It was another hectic year for radio stories in 2024, and SOWNY tried to catch them all. A lot happened over the past 365, but there were few stories more dramatic than the turnover of dozens of stations – and the silencing of several others.
 
In February, Bell Media made the decision to sell off 45 radio stations across Canada, changing the landscape of the industry with a single decision. But it wasn’t just the broadcast giant that reported bad news. Corus, weakened by severe stock losses, began shutting down many longtime prominent stations across the country, with perhaps the most surprising being the sudden and unannounced shutdown of CHML. The station was just a few years away from its 100th birthday and had been something of an icon in Hamilton and Southern Ontario.
 
What’s next? It looks like more trouble for radio, as Bell appears ready to move farther away from the medium and Corus gets ready for more potentially bad news on January 25th, 2025, the day it will report on its latest stock numbers.
 
You can review all the stories by clicking on the headlines, which will take you back to the SOWNY page where they first appeared.
 
Thanks to all who post, read or otherwise contribute here. And here’s to a better 2025!
 
January
 
Jan. 2 – Going For Broke

The year begins on an ominous note and a sign of times for the industry, as U.S. radio giant Audacy announces it’s going to file for bankruptcy. It owns 225 stations in 47 markets, including Buffalo.
 
February
 
Feb 7 – For Whom The Bell Tolls

Probably the biggest story of 2024 and perhaps the largest earthquake to ever shake the Canadian radio industry. Bell announces it is laying off 4,800 employees and selling 45 of its radio stations in Canada. Among those taken over – all the St. Catharines stations, including CKTB, sold to Whiteoaks, two Kingston stations taken over by My Broadcasting, along with stations in Peterborough, B.C., Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The move attracts the attention of the feds, who demand an explanation from Bell for the sudden and massive sell off. Some stations remain under the Bell umbrella going into 2025, with the deals awaiting final CRTC approval.
 
Feb. 13 - Like Father, Like Son

After suddenly and somewhat mysteriously dumping Ben Wagner, Rogers Sportsnet installs a new Jays play-by-play man in the air chair. He’s Ben Shulman, son of Dan Shulman, who calls the games for the TV side. Wagner, meanwhile, isn’t sitting out the game for long – he’s hired to be the voice of the Baltimore Orioles.
 
March
 
March 23 – Docked-umentary

It passed by almost unnoticed, but after more than 55 years, one of Canada’s longest running documentary news show faded into history. W5 had been a staple on Canadian TV for decades and even pre-dated CBS’ stalwart “60 Minutes.” The show is gone but some of the unit continues, with CTV announcing it will be rolled into specials on its news programming.   
 
March 25 – Come Back, Shane!

Just a month after Shane Hewitt was given the boot for his semi-national overnight show on Corus, he turns up on CFRB as a fill-in host. He must have passed the audition, because he wound up taking Jim Richards’ time slot, landing  “The Night Shift,” iHeart Radio’s evening talk show, which is based out of Ottawa, produced in Toronto and is heard across the country.

March 27 – Mornings Have Broken

After 30 years behind the mic at 610 CKTB, Tim Denis announces he’s leaving the morning shift and the station. He insists it has nothing to do with the sale of the place to Whiteoaks. His last show is April 30th, to be replaced by another 610 host, Steph Vivier. You can hear his final farewell here.
                                                                                       
April
 
April 30 – Over The “Line”

After 40 years on air, Rogers announces it's ending its long running CityLine. Latest host Tracy Moore, who’d been with the station for decades, moves to BT.
 
May
 
May 17 – Come Sale Away
 
It may have been the biggest radio mystery of the year – a broker was offering a stand-alone radio station in the Toronto market for sale for the “bargain” price of $3 million. A lot of effort was spent trying to figure out what station it was, but as the year ended, it doesn’t appear we ever really found out. This was one of the more intriguing posts of the year, attracting over 4,500 pages views and 40 responses. Too bad we never got an answer!
 
June
 
June 4 – 70 Come 11

It was a major milestone for a true Ontario original – CHCH celebrated 70 years on air in Hamilton. They did a retrospective of some of their most famous productions, reminding viewers how many shows this remarkably independent station made at its facilities over the years.
 
June 10 – The Summer Of Their Dissed Content

In a major blow to an already struggling Corus, Rogers buys out the rights to such popular cable outlets as Bravo, HGTV and The Food Network. The new deal starts in 2025. Corus tries to save itself by introducing similar themed stations to its StackTV streaming service. But the deal is a stunning blow to the company, which has more bad news to come.
 
June 10- Laying Down The Law
 
After a very successful and highly publicized first season, City TV renews its much publicized “Law & Order: Toronto.” The show, based on the U.S. concept, was a hit with viewers on this side of the border and helped Rogers with its CanCon needs, while still drawing a substantial audience. New episodes began filming in July. It will be back on the air February 20th, 2025.
 
June 12 – The Unkindest Cuts

In what will be a very rough year for Corus, cuts are made to Global News staff across the country. As its stock goes into freefall, it’s the first of many job losses at the network. And there will be more to come before the year is out.
 
