It was a year the pandemic supposedly ended and the Hollywood strikes started. The year Canada lost a record number of AM stations but gained at least one new one. It was the start of two controversial broadcast-related laws, Bills C-11 and C-18, which cost Canadians news on Facebook.
 
But the story of the year almost certainly has to be what happened after the stunning announcement in mid-June that Bell Media was firing 1,300 people, immediately closing six AM stations and selling off three others. It was one of the biggest single day seismic shocks in Canadian broadcasting history.
 
Months later came another one, with confirmation that the CBC was also letting 600 people go, just weeks before Christmas.
 
Here are the highlights from the SOWNY Board and your input over the past 365 days. Click on the headline to revisit any story.
 
January

Jan. 2 – A Scare On The Air
 
It’s not often a Year In SOWNY starts with a sports item, but one of the first big stories of 2023 happened both on the air and on the field, as Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suddenly collapsed during a game in Cincinnati after his heart stopped. Radio stations in Buffalo and elsewhere went into non-stop mode reporting on the incident, even as the fate of the player remained unknown and the game was suspended.
 
In the end, he recovered and is back with the team, becoming something of a hero to many, repeatedly expressing his gratitude to those who helped him survive. But on only the second day of the New Year, that was anything but assured.
 
February
 
Feb. 1 - The Bill Is Due
 
Bill C-11 passes the Senate and becomes law soon after. It will essentially force U.S. streaming services to contribute to CanCon and make those shows “discoverable” for Canadians. It’s part of an overhaul of the Broadcasting Act, which pre-dates the Internet, and causes considerable conflict.
 
Canadian stations applaud it, because it will help pay for Canadian Content. But many others, including Ottawa professor Michael Geist, several former CRTC members and even some Canadians who make their living via YouTube videos warn it could have unforeseen consequences for viewers here.
 
Feb. 7 – Eye Lands In The Stream

CBC President Catharine Tait makes headlines and raises lots of eyebrows when she announces that the CBC will eventually be abandoning both broadcast TV and radio for streaming only. She’s later forced to clarify the statement to note this is a long-term plan and won’t be happening anytime soon. Tate will be back in the news in a bigger way later in the year.
 
 Feb. 15 – A Fast Break From Breakfast TV
 
After 17 years of co-hosting City TV’s Breakfast Television, Dina Pugliese announces she’s leaving the show. Her last day was February 24th.
 
Feb. 17 – A Star Is Going Out
 
The first word leaks that WTSS-FM Buffalo, the super-powered and longtime rocker that once commanded attention in Toronto as “Rock 102,” has been sold and will become a religious-oriented outlet. The change happens on June 9th, as long time morning man Rob Lucas says a final goodbye.
 
Feb 17 – Off The Road Again
 
Rogers confirms that once again, Ben Wagner will be calling all the Jays’ away games off of TV monitors in an obvious cost cutting move. Fans aren’t happy, including one of the team’s biggest, Jerry Howarth, who calls the decision a “disappointment.”
 
Feb 19 – Green Space

Veteran Corus broadcaster Roy Green confirms on Twitter/X that he’s facing some serious health challenges and will be off the air potentially for “months.” It’s later revealed he’s suffering Stage 4 prostate cancer, but he believes they caught it early enough. After months of radiation, he’s well enough to return full time in June. But the battle isn’t over.
 
Feb. 27 – I “AM” What I Am
 
It was the first hint of what may be yet to come – the debate over the fate of AM Radio and whether the U.S. government will try to force EV car makers to keep it in their vehicles. The debate got the attention of the powers-that-be after complaints from the National Association of Broadcasters, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and others raised the alarm.
 
Eventually, a bill is introduced – yet to pass – that will try to force the band back into electric cars, where RF currently makes it unlistenable. At one point, Ford announces it will be taking it out of its gas-powered vehicles, but a backlash forces them to reverse that decision.
 
Except a lot more to come on this in 2024.
 
Feb. 28 – TVO’s Uh Oh
 
Workers at TVO, members of the Canadian Media Guild, vote overwhelmingly in favour of strike action. Despite a long series of mediated talks, the workers finally exercise that option, walking out on in late August.
 
And it’s a long and bitter battle. They don’t return until an agreement is reached by November 5th.
 
March
 
March 6 – A Sirius Problem
 
Another sign of hard times, as SiriusXM lays off over 470 people, amid falling subscriptions and interest. The future does not seem to be music to its shareholders’ ears.
 
