Stingray has introduced New Country 93.5 (CFXJ-FM) in Toronto, as the company takes a bet on the rising popularity of Country music.
The New Country format, which is already carried on 19 Stingray stations across the country from Kamloops, BC to Carbonear, NL, replaces the former 93.5 Today Radio. Introduced in Toronto in early 2022, the Adult Hits format is similar to Pattison Media’s NOW! Radio brand.
Stingray Radio President Steve Jones says while the Today format has performed well in Edmonton and had some good books in Calgary, it didn’t take hold in other markets like Vancouver, where Pattison recently dumped the NOW! format to return to playing Alt Rock on CKPK-FM.
“I think what we once thought was a trend wasn’t a trend and the format is a success in Edmonton because of what NOW! Radio in Edmonton does and not because there’s a format that can be picked up and transplanted anywhere,” said Jones. “I think the challenge was we had a real difficult time explaining to listeners and clients what was different about Today Radio. It was hard to translate to clients what was unique about it…we know the variety we played was infinitely wider and conversations infinitely deeper, but it became a really difficult thing to communicate. When you can’t communicate what makes you interesting or different, I think you’re kind of doomed.”
New Country 93.5 will stand alone as the only Country format station in Toronto, as the popularity of the genre surges, particularly amongst younger listeners.
“The timing to launch a country station probably couldn’t be better,” said Jones. “The data that we’ve seen about who is listening to country and why…it’s younger, it’s more urban. Young urban professionals who are trapped in cookie cutter condos in the downtown core of a big city crave the values that Country music stands for and it provides a connection to a different environment than the city life they live.”
broadcastdialogue.com
The New Country format, which is already carried on 19 Stingray stations across the country from Kamloops, BC to Carbonear, NL, replaces the former 93.5 Today Radio. Introduced in Toronto in early 2022, the Adult Hits format is similar to Pattison Media’s NOW! Radio brand.
Stingray Radio President Steve Jones says while the Today format has performed well in Edmonton and had some good books in Calgary, it didn’t take hold in other markets like Vancouver, where Pattison recently dumped the NOW! format to return to playing Alt Rock on CKPK-FM.
“I think what we once thought was a trend wasn’t a trend and the format is a success in Edmonton because of what NOW! Radio in Edmonton does and not because there’s a format that can be picked up and transplanted anywhere,” said Jones. “I think the challenge was we had a real difficult time explaining to listeners and clients what was different about Today Radio. It was hard to translate to clients what was unique about it…we know the variety we played was infinitely wider and conversations infinitely deeper, but it became a really difficult thing to communicate. When you can’t communicate what makes you interesting or different, I think you’re kind of doomed.”
New Country 93.5 will stand alone as the only Country format station in Toronto, as the popularity of the genre surges, particularly amongst younger listeners.
“The timing to launch a country station probably couldn’t be better,” said Jones. “The data that we’ve seen about who is listening to country and why…it’s younger, it’s more urban. Young urban professionals who are trapped in cookie cutter condos in the downtown core of a big city crave the values that Country music stands for and it provides a connection to a different environment than the city life they live.”
Stingray bets on New Country in Toronto - Broadcast Dialogue
Stingray has introduced New Country 93.5 in Toronto, as the company takes a bet on the rising popularity of Country music.
broadcastdialogue.com
