Less than a year after Mark Dickie was put in charge of Corus Radio’s four stations in Ottawa and Cornwall, three of them have new brands and the fourth has a new lineup.
On Monday, Corus announced the rebranding of the two Cornwall stations. CJSS 101.9 became Boom 101.9, and CFLG 104.5 went from Variety 104 to 104.5 Fresh FM. Their music (classic hits and top 40, respectively) remains the same.
In March, Corus killed Ottawa’s 106.9 The Bear, replacing the rock station with the new brand Jump! The other Ottawa station, Boom 99.7, put a new lineup in place this week that includes former Montreal broadcasters Pete Marier and Murray Sherriffs.
Boom is actually a former Astral Media (now Bell Media) brand, used for two Montérégie stations. It’s also used on CHBM-FM Toronto, which was sold to Newcap Radio as part of required Bell/Astral divestments. So we have one brand being used by five radio stations owned by three different companies in two languages.
More music (seriously) in Quebec City
In Quebec City, Cogeco’s CFOM-FM 102.9 has rebranded as M FM, with a focus on more music, fewer on-air hosts, no contests and fewer “irritants”, the Journal de Québec reports.
The station is keeping its classic hits format, but according to the Journal has reduced its music library to focus on hits.
The keep-it-music-stupid focus is reflected on the station’s website, which is pretty bare-bones.
It might also be a response to stations like Quebec City’s NRJ, which brought in Jeff Fillion to do a noon talk show and saw ratings for that hour skyrocket.
More rebrands
Other radio stations are also getting rebrands, since this is the season for that just before fall:
- Corus also rebranded Peterborough station CKRU-FM from Kruz 100.5 (“Peterborough’s Greatest Hits”) to Hits 100.5.
- Rogers rebranded CHST-FM 102.3 London from Bob FM to Jack FM. The format remains unchanged.
- In Vancouver, new owner Newcap changed the branding of CISL 650 AM to “Smooth and Easy”.
- CKRI-FM in Red Deer, Alta., owned by Harvard Broadcasting, went from The River to Cruz FM, going from adult contemporary to a classic hits format.
- Gatineau’s CHLX-FM 97.1, owned by RNC Média, changed brands from Planète to become a Rythme FM affiliate. The station was originally licensed as a classical music and jazz station in 2001, but didn’t make money with it. In 2008, the CRTC approved a change in license so that it only had to devote 20% of its programming to jazz music. The station says it plans to keep that commitment. CKRS-FM in Saguenay, owned by Attraction Radio, is also looking to become a Rythme FM affiliate, but needs approval on a licence change before it can do that.
You forgot Planète 97.1 in Gatineau that changed to become a Rythme affiliate.
You’re right. I forgot about that one. I’ve updated the post. Thanks.
There is a whole lot of flailing around going on in the radio business. Part of this of course is the fall out from the Bell /Astral deal, but part of it also is because if you ain’t fresh, you are stale.
Mr Dickie is certainly putting his stamp on the Corus stations, essentially and end to end revamp of every property without exception. It will be interesting to see the effects.
Actually Corus didn’t kill the 106.9 The Bear name. They couldn’t use the name anymore as the name is own by Bell Media, (this is part of the deal when they bought Astral Media back in 2012 and had to sell the station due to CRTC ruling) . The Bear name and music format still use in Edmonton AB, Fort St. John BC, & Fort Nelson BC.