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Small Market Magic: Why Saint John Radio Feels More Alive Than Toronto
Hey folks, I’m currently on vacation out here in Saint John, New Brunswick, and the difference in radio creativity is really striking. We’ve been talking a lot about how Toronto’s big stations have lost their spark, and I think it’s worth highlighting just how much better some smaller market stations are doing.
Stingray’s Smart Approach: Repackaging Canadiana with Heart
Take Q88.9 here in Saint John. It’s basically a loving homage to the original Q107 from Toronto—a station that used to be a heritage brand under Corus. But here, owned by Stingray and only around for about a decade, they’ve recaptured that magic. They’re using iconic voices like David Kaye and curating a playlist that resonates with people who remember when radio had personality. It’s a perfect example of how Stingray is reviving classic Canadiana and making it feel fresh again.
Other Smaller Players Doing It Right: Evanov and Z103.5
It’s not just Stingray. Look at Evanov Communications and what they’ve done with Z103.5. Sure, their imaging might be a little stale at times, but at least they’re trying. They’ve kept that Eurodance, Italian nightclub, EDM vibe alive and have kept familiar DJ personalities like Tony Monaco and the Hammer, with rumors of others returning. Their throwback station in Winnipeg sounds Fresh and different than anything in Toronto. They understand that listeners value those longstanding voices and presentation and the sense of continuity that comes with them - but without getting stale.
The Real Issue: Bigger Isn’t Better
What we’re seeing is that consolidation and cost-cutting are strangling the creativity out of these heritage brands. Bell, Corus and Rogers have trimmed and homogenized their stations to the point where they’re barely distinguishable. It’s no wonder they’re losing audiences and money. Like in many other areas—be it business or even government—bigger isn’t always better. In fact, the more consolidated these companies get, the more they lose the local flavor and creative spark that made radio special in the first place.
Bringing It Home: Let’s Learn from the Little Guys
So here’s my take: Toronto’s big stations could learn a lot from the likes of Stingray and Evanov. By valuing creativity, local personality, and a bit of nostalgia, they’re keeping listeners engaged. If legacy brands want to survive, they need to stop cutting corners and start putting effort back into their product. After all, if a small market station can outshine Canada’s largest city with a copy of a brand that it spawned, it’s clear the issue isn’t with radio itself—it’s with how it’s being managed.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
Last edited by Campaign Desk (August 14, 2025 4:51 pm)
- RadioAaron
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Re: Small Market Magic: Why Saint John Radio Feels More Alive Than Toronto
Campaign Desk wrote:
Stingray’s Smart Approach: Repackaging Canadiana with Heart
Take Q88.9 here in Saint John. It’s basically a loving homage to the original Q107 from Toronto—a station that used to be a heritage brand under Corus. But here, owned by Stingray and only around for about a decade, they’ve recaptured that magic. They’re using iconic voices like David Kaye and curating a playlist that resonates with people who remember when radio had personality. It’s a perfect example of how Stingray is reviving classic Canadiana and making it feel fresh again.
This station has no local announcers and is reportedly closing their offices. It was re-named Q a few years ago so that they could more seamlessly simulcast shows from Halifax.
Around the same time, they re-named their heritage rock station in Moncton as Q for the same reason,
Last edited by RadioAaron (August 14, 2025 5:35 pm)
- torontostan
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Re: Small Market Magic: Why Saint John Radio Feels More Alive Than Toronto
We should really enforce a quiz before people can join the yellow board. Everything you say is nonsensical and contradicts itself.
- Campaign Desk
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Re: Small Market Magic: Why Saint John Radio Feels More Alive Than Toronto
Stingray’s Smart Approach: Repackaging Canadiana with Heart
Take Q88.9 here in Saint John. It’s basically a loving homage to the original Q107 from Toronto—a station that used to be a heritage brand under Corus. But here, owned by Stingray and only around for about a decade, they’ve recaptured that magic. They’re using iconic voices like David Kaye and curating a playlist that resonates with people who remember when radio had personality. It’s a perfect example of how Stingray is reviving classic Canadiana and making it feel fresh again.This station has no local announcers and is reportedly closing their offices. It was re-named Q a few years ago so that they could more seamlessly simulcast shows from Halifax.
Around the same time, they re-named their heritage rock station in Moncton as Q for the same reason,
If Q88.9 really is feeding from Halifax, then hats off — they still managed to make their wildfire coverage sound more local, relevant, and politics-free than most big-market stations. Direct quotes from officials, clear where/when, no partisan fluff. That’s called broadcasting.
Radio’s supposed to be audio-first — like TV’s ‘second screen’ but flipped — built for people doing other things while listening. But somewhere along the way, big-market radio decided it was fine to toss out the craft: distinctive imaging, local flavour, and, apparently, the will to be interesting.
So maybe the plan is to let AI finish the job and turn it all into bland wallpaper? Because when a small-market-branded station can beat Toronto on relevance and production — even from hundreds of kilometres away — it’s a sign the problem isn’t geography… it’s effort.
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Thread Starter- RadioAaron
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Re: Small Market Magic: Why Saint John Radio Feels More Alive Than Toronto
Stingray’s Smart Approach: Repackaging Canadiana with Heart
Take Q88.9 here in Saint John. It’s basically a loving homage to the original Q107 from Toronto—a station that used to be a heritage brand under Corus. But here, owned by Stingray and only around for about a decade, they’ve recaptured that magic. They’re using iconic voices like David Kaye and curating a playlist that resonates with people who remember when radio had personality. It’s a perfect example of how Stingray is reviving classic Canadiana and making it feel fresh again.This station has no local announcers and is reportedly closing their offices. It was re-named Q a few years ago so that they could more seamlessly simulcast shows from Halifax.
