The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum » What will happen in 2026.

Aytononline · December 28, 2025 4:57 pm

Thinking ahead to 2026 in OTA radio and television, what if any thing will happen. I am hoping for some good news in programing but I don't think it will happen. I am wondering about the future of 1010, 1050, & 640. How much more can you cut and what will the programing look like this time next year.
On the TV side, I can see the noon and weekend news across all stations ending and moving to a National show in the local news time slot, but I hope I am wrong.

RadioActive · December 28, 2025 5:38 pm

My question is the future of Corus and what happens to all their radio stations, especially the AMs. They've already shut down enough of them. Will there be any left by 2027? And where will the formats migrate to, assuming they even try to keep them alive?

RadioAaron · December 28, 2025 5:46 pm

RadioActive wrote:
My question is the future of Corus and what happens to all their radio stations, especially the AMs. They've already shut down enough of them. Will there be any left by 2027? And where will the formats migrate to, assuming they even try to keep them alive?

They’re down to just 7, including CJOY which they haven’t turned off yet for some reason.

turkeytop · December 28, 2025 5:52 pm

Aytononline wrote:
On the TV side, I can see the noon and weekend news across all stations ending and moving to a National show in the local news time slot, but I hope I am wrong.

We should be so lucky here in London. On weekends there is no news at all,local or National on the CTV channel. We get reruns of Corner Gas on weekends and on holidays it's something called E Talk. It's the very worst show there is. I would wager it has an audience of zero. The test pattern would attract more viewers that that garbage.

Last edited by turkeytop (December 28, 2025 6:04 pm)

RadioActive · December 28, 2025 6:04 pm

Another prediction: Toronto could get by a hurricane, a tidal wave, a monsoon and an ice storm. And CFTO still won't bring in a weather person on the weekend. (You can take that one to the bank!)

Chrisphen · December 28, 2025 6:09 pm

The companies that own their respective radio stations will bring in business experts to scrutinise operations, and astonishingly vast efficiencies will be discovered.

Scarboroughbluffsradiof99 · December 28, 2025 7:12 pm

Chin will be on 900, talk will be on 95.3, and more stations will launch new programing on hd subchannels.

Radiowiz · December 28, 2025 8:06 pm

Scarboroughbluffsradiof99 wrote:
Chin will be on 900, talk will be on 95.3, and more stations will launch new programing on hd subchannels.

Maybe CHIN should go after 106.5 FM instead?

RadioAaron · December 28, 2025 8:12 pm

Radiowiz wrote:
Scarboroughbluffsradiof99 wrote:
Chin will be on 900, talk will be on 95.3, and more stations will launch new programing on hd subchannels.
Maybe CHIN should go after 106.5 FM instead?

Yeah, probably. The risk though is that would probably trigger a call for applications which they might not win.

Adrian106072 · December 28, 2025 9:17 pm

CHIN already owns two FM frequencies, which is nearly a no-go for approval by CRTC. Moreover 106.5 is a very poor frequency in terms of reception, which is constantly interfered by WYRK from Buffalo. During certain tropospheric events, the signal of WYRK had often overridden the defunct Elmnt FM throughout GTA, especially at locations near Lake Ontario.

RadioAaron · December 28, 2025 9:20 pm

Three FMs are now allowed, and 106.5 is still better than what they’ll be putting on 900

torontostan · December 29, 2025 2:13 am

1. Canadian national NHL rights shakeup
2. A minimum of two of our AM stations call it a quits.... (I suspect 1050 and one of 640, 740 1010, or 1430)
3. 640 simulcasts on 95.3 or 102.1
4. John Moore, Marilyn Denis and Michelle Butterly "retirements"
5. Cancellation of weekend news on Global or City, CBC fills the gap
6. Maple Leafs don't make the playoffs..... Rogers layoffs as a result

RadioActive · December 29, 2025 7:08 am

Scarboroughbluffsradiof99 wrote:
Chin will be on 900, talk will be on 95.3, and more stations will launch new programing on hd subchannels.

I can see two of those things maybe happening, although I have my doubts. But I'm absolutely certain we're not going to see much if anything done on new HD channels. There isn't a single station that promotes what they have now (although I think iHeart has mentioned their music channel occasionally.) Instead they promote listening on their app and the vast majority of listeners don't even know HD Radio exists, if their car has it or how to tune it in.

