Thanks to Gord Lansdell of NW Broadcaster for this story…
The CRTC will hold a hearing in Gatineau, QC May 27 to consider an application by Durham Radio Inc. (DRI) for authority to change the ownership and effective control of Roundhouse (CIRH-FM Vancouver), which has been off air since May 2018. CRTC Release
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Thanks to our friend Rob who made this post on the latest Vancouver PPMs
Rob
Well soon 98.3 will be back on air as it sounds like Durham radio group is buying the station for a smooth jazz format like there wave.fm station. Doing this may finally allow stingray to do away with that condition of license and soon they won’t have to have jazz at night. I’m surprised there isn’t a post based on that news as it is on here
While the shooting in CO was tragic, this is EXACTLY why all media will be dead in the next 5 years and replaced with smart innovation where people can “choose” the truth they wish to believe.
https://summit.news/2021/03/23/facebook-scrubs-page-showing-supermarket-shooter-was-anti-trump-pro-refugee-activist/
From a consumer standpoint, something is better than nothing. However, this seems to be a bad business venture.
In the history of Vancouver radio, smooth jazz never made a huge impact ratings-wise, even with a great radio frequency and limited competition. Same with Shore FM.
In the last full incarnation of smooth jazz 20 years ago, the previous station was playing artists like Sarah McLaughlin and Train, which 104.3 is already playing. No question that the overall playlist will be considerably different, but I just don’t see enough separation in terms of either music or listening audience to make a notable ratings impact.
How could 98.3 be made profitable?
Don’t think this is the answer.
In a perfect world, move the freq to 98.7 (the old Matt McBride Port Moody FM, and no interference with Star FM in the Valley) ) and quietly massage programming into a quasi Pride FM ie TO’s station. I agree with the Smooth Jazz criticism… yikes ………………. I was at CLEAR when the switch was made from smooth jazz to the Fred and Cathy experiment. There really wasn’t a positive bump.
The first thing they need to do is to get out of that terrible, restrictive low-power license the old Roundhouse suffered under. You can’t turn a profit if no-one can hear your station!
The smooth jazz feature on 104.3 will soon likely be gone once its official that 98.3 will become that. Good riddance. Just my thing, but any special interest feature on a commercial music station that doesnt feature a live dj does not really deserve to be on the air. Maybe in a dim lighted bar or an elevator, but not on my radio. The program director there for the last two years is a truly special kind of stupid charlatan wannabe hipster who only likes people who are like her and dismisses everyone else, and so is the station manager, sad to say. The evening breeze with stacy will likely be expanded to midnight on weekdays, and with a little luck a soft oldie show will come to the weekend night space which will likely be availible soon (if the supposed new sports station doesnt launch on that part of the dial, which will be a really really slim chance if at all. Perhaps the new smooth jazz channel should start up sooner and save us some suffering!!!!