Stingray is set to launch a syndicated, coast-to-coast, midday show on half a dozen of its small market country stations, starting Monday, Oct. 21.
The Paul McGuire Show will be heard on New Country 100.7 (CIGV-FM) Kelowna, BC; New Country 103.1 (CJKC-FM) Kamloops, BC; New Country 98.1 (CFCW-FM) Camrose, AB; New Country 96.9 (CJXL-FM) Moncton, NB; New Country 103.5 (CKCH-FM) Sydney, NS; and New Country 92.3 (CFRK-FM) Fredericton, NB.
Paul McGuire, who is best known for hosting CMT’s Chevy Top 20 Countdown, will helm the show from Toronto. Named the Country Music Association’s International Broadcaster of the Year in 2016, McGuire started his career with YTV, and has produced and hosted for CTV, Global TV, The Food Network, The History Channel, and ole’s YouTube Multi-Channel Network (MCN), among others.
Set to run from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. local time, the show will feature country music news and interviews with country stars.
Jenn Dalen, Regional Program Director for Stingray’s stations in Red Deer, Rural Alberta, Kamloops, and Kelowna, says the stations in question were previously voice-tracking their midday time slots, so no staffing positions will be affected.
Networking original syndicated programming has developed as an aggressive trend in 2019, particularly in the country format. In June, Stingray introduced a regional morning show for its country stations in the B.C. Interior, hosted by Casey Clarke. The company made a similar move to syndicate mornings across its Real Country and boom-branded stations in rural Alberta in January. Bell Media’s 13 Pure Country-branded stations also boast a syndicated midday show, hosted by Shannon Ella. On the rock and Top 40 side, Corus Entertainment has made some bold moves in the space by syndicating major market mornings, most notably introducing Rock 101 (CFMI-FM) Vancouver’s Willy in the Morning to Q107 (CFGQ-FM) Calgary. Seattle-based morning duo Brooke & Jubal will make their debut on CHUCK FM (CKNG-FM) Edmonton, starting Oct 21. Corus started airing the show on JUMP! 106.9 (CKQB-FM) Ottawa in Sept. 2018.
Dalen says everyone would agree that revenue is playing a role in the trend, but it’s also about creating strong programming.
“When you have an announcer who is strong and you can put them in multiple dayparts…Paul has a strong background in broadcasting, more on the TV side, but he’s a personality and I think that’s a big driver,” Dalen told Broadcast Dialogue. “We’re really excited to get the show going.”
Many of Stingray’s stations now airing syndicated programming, like the 15 that take the The Real Wake Up with Vinnie & Randi out of Real Country 95.5 (CKGY-FM) Red Deer, are in communities too small to be rated by Numeris. Dalen says overall however, market response has been positive.
“We’ve had some great emails and listener feedback,” said Dalen.
In addition to his new daily show on the New Country stations, McGuire will continue to host The Paul McGuire Country Countdown, which airs every weekend on Stingray country stations.
Subscribe Now – Free!
Broadcast Dialogue has been required reading in the Canadian broadcast media for 25 years. When you subscribe, you join a community of connected professionals from media and broadcast related sectors from across the country.
The Weekly Briefing from Broadcast Dialogue is delivered exclusively to subscribers by email every Thursday. Itís your link to critical industry news, timely people moves, and excellent career advancement opportunities.
Letís get started right now.
