Even though the Canadian government has not officially endorsed the HD Radio broadcast standard, the number of digital stations in the country seems to be growing.
According to Xperi, 39 stations have converted, all but one of which are FM. Those HD1 stations are also airing 26 HD2 channels, 15 HD3 and six HD4, for a total of 47 multicast channels. Markets where HD Radio is operational include Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver, and a number of other communities.
More Canadian broadcasters seem to be testing the HD Radio waters. This is notable given the country’s failed launch of government-endorsed DAB digital radio in the 1990s. A lack of DAB receivers and original content DAB-only stations (broadcasters simulcasted their AM/FM content) resulted in Canadians not tuning into DAB, and the format was abandoned in Canada in the 2010s. According to WorldDAB.org, 73 Canadian DAB stations were on air in 2008.
Given the money broadcasters spent on DAB digital radio in Canada (and on AM stereo before that), Radio World wondered what is motivating Canadian broadcasters to consider HD Radio today. Here’s what three of them told us.
Three case studies
Evanov Communications owns and operates 16 radio stations across Canada, including in the major markets of Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.
“Four of our stations have already gone HD and there are plans for further rollouts,” said Paul Bury, the company’s director of engineering and IT.
“Our first HD Radio rollout was CKPC(FM), an 80,000-watt blowtorch in Brantford, Ontario, on Nov. 18, 2019. CIDC ‘Z 103.5 FM,’ our flagship station, followed soon in the summer of 2020. CHLO AM 530 (Brampton, Ontario) became Canada’s first AM station using HD Radio technology in June of 2021. And a flip of CKJS 810AM Winnipeg to 92.7FM and erection of a brand-new 625-foot broadcast tower gave us a chance to become the first stations broadcasting an HD signal in Manitoba in September of 2021.”
Evanov has embraced HD Radio because “we strongly believe that the traditional broadcast bands will have to evolve and offer some kind of digital offering in the near future,” Bury told Radio World.
“As trends change and listeners become more accustomed to receiving more eye-pleasing and advanced program data from web services, digital broadcasting will continue to be the only way that traditional broadcasters can stay competitive. As well, in the case of AM 530, we were hoping that addition of HD would help combat the growing problems of noise and subpar audio quality that has plagued the AM broadcast band for many years. Our hopes are that the higher-quality audio will help to revitalize the historic AM band.”
Steve Huber is president and owner of Huber Radio Ltd., which operates CIAT “Cat Country 98 FM” in Assiniboia, Saskatchewan (population 2,389). It is a country music station “designed with a rural farming audience in mind,” said Huber.
He installed HD Radio in 2021 “to give bragging rights to our little town of Assiniboia,” he quipped. “But seriously, HD Radio delivers a better listener experience and I believe this will always win in the listener’s mind.”
“Now many of my area radio competitors are hell-bent on delivering ad revenue with the resale of websites and driving audiences to Facebook, YouTube and other social media platforms,” Huber said.
“But doesn’t it make more sense to offer listeners a digital experience via radio, using a technology that we understand and own?”
Corus Entertainment operates 39 stations and has tested HD Radio in three of them: CING(FM), which plays hot adult contemporary in Hamilton, Ontario; CKRY(FM), a country station in Calgary, Alberta; and CFMI(FM), a rock outlet in Vancouver, BC. Multicast channels of all three stations carry simulcasts of various Corus AM signals.
Corus Entertainment’s answers to Radio World’s questions were compiled by Greg Landgraf, manager of radio technology for western Canada; Andy Bingle, manager of radio technology for eastern Canada; and Phillip Anderson, broadcast engineer for radio technology in Hamilton.
“HD Radio on CING(FM) was launched temporarily as a test in October of 2012,” the Corus group wrote.
“Nautel contacted Corus to see if we were interested in trying HD in Canada, due to our 1,000-foot tower located in Stony Creek. This site provided a great coverage area, which included both a medium market as well as a major market.”
