Wednesday, 12 September 2012

Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival radio sponsorship news


Recent Facebook Posting about radio sponsorship news in Toronto attracting interest 
(and so I have posted on my blog about all things PR)
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Pictured is former Flow announcer and now G98.7 Sunday soca host Dr J (left) and comedian Jean Paul (right


G isn't moving its spot on the FM dial anytime soon. Yesterday the Federal Canadian Radio & Television Commission (CRTC) awarded the much sought-after 88.1 fm frequency to Rock 95 Barrie. They are committed to bringing a new indie music station with a "high level of emerging artists" to the Toronto airwave over the next year.
“G 98.7: The Way We Groove,” was one of 22 companies trying to gain ownership of the 88.1 fm spot on the broadcast dial. G 98.7, Toronto's newest urban station (who is the media partner of the Toronto Mas Band Association), had hoped to move its signal down the dial, to hopefully greatly improve reception in the GTA.
88.1 was formally the frequency used by CKLN-fm. That station, owned and operated by the Ryerson University Student Union, lost its licence for many many CRTC infractions over the years. CKLN broadcast at 88.1 from 1983 to 2011. (I actually assisted now and then at CKLN back in 1973 when it was a closed circuit radio station.)
In other radio news, CTV, the radio and television broadcast media partner for Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto, announced that if it is successful in purchasing Astral Media (owners of CFRB, Virgin Radio, Easy Rock etc) it will sell Toronto's only other urban station, FLOW-fm. For the past two years FLOW has been the Festival's radio sponsor. The CRTC will be deciding on that purchase agreement in the very near future.
Photograph by Stephen Weir at CHIN '11 Bikini Festival