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iHeart Radio in the U.S. has announced a huge publicity stunt timed to the release of the new Freddie Mercury biopic, "Bohemian Rhapsody." On Thursday (Nov. 1) all 650 iHeart Radio stations will simultaneously play the infamous mini-opera at exactly 9 AM local time across America, in what's being termed the "biggest roadblock in radio history."
It's a gimmick, of course, and I wonder how they'll explain the sometimes raucous song playing on stations that don't have a rock format. How would it be received by listeners to an all news station or a country outlet? (Does iHeart have any classical music stations? Now THAT I'd love to hear.)
And while Bell has hitched its wagon to iHeart in the past, will the stunt also be carried out in Canada? (I can't see CFRB delaying the 9 AM news for 6 minutes of Freddie Mercury belting out "Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me" but stranger things have happened...)
'Bohemian Rhapsody' To Play Simultaneously Across Over 650 Radio Stations
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RadioActive wrote:
I can't see CFRB delaying the 9 AM news for 6 minutes of Freddie Mercury belting out "Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me" but stranger things have happened...
Bullard at noon? Gordon Sinclair and Hap Parnaby are still trying to wrap their heads around leading in to that show.
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RadioActive wrote:
And while Bell has hitched its wagon to iHeart in the past, will the stunt also be carried out in Canada? (I can't see CFRB delaying the 9 AM news for 6 minutes of Freddie Mercury belting out "Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me" but stranger things have happened...)
Isn't iHeart radio Canada operating independently from the American iHeart radio?
However, if this is a North American thing, vs just an American thing, I see where there may be an override...
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iHeart has no say over programming of Bell's stations.
This would also be massive paid promotion, not so much a stunt.