In this week’s issue… New owner for CIND – Star winks out in Buffalo – Alhart sets a record – Towers coming down – Remembering O’Donovan, Becker, Castellani
By SCOTT FYBUSH
*One of the last independently-owned stations in CANADA‘s biggest market will remain independent – but will “Indie 88” retain its alternative rock format when it’s sold to a new owner?
Rock 95 Ltd., which won the license for CIND (88.1 Toronto) in 2012 after the CRTC revoked the former CKLN on that frequency, has run “Indie 88” for the last decade as a standalone station, competing against Corus’ CFNY (102.1 the Edge) and other major players in town.
Now parent company Central Ontario Broadcasting, which also owns CFJB and CKMB in Barrie to the north, has announced it’s selling CIND to another small regional player, Christopher Grossman’s Local Radio Lab.
That company got its start in 2021 by acquiring three stations in the Toronto exurbs from My Broadcasting – and since then, it’s run the stations (CIMA 92.1 Alliston, CKMO 101.5 Orangeville, CJML 101.3 Milton) very much along the same model My uses, with an AC format accompanying a local news website.
Terms of the CIND deal haven’t been announced yet, but Central Ontario president Doug Bingley says the seller is “thrilled that we are handing off the station to an independent voice with a commitment to continue the legacy of INDIE88 and the development of new emerging artists.”
We know one member of the CIND staff won’t be staying with the new owner – morning host Josie Dye left in late September, headed to Bell’s CHUM-FM (104.5) where she’ll take afternoons to replace Meredith Shaw after Shaw’s move to “Breakfast Television” on CITY-TV.
The landmark 24th edition of the world-famous Tower Site Calendar is in production, and your support will determine whether it will be the final edition.
It’s been a complicated few years here, and as we finish up production of the new edition (including a cover reveal, coming later this week!), we’re considering the future of this staple of radio walls everywhere as we evaluate our workload going forward.
The proceeds from the calendar help sustain the reporting that we do on the broadcast industry here at Fybush Media, so your purchases matter a lot to us here – and if that matters to you, now’s the time to show that support with an order of the new Tower Site Calendar. (And we have the new Broadcast Historian’s Calendar for 2025 ready to ship, too. Why not order both?)
Visit the Fybush Media Store and place your order now for the next calendar, get a great discount on previous calendars, and check out our selection of books and videos, too!
In this week’s issue… iHeart axes Boston, NYC morning shows and more - Cumulus cuts in central PA - Southern Tier combo saved from silence - Ottawa FM relaunches - K-Love buys in the Burgh - Scranton gets "Loud" -...
In this week’s issue… "Hot" cools down in Providence, CT studios closed - GBH to sell Cape studios - A HEBA in Hamden? - New HDs in New York - Another Canadian AM to close
In this week’s issue… GBH shuffles mornings, prepares new show launches - NYSBA inducts Hall of Famers - More news-talk in the Hudson Valley - Remembering Dan Sys
In this week’s issue… Beasley cuts claim veteran jock - FCC releases LPFM decisions - AM towers coming down - New voices at Indie 88