June 26 – The Silence Is Loud

In another sign of the times, Corus shuts down CHQT Edmonton and one time top rocker CKLG in Vancouver. It comes as the company continues to see a perilous stock decline. And it’s not over yet.
 
June 27 – A Carter Non-Starter
 
After more cutbacks at Global, the network allows one of its longest serving on air anchors a chance to say goodbye to his audience, a rarity these days. Alan Carter not only anchored Global’s Toronto newscasts but for a while even did a daily morning talk show at Corus-owned AM640.
 
He’s not out of work long – he joins City TV as an anchor/reporter in September, just three months after disappearing from the airwaves.

June 28 – Final Bell

In a sign of the times for 2024, Bell lets 43 technicians go in a move that presages more problems for big legacy media. It is not the first and it won’t be the last series of shocking job losses for the industry.
 
July

 July 25 – On The Outs

Rumours swirl as Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek is suddenly dismissed by the sports station without any apparent explanation. He’d been with the cable sports giant for 15 years. It later emerges it may have had something to do with his releasing embargoed information about the NHL draft too early. Marek later returns with a podcast of his own, called “The Sheet.”
 
August
 
Aug 12 – No News Isn’t Good News
 
It was a stunning announcement that reverberated across North America – WCBS AM 880 in New York, one of the great All News stations, announces it will be switching call letters and format to an all sports ESPN outlet, beginning Aug. 26th. It’s another sign of the changes in radio – WCBS first went all news in 1967, ending 57 years of headlines, while making some itself. You can hear the final 10 minutes here.

Aug. 14 – Hamilton’s AM 900 Plays The Sounds Of Silence

In one of the most stunning moments in 2024 after the Bell layoffs and station sell offs, Corus shuts down CHML-AM 900 after the breakfast show, with virtually no notice. The station went silent as stunned employees, with no idea it was coming, are told their jobs are gone. The news attracts 152 comments and over 17,600 page views, as SOWNY contributors processed the unbelievable news. CHML had been on the air for an incredible 97 years. 
 
Aug 19 – Hooray For Bollywood?
 
It was one of the most speculated on questions locally – what the format of the recently sold CHAM would be. We found out just as summer was petering out, when the comedy disappeared from 820 and the audience heard – well, it was tough to say what they were hearing. It sounded like an amalgam of Punjabi and Indian music, a combo of Bollywood and reggae. The music was mostly in another language but all the liners were in English. A decidedly odd choice of a format that’s still hard to define.
 
September
 
Sept. 18 – A Full Head Of “Team”

In a huge deal worth $4.7 billion, Rogers announces it has bought out Bell’s share of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, effectively giving Big Red ownership of the Leafs and Raptors. Later in the year, rumours begin flying that Bell may be looking to get out of the sports radio and TV game altogether, possibly selling or shutting down TSN.
 
October
 
Oct. 4 – No News Makes News After Sudden Tragedy

CHCH’s 6 PM news is suddenly cancelled without much notice after the sudden death of one of its longtime employees. It’s later revealed that the sad and sudden passing involved Chantel Grillo, a director who had been with the station for 16 years. CHCH management made the unprecedented decision not to let the show go on out of respect for upset and stunned staff.

 
October 20 – Dropping Anchor

After 12 years of reporting and anchoring Global’s weekend news show, Mark Carcasole announces he’s leaving the network. In a rarity, he gets a chance to say farewell and thanks to viewers. But he’s not out of work for long. The former CFRB newsman soon turns up as Breaking News producer on CBC News Network.
 
October 30 – MTV=Minus TV

After years of straying from its original mission, MTV Canada announces it will be shutting down for good on the final day of the year.  It had been on Canadian cable since 2006.
 
 November
 
Nov. 12 – This News Made Headlines
 
In what may be a move to stave off suspected coming cuts, the CBC confirms it is establishing bureaus in many smaller towns where local media and newspapers are either non-existent or completely reduced. It comes as political pundits predict the government most likely to win the next election will be taking a knife to the Corp.’s budget.
 
December
 
Dec. 2 – The Horror!

This made huge headlines all over the world even though most of us have never heard of the stations involved – three Bangor, Maine radio stations will be signing off as of Dec. 31st. The reason the planet is paying attention isn’t the greatness of the outlets but who owns them. Prolific horror author Stephen King says he can’t afford to run them anymore, they were losing huge amounts of money and his age means he just can’t keep them on. He’s owned them for several decades and kept them running despite the losses.

But in a Christmas miracle, at least one of them gets a major reprieve, after a group of locals emerge at the last minute to save the long time rock station. The others are still expected to go silent.
 
Dec. 9 – The Bobcat Bows Out
 
After more than 1,000 episodes, an ailing Bob McCown ends his podcast, but promises to be back with a new project soon.
 
Dec. 28 – Green & Blue

After more than 18 years of doing weekends on Corus and battling stage 4 prostate cancer, talk show host Roy Green confirms he will leave the airwaves for good on Jan. 26, 2025. It’s not clear yet what or who might replace him.