March 26 – Both Sides Now
 
Not really a current story, but the answers to the question on how many AM stations in Toronto tried to go stereo provokes a great response with more than 4,000 page views.
 
April
 
April 1 – Red Is Dead
 
One of the original disc jockeys from the Top 40 era in Canada and one of the best known, especially out west, Red Robinson dies after a lifetime on air. He was 86.
 
April 3 – That’s Shaw Business
 
After months of debate and scrutiny, the government finally OKs the deal that sees Rogers swallow up Shaw, amid concerns from many that it will lessen already skimpy competition in the Canadian phone market. It comes with the guarantee that Freedom Mobile goes to Quebecor and that phone prices will come down.
 
April 10 – Gone, MAD
 
A piece of many people’s childhood ends with news of the death of artist Al Jaffee. He created the famous MAD Magazine “Fold-In” and did his last one at 99. And what, him worry? He made it to the exceptional age of 102.
 
April 24 – Tucker Out & A Bitter Lemon
 
It’s not often American cable stations make news instead of just reporting it, but in one day two of them fired their most prominent anchors. It started with the stunning headline that Fox News had dismissed the anchor behind its highest rated show, Tucker Carlson. It followed a huge loss for the network in a defamation case over its reporting of the results of the 2020 election.
 
Then, just hours later, CNN also had breaking news, when it announced long time anchor Don Lemon had been peeled from the organization. His statements had created a lot of controversy and eventually proved too much for the broadcaster.
 
May
 
May 1 – Leaf Of Absence
 
After Rogers and Bell pulled Joe Bowen from Leaf road games, he blew a call about a goal because he couldn’t see what happened.
 
That embarrassment, plus complaints from fans, convinced the powers-that-be to let the Leaf crew go back on the road when the team finally got into Round 2 of the playoffs.
 
May 1 - The Write To Strike
 
After negotiations fail, the Writers Guild of America goes out on strike for the first time in 15 years. It means the immediate halt on late night shows, and the end of filming most network primetime programs, as scripts dry up. Wages and residuals for streaming shows are among the long divisions. It will be an unprecedented 148 days before it finally ends on September 27th.
 
May 1 – The Last Song
 
CanCon suffers a blow and the world loses a Canadian gem, as Gordon Lightfoot passes at the age of 82. Radio stations start playing his music in remembrance for several days.

 May 4 – For Fox Sake? 

After a complaint about comments that were anti-LGBTQ+, the CRTC asks the public if Fox News should be banned from Canadian cable. The reaction is mixed, with some saying while they disagree with the network’s stance on many issues, there is no justification for not letting Canadians watch it if they choose.   

June 

June 7 – Command Is Over 

A Baby Boomer icon in two countries, Tom Jolls passes away at age 87. He was a constant presence in Buffalo and GTA households, not only on WKBW’s weather, but as the host of “Commander Tom,” a long running kids’ show many watched after they got home from school.   

June 14 - For Whom The Bell Tolls  

The top story on the SOWNY Board this year comes with the terrible announcement that Bell Media has cut 1,300 jobs – and is closing six of its AM stations across the country. The call letters that fall silent include CKST 1040 and CFTE 1410 Vancouver, CFRN Edmonton, CKMX Calgary, CFRW Winnipeg and most significantly for those in Ontario – CJBK London.  

Many of those stations were once legendary in their markets and simply signed off the air with very little notice. 

But the carnage wasn’t over. Bell announced it would be selling CKWW in Windsor along with CKOC and CHAM in Hamilton. The new owner would not be revealed until November. But Canada’s radio landscape would be forever changed, with so many heritage stations going silent on the same day.  

June 30 – A Sad Setback 

Former Fan 590 stalwart Bob McCown reveals he had two strokes in the early summer and is having difficulty walking and speaking. He recovers somewhat later in the year, but reveals he still doesn’t feel comfortable enough with his speech impairments to resume being on his popular podcast.   

July 

July 12 – Acting Up  

With Hollywood writers already on the picket lines, the industry is brought to a complete halt as actors walk off the job. Issues include wages and streaming residuals, but one of the biggest areas of contention is Artificial Intelligence, which threatens the livelihood of actors who could have their images stolen by the new technology. Production immediately stops on all TV dramatic and comedic shows, with the fall line-up threatened on network television. The walkout is a long one – it doesn’t end until November 8th. But regular TV won’t resume until the New Year, as production takes time to ramp up.  

