centre’s mechanical systems, including environmental upgrades. Steele, who is also founder of Steele Auto Group, was named Outstanding Individual Philanthropist of the Year in 2014 by the Nova Scotia Association of Fundraising Professionals for his involvement in various community efforts.
Canadian Music Week’s Radio Interactive International Radio Summit is underway in Toronto. Highlights include Friday morning session When Broadcast Meets Podcast: A Love Story? featuring Chris “Dunner” Duncombe, director of Streaming and Podcasting, Corus Entertainment; 101.1 the Edge (CFNY-FM) Toronto announcer Fearless Fred Kennedy; Jean-Marie Heimrath, president & CEO of The Podcast Exchange and Seth Resler of Jacobs Media. BBC Radio 1’s head of music Chris Price also delivers a keynote Friday afternoon on Evolving Music Discovery. Find the full agenda here.
Tiffany Ferguson, executive director of Women in Music Canada, has pulled out of CMW panel discussion The Future Is Female: Leading Women Tackle #MeToo, #TimesUp and Equality in the Workplace. A statement says the organization’s board feels the panel should include more diverse voices. Presented by the Radio Trailblazers, which supports women in radio, the May 10 event features producer/host Denise Donlon, Corus Entertainment COO Barbara Williams, CBC’s executive director of radio Susan Marjetti, Rogers Radio senior VP Julie Adam, Jackie Dean, CEO of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, and Christa Dickenson, president and CEO of Interactive Ontario.
On this week’s Broadcast Dialogue podcast, publisher Shawn Smith talks to Mike Boon host of popular podcast Toronto Mike’d. For almost six years Mike has been inviting many big radio personalities to his home studio for a long form conversation. From Roger Ashby to Erin Davis to Maureen Holloway to Matt Galloway.
Bell Media radio stations across New Brunswick have teamed up to deliver the New Brunswick Flood Relief Radiothon on May 10 in support of the Canadian Red Cross. The radiothon will air from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. AT on 106.9 Capital FM (CIBX-FM) Fredericton, KHJ (CKHJ-AM) Fredericton, 105.3 The Fox (CFXY-FM) Fredericton, 104.9 MAX FM (CKBC-FM) Bathurst, K93 (CIKX-FM) Grand Falls and CJ104 (CJCJ-FM) Woodstock. Funds raised will support immediate and long-term relief, recovery, and future preparedness, with a strong focus on the more than 1,000 people displaced from their homes.