HD Radio Slowly Gains Ground in Canada - Radio World
According to Xperi, 39 stations have converted, all but one of which are FM. Those HD1 stations are also airing 26 HD2 channels, 15 HD3 and six HD4, for a total of 47 multicast channels. Markets where HD Radio is operational include Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver, and a number of other communities.
More Canadian broadcasters seem to be testing the HD Radio waters. This is notable given the country’s failed launch of government-endorsed DAB digital radio in the 1990s. A lack of DAB receivers and original content DAB-only stations (broadcasters simulcasted their AM/FM content) resulted in Canadians not tuning into DAB, and the format was abandoned in Canada in the 2010s. According to WorldDAB.org, 73 Canadian DAB stations were on air in 2008.
Given the money broadcasters spent on DAB digital radio in Canada (and on AM stereo before that), Radio World wondered what is motivating Canadian broadcasters to consider HD Radio today. Here’s what three of them told us.
Three case studies
Evanov Communications owns and operates 16 radio stations across Canada, including in the major markets of Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.
“Four of our stations have already gone HD and there are plans for further rollouts,” said Paul Bury, the company’s director of engineering and IT.
“Our first HD Radio rollout was CKPC(FM), an 80,000-watt blowtorch in Brantford, Ontario, on Nov. 18, 2019. CIDC ‘Z 103.5 FM,’ our flagship station, followed soon in the summer of 2020. CHLO AM 530 (Brampton, Ontario) became Canada’s first AM station using HD Radio technology in June of 2021. And a flip of CKJS 810AM Winnipeg to 92.7FM and erection of a brand-new 625-foot broadcast tower gave us a chance to become the first stations broadcasting an HD signal in Manitoba in September of 2021.”
Evanov has embraced HD Radio because “we strongly believe that the traditional broadcast bands will have to evolve and offer some kind of digital offering in the near future,” Bury told Radio World.
“As trends change and listeners become more accustomed to receiving more eye-pleasing and advanced program data from web services, digital broadcasting will continue to be the only way that traditional broadcasters can stay competitive. As well, in the case of AM 530, we were hoping that addition of HD would help combat the growing problems of noise and subpar audio quality that has plagued the AM broadcast band for many years. Our hopes are that the higher-quality audio will help to revitalize the historic AM band.”
Steve Huber is president and owner of Huber Radio Ltd., which operates CIAT “Cat Country 98 FM” in Assiniboia, Saskatchewan (population 2,389). It is a country music station “designed with a rural farming audience in mind,” said Huber.
He installed HD Radio in 2021 “to give bragging rights to our little town of Assiniboia,” he quipped. “But seriously, HD Radio delivers a better listener experience and I believe this will always win in the listener’s mind.”
“Now many of my area radio competitors are hell-bent on delivering ad revenue with the resale of websites and driving audiences to Facebook, YouTube and other social media platforms,” Huber said.
“But doesn’t it make more sense to offer listeners a digital experience via radio, using a technology that we understand and own?”
Corus Entertainment operates 39 stations and has tested HD Radio in three of them: CING(FM), which plays hot adult contemporary in Hamilton, Ontario; CKRY(FM), a country station in Calgary, Alberta; and CFMI(FM), a rock outlet in Vancouver, BC. Multicast channels of all three stations carry simulcasts of various Corus AM signals.
Corus Entertainment’s answers to Radio World’s questions were compiled by Greg Landgraf, manager of radio technology for western Canada; Andy Bingle, manager of radio technology for eastern Canada; and Phillip Anderson, broadcast engineer for radio technology in Hamilton.
“HD Radio on CING(FM) was launched temporarily as a test in October of 2012,” the Corus group wrote.
“Nautel contacted Corus to see if we were interested in trying HD in Canada, due to our 1,000-foot tower located in Stony Creek. This site provided a great coverage area, which included both a medium market as well as a major market.”
HD Radio Slowly Gains Ground in Canada - Radio World
