RADIO/AUDIO/PODCAST:
Vista Radio completed its third annual Million Dollars for Charity week raising $1.3 million for local charities across its 45 stations. With all fundraising efforts focused on the week ending Dec. 11, each Vista station selected its own local charity to support. For instance, Moose FM (CKNR-FM) in Elliot Lake, ON raised $34,000 in cash and toys during its annual Salvation Army for Kids Christmas Radiothon. Meanwhile, Moose FM (CJJM-FM) in Espanola, ON brought in $16,000 during its radiothon, in partnership with the Espanola hospital. Over the past three years, Vista stations have raised over $3.6 million.
The Pan Pacific Christmas Wish Breakfast, hosted by Global News BC and Rock 101 (CFMI-FM) Vancouver, saw over 21 tons of toys and $21,000 in cash and gift cards donated in just three hours for the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau on Dec. 13. The 29th annual event has become one of Canada’s largest toy drives.
The 2nd annual Tower of Toys event, hosted by 92.5 Fresh Radio (CKNG-FM), CISN Country 103.9, 630 CHED, iNews880 and Global Edmonton collected 5,083 new, unwrapped toys for 630 CHED Santas Anonymous. The event was held Dec. 8 – 10 aboard the Santa Maria ship in West Edmonton Mall.
CBC Thunder Bay’s Lisa Laco and the Superior Morning crew broadcast live from the Wasaya Airways hangar last Friday morning as 10,000 pounds of food donations were loaded onto a Hawker Siddeley 748 destined for Sandy Lake First Nation. The 2016 Sounds Of the Season special also raised $10,000 in cash. Every member of Sandy Lake will receive a fresh food hamper.
97.5 The River (CKRV-FM) Kamloops Toys For Kids Breakfast raised $8,500 and collected 3,481 toys for local charity Christmas Amalgamated. Another $16,197 was raised for the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation’s Pediatrics Ward.
AM 560 CFOS and the Owen Sound Sun Times hosted their 77th Christmas Fund Broadcast on Sunday. Funds raised so far are set to surpass last year’s total of $27,000. About 24 local charities benefit from the event with 30 local musical acts lending their talents to the live broadcast from the Roxy Theatre.
Evanov Radio’s Winnipeg stations Energy 106 FM (CHWE-FM), Jewel 100.5 (CFJL-FM) and CKJS-AM 810 helped raise over $22,000 and collected 2,000 toys for families in need this past weekend during a two-day live broadcast. Evanov partnered with the Christmas Cheer Board for the 2nd annual Christmas Miracle promotion at St. Vital Centre.
Bell Media launched its third HD radio station Dec. 8. RougeFM 107.3 (CITE-FM) Montreal is now broadcasting in HD. The signal also carries digital sub channels CJAD Newstalk 800 (HD2) and CKGM TSN Radio 690 (HD3), improving audio quality over traditional AM reception in the Montreal core for listeners with HD radio receivers.
Newly-minted Halifax councillor and longtime broadcaster Richard Zurawski is boycotting his former employer, Rogers Radio’s News 95.7 (CJNI-FM) over an alleged contract dispute. On Monday, talk show host Rick Howe told listeners tuning into the Hot Seat segment that Zurawski had cancelled two appearances in recent weeks because of a disagreement with management. After 11 years as chief meteorologist for Rogers in the Maritimes as well as 1310 News (CIWW-AM) in Ottawa, Zurawski’s contract wasn’t renewed. Zurawski also hosted the long running segment Science Files, heard in a number of markets.