July 23 – Tower Of Power  

Not technically a top story, but one of the biggest threads of the year on the SOWNY site. Member Glen Warren posted some amazing as-it-was-being-built pics of the construction of the new CHCH transmitting tower, a topic that attracted almost 15,000 page views. 

August

August 1 – No News Isn’t Good News 

After repeated threats, Meta cuts off Canadian news links on its Facebook and Instagram sites. The tech giant is unhappy with Bill C-18, which threatens to make them pay an undefined amount of money for every site they link to. Instead, Mark Zuckerberg puts a ban into place that remains to this day, leaving Canadians looking elsewhere for headlines.  

August 3 – The Sounds Of Silence 

After broadcasting since 1927, the modern radio age catches up with CKPC in Brantford, which goes silent. It will not be the last AM station in Ontario or Canada that will no longer occupy space on the dial.  

August 7 – A CHOP Off The Old Block 

Longtime high school-only station CHOP, from Pickering College in Newmarket, finally grows up to become a real outlet, getting a licence to expand its signal from the CRTC. It probably won’t be heard very far – it’s on an already crowded 102.7 FM, which includes a station in Scarborough. It must be on the air by August of 2025.  

August 9 – Table Of ELMNTs  

Indigenous station ELMNT-FM threatens to shut down completely in both Ottawa and Toronto if it doesn’t get financial relief from the CRTC. Six months later, they’re still on the air, although with very few listeners. 

August 14 – A Sign Off Of The Times

After 17 years of doing his own talk show at CHML in Hamilton, Bill Kelly says his final goodbye to listeners. He admits in his final moments that the decision to leave was not his own. It won’t be the last cut at Corus in the year. Meanwhile, Kelly puts his talents back to good use doing a podcast.  

September 

September 1 – “Proud” Goeth Before The Fall 

After struggling for several years with a poor signal, little audience and few advertisers, the Evanovs decide to shut down Proud FM, at 103.9. It was the only Toronto radio station aimed at the LGBTQ+ audience, and one of the few FM stations shut down in Canada in 2023.  

Sept. 18 – No Ordinary Joe 

After a period of uncertainty, Leaf play-by-play announcer Joe Bowen confirms he and analyst Jim Ralph will both be back for another season. The news came after Bowen publicly thanked his partner after the Leafs bowed out of the playoffs in Round 2, thinking he might not return after decades on air.  

Sept. 25 – A Long Time Coming 

After more than three straight years of “testing,” St. Catharines AM station CFAJ finally signs on the air with a new morning team. There are still no spots on the air, which leads some to wonder how the place is supporting itself. But even the sign-on was late – they were supposed to launch earlier in the month, and that was delayed for reasons never fully explained.  

October
 
October 26 – Bad News
 
Rogers abruptly shuts down its AM station in Ottawa, and puts a halt to its all-news format, claiming it didn’t have enough of an audience to keep it profitable. The station, now called CIWW, had been on the air in the Nation’s Capital since 1922.

October 31 – Remaking Headlines

After years of airing simulcasts of CP24 on CFTO, Bell Media creates a local 5 PM newscast and follows it with an early edition of the CTV National News, with former weekend-only anchor Sandie Rinaldo getting the chair. 
 
November 

Nov. 2 - Let It Beatle

After a lot of hype and worry about AI, what’s promised to be the final-ever Beatles release hits the air. It’s called “Now And Then” and is based on an old John Lennon tune he recorded without great acoustics on a cassette. It wasn’t until technology improved that it could be salvaged and each of the original members made a contribution to it. It hits #1 on Billboard, giving them their first chart topping hit in almost 60 years.  

November 16 – A “Ray” Of Hope? 

Neeti Ray, the owner of CINA AM (in Mississauga) and CINA-FM (in Windsor) , Flow 98.7 in Toronto and Montreal’s CKIN-FM, is announced as the buyer for CHAM and CKOC in Hamilton and CKWW in Windsor. Speculation immediately begins about what he’ll do with the outlets, but Ray himself hints he may not make big changes once he officially takes control. That is expected to happen at a CRTC hearing on Feb. 8th, when the licences are officially transferred. One to watch for in 2024.  

November 17 – Country In The City 

Just one day after long time morning man Gary Gamble leaves his on air position after 26 years, Evanov’s CKDX-FM, formerly known as Lite 88.5 in Newmarket, suddenly changes format. It becomes Country 88.5, the latest to try to bring modern country to the GTA.  

November 24 – Big Bang Theories 

In the midst of world tensions over events in the Middle East, a car explodes after an accident near the Rainbow Bridge at the Canada/