NorthEast Radio Watch 8/4/2025: On The Road

In this week’s issue… My takes over Ontario signals – Pubcasters, CBS make job cuts – Bayshore makes its FM move – iHeart shuffles Williamsport – Remembering Boston’s Barnett

By SCOTT FYBUSH

*HOLLYWOOD BEACH, Florida – Yep, we’re on the road again, watching a major ABC affiliate go independent here in the Miami market (more on that later in the column, with an important Boston connection), and then headed to the Texas Association of Broadcasters and Morning Show Boot Camp in the Lone Star State later this week, which means there’s likely to be no August 11 issue barring major breaking news.

This week, while we were around the Sunshine State, the biggest radio news was all happening north of the border, where two Ontario broadcasters were making big moves almost simultaneously on Friday.

We’ll start up in Owen Sound, where Bayshore Broadcasting pulled the trigger Friday morning at 8 on the launch of its new CFOS-FM (89.3), the FM signal that will soon replace the venerable CFOS (560), which has been on the AM dial since 1940.

With a new slogan, “Putting Grey Bruce First,” the new CFOS-FM moves to more of a classic hits sound, freshening up its music mix a bit as it leaves behind its old AM home. The new FM signal covers just Owen Sound instead of the regional reach the 560 signal has enjoyed, but since that’s Bayshore’s core market zone (CFOS joins “Mix 106.5” CIXK and “Country 93” CKYC in the Bayshore FM lineup in town), the hope is that the move to FM will bring some younger listeners to the dial.

The AM signal has 90 days to end its simulcast with the AM, but it’s likely Bayshore will shut it off sooner once it has transitioned listeners over.

*To the south and east, Jon Pole’s My Broadcasting launched three new formats in a row later on Friday as it completed its acquisition of three spinoffs from Rogers.

In Smiths Falls, south of Ottawa, Rogers had kept its “Jack” format on CJET (92.3) while it awaited the sale to My, but on Friday morning at 10 it was reborn as “92.3 Wow FM,” matching the classic hits brand down the road at WLYK (102.7) serving the Kingston market.

Now paired with My’s CHLK (88.1 Perth), the two stations will build new studios in Smiths Falls in the coming months.

A few hours later, My launched two new formats in Tillsonburg, east of London.

The former Rogers AC “Easy 101.3” (CKOT) finally shed the last remnants of its old beautiful music days, picking up the “Giant FM” brand My acquired at Niagara’s CIXL as it went classic rock as “Giant FM 101.3.” Sister station CJDL (107.3) stayed country, but it’s now “Tillsonburg’s New Country 107.3.”

With new studios also coming in Tillsonburg, Giant is stunting by claiming it’s “broadcasting from the shed.”