While some see terrestrial radio as being on the way out, the minds behind Toronto's newest station beg to differ. Targeted to the local Caribbean and African communities, G 98.7 officially launched today (October 3) with a press conference in Toronto announcing the new logo, call letters CKFG-FM and executive team.
Toronto's newest radio station -- with the tagline "The Way We Groove" -- is slated to play a mix of "urban" or black music, including reggae, R&B, hip-hop and jazz.
The official launch caps off a long journey for founder and radio personality Fitzroy Gordon, who has been working to establish a black-oriented radio station since the late 1990s. Formerly known as CARN-FM, the station was originally licensed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in 2006. At the time, the CRTC declined CARN's original request to operate at FM frequency 98.7 MHz (with an average effective radiated power of 508 watts) on the grounds it was too close to an established signal, namely CBC Radio 99.1 FM.
The CRTC ruling at the time also revealed that there was industry opposition to CARN's radio station bid, including (interestingly enough) Milestone Radio Inc., previous owners of Toronto urban music station FLOW 93.5. Bell Media Radio completed its purchase of FLOW earlier this year and has subsequently shifted to a more contemporary hit radio or CHR format.
To learn more about CKFG-FM, you can check out the station's newly launched website here.
Toronto's newest radio station -- with the tagline "The Way We Groove" -- is slated to play a mix of "urban" or black music, including reggae, R&B, hip-hop and jazz.
The official launch caps off a long journey for founder and radio personality Fitzroy Gordon, who has been working to establish a black-oriented radio station since the late 1990s. Formerly known as CARN-FM, the station was originally licensed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in 2006. At the time, the CRTC declined CARN's original request to operate at FM frequency 98.7 MHz (with an average effective radiated power of 508 watts) on the grounds it was too close to an established signal, namely CBC Radio 99.1 FM.
The CRTC ruling at the time also revealed that there was industry opposition to CARN's radio station bid, including (interestingly enough) Milestone Radio Inc., previous owners of Toronto urban music station FLOW 93.5. Bell Media Radio completed its purchase of FLOW earlier this year and has subsequently shifted to a more contemporary hit radio or CHR format.
To learn more about CKFG-FM, you can check out the station's newly launched website here.