Around the same time, they re-named their heritage rock station in Moncton as Q for the same reason,If Q88.9 really is feeding from Halifax, then hats off — they still managed to make their wildfire coverage sound more local, relevant, and politics-free than most big-market stations. Direct quotes from officials, clear where/when, no partisan fluff. That’s called broadcasting.
Radio’s supposed to be audio-first — like TV’s ‘second screen’ but flipped — built for people doing other things while listening. But somewhere along the way, big-market radio decided it was fine to toss out the craft: distinctive imaging, local flavour, and, apparently, the will to be interesting.
So maybe the plan is to let AI finish the job and turn it all into bland wallpaper? Because when a small-market-branded station can beat Toronto on relevance and production — even from hundreds of kilometres away — it’s a sign the problem isn’t geography… it’s effort.
One of the most popular station voices from 20 years ago is distinctive imaging? Where all he's done in the market is re-read the last line from a Halifax piece with a different frequency?
Local flavour with no actual presence in the local market?
What partisan talk about Wildfires was on Q107 or Edge 102?
You've got tourist-ear.
Different = fresh = better is a false equation.
Pretty sure someone in Saint John doesn't think the startion that just played Collective Soul into Pink Floyd sounds fresh.
Last edited by RadioAaron (August 14, 2025 7:37 pm)
- Campaign Desk
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Re: Small Market Magic: Why Saint John Radio Feels More Alive Than Toronto
One of the most popular station voices from 20 years ago is distinctive imaging? Where all he's done in the market is re-read the last line from a Halifax piece with a different frequency?
Q Toronto literally uses one of their on-air hosts (Alan Cross) to image the station. Sounds mickey mouse to me.
David's a pro and was associated with that station for decades. Swapping in Cross to save a few bucks was misguided and only cheapened the brand. King of like the RC Cola version of Coke...
Local flavour with no actual presence in the local market?
The jocks sounded local. Would it be better if it they broadcast from Saint John? Perhaps - but Stingray seems to have nailed down the non-local thing. No messy joins, local ads, local topics of discussion.
What partisan talk about Wildfires was on Q107 or Edge 102?
Not sure — but odds are they’d wedge in some smug political jab. The only thing “edgy” about the Edge these days are the jagged shards left after Corus’ stock face-planted through the floor.
You've got tourist-ear. Different = fresh = better is a false equation.
I’ve got nostalgia-ear — hearing someone else do “Q” better than Q does now (and from a distance, no less) has my full attention.
Pretty sure someone in Saint John doesn't think the startion that just played Collective Soul into Pink Floyd sounds fresh.
Me? I’ve never heard Collective Soul into Pink Floyd — so yeah, that’s a fresh twist on how to wreck a segue.
Last edited by Campaign Desk (August 14, 2025 8:05 pm)
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Thread Starter- RadioAaron
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Re: Small Market Magic: Why Saint John Radio Feels More Alive Than Toronto
One of the most popular station voices from 20 years ago is distinctive imaging? Where all he's done in the market is re-read the last line from a Halifax piece with a different frequency?
Q Toronto literally uses on of their hosts (Alan Cross) to image the station. Sounds mickey mouse to me.
He's on the station for two hours a week in a low listenership timeslot
Local flavour with no actual presence in the local market?
The jocks sounded local. Would it be better if it they broadcast from there? Perhaps - but Stingray seems to have nailed it down. No messy joins, local ads, local topics of discussion.
What Saint John topic of discussion did you hear?
What partisan talk about Wildfires was on Q107 or Edge 102?
Not sure - but I'm sure there would be some political joke or commentary injected into it.
That's conjecture and untrue
You've got tourist-ear. Different = fresh = better is a false equation.
I've got nostalgia ear - hearing someone else do Q better than Q currently does it (and from afar, to boot) has been certainly captured my attention.
This is recency bias. If Edge suddenly launched in Saint John, it would be freshest, best station in the market to many.
=12pxPretty sure someone in Saint John doesn't think the startion that just played Collective Soul into Pink Floyd sounds fresh.
I've never heard someone play =12pxCollective Soul into Pink Floyd - so yes, that is a *fresh* take on how to do it!
Q107 literally does that.
- RadioAaron
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Re: Small Market Magic: Why Saint John Radio Feels More Alive Than Toronto
Pretty sure someone in Saint John doesn't think the startion that just played Collective Soul into Pink Floyd sounds fresh.
Me? I’ve never heard Collective Soul into Pink Floyd — so yeah, that’s a fresh twist on how to do it!.
It took me two minutes to find Q107 doing just that.
Last edited by RadioAaron (August 14, 2025 8:29 pm)
- torontostan
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Re: Small Market Magic: Why Saint John Radio Feels More Alive Than Toronto
Pretty sure someone in Saint John doesn't think the startion that just played Collective Soul into Pink Floyd sounds fresh.
Me? I’ve never heard Collective Soul into Pink Floyd — so yeah, that’s a fresh twist on how to do it!.It took me two minutes to find Q107 doing just that.
Bahahaha...... what flavour was your window on the short bus, Campaign Desk?
- Davenet
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Re: Small Market Magic: Why Saint John Radio Feels More Alive Than Toronto
You've got tourist-ear.
That's a great term. Over the years I'd noticed that whenever I moved to a new location, the local stations always sounded fantastic, at first. But after 2 or 3 weeks the magic would wear off and the stations became just as ordinary as at my previous location.
Not that Campaign Desk doesn't have valid points, but I think that you need to listen to a station for at least 3 weeks before making any points about what they are doing right or wrong.