I would be very surprised if any of them did anything new with HD, which now seems almost like an afterthought. It's like CFRX, CFRB's shortwave station - it's there but no one ever talks about it.

turkeytop · December 30, 2025 9:33 pm

torontostan wrote:
2. A minimum of two of our AM stations call it a quits.... (I suspect 1050 and one of 640, 740 1010, or 1430)

I sure hope you're wrong about 740. I listen to it often down here in London. I didn't even realize they're in difficulty'

RadioAaron · December 30, 2025 9:43 pm

turkeytop wrote:
torontostan wrote:
2. A minimum of two of our AM stations call it a quits.... (I suspect 1050 and one of 640, 740 1010, or 1430)
I sure hope you're wrong about 740. I listen to it often down here in London. I didn't even realize they're in difficulty'

The cyber-attack might finish it. It was already losing money.

turkeytop · December 30, 2025 10:36 pm

RadioAaron wrote:
turkeytop wrote:
torontostan wrote:
2. A minimum of two of our AM stations call it a quits.... (I suspect 1050 and one of 640, 740 1010, or 1430)
I sure hope you're wrong about 740. I listen to it often down here in London. I didn't even realize they're in difficulty'

The cyber-attack might finish it. It was already losing money.

There was a cyber-attack?

RadioAaron · December 30, 2025 10:51 pm

turkeytop wrote:
RadioAaron wrote:
turkeytop wrote:

I sure hope you're wrong about 740. I listen to it often down here in London. I didn't even realize they're in difficulty'

The cyber-attack might finish it. It was already losing money.
There was a cyber-attack?

Yes, a cyber-attack erased everything at their radio and TV stations other than a hard-drive of music.

torontostan · December 30, 2025 10:57 pm

turkeytop wrote:
torontostan wrote:
2. A minimum of two of our AM stations call it a quits.... (I suspect 1050 and one of 640, 740 1010, or 1430)
I sure hope you're wrong about 740. I listen to it often down here in London. I didn't even realize they're in difficulty'

The station has been heavily subsidized by Zoomer's cable channel Vision TV, which rakes in $21 million each year because it's forced onto cable packages by the CRTC and they get the subscription $$. The future of 740 is written into Moses' will, no doubt

turkeytop · December 30, 2025 11:51 pm

So, if CFZM goes down, will their classical music station share the same fate? Didn't they also recently buy a station up in Owen Sound?

torontostan · December 30, 2025 11:55 pm

turkeytop wrote:
So, if CFZM goes down, will their classical music station share the same fate? Didn't they also recently buy a station up in Owen Sound?

Classical does pretty well and has a wealthy audience, they would probably be fine in a post-740 world, especially if they got purchased by another radio operator

RadioAaron · December 31, 2025 12:36 am

torontostan wrote:
turkeytop wrote:
So, if CFZM goes down, will their classical music station share the same fate? Didn't they also recently buy a station up in Owen Sound?
Classical does pretty well and has a wealthy audience, they would probably be fine in a post-740 world, especially if they got purchased by another radio operator

Radiowiz · December 31, 2025 12:56 am

turkeytop wrote:
So, if CFZM goes down...

If shutting down AM 740 is the plan,
they can continue to operate on 96.7 FM.
If they get their internet complications sorted out,
that can be the AM replacement for listeners outside of the Toronto area, I guess...

turkeytop · December 31, 2025 1:34 am

RadioAaron wrote:
torontostan wrote:
turkeytop wrote:
So, if CFZM goes down, will their classical music station share the same fate? Didn't they also recently buy a station up in Owen Sound?
Classical does pretty well and has a wealthy audience, they would probably be fine in a post-740 world, especially if they got purchased by another radio operator

I'm the opposite of wealthy, but I'd be part of their audience if we could get it here. I would think there'd be enough listeners in the London area to support a classical station now that CBC Radio II has an all garage band format

torontostan · December 31, 2025 11:47 am

Radiowiz wrote:
If shutting down AM 740 is the plan,
they can continue to operate on 96.7 FM.
If they get their internet complications sorted out,
that can be the AM replacement for listeners outside of the Toronto area, I guess...

You own lightbulbs with a higher wattage than 96.7, that can't stand on its own....

betaylored · January 2, 2026 1:42 am

Pretty sure more and more podcasts will end up on-air.

Rival stations will continue to share content. I think the development of am640 airing the Vassy Kapelos show, a major jewel in 1010's crown, on the weekend is just the start.

And rerolls will become the main offering in the evening.

Finally, the Spence ads will continue to be cringe-y and there will be words mispronounced during various broadcasts.

Last edited by betaylored (January 2, 2026 2:08 am)

Radiowiz · January 2, 2026 2:17 am

torontostan wrote:
Radiowiz wrote:
If shutting down AM 740 is the plan,
they can continue to operate on 96.7 FM.
If they get their internet complications sorted out,
that can be the AM replacement for listeners outside of the Toronto area, I guess...

You own lightbulbs with a higher wattage than 96.7, that can't stand on its own....

A lot of fuss and anger went into getting 96.7 FM on the air.
Now would be a good time (for Zoomer) to argue that there really is no money to keep the AM side on the air.
I don't think they can get a boost @ 96.7 FM (beyond the current 82 watts)
This is why they perhaps should aim for trying to get 106.5 FM and move there...ah, but then CHIN is in a similar boat, floating around perhaps also wanting 106.5... interesting times indeed.

Last edited by Radiowiz (January 2, 2026 2:19 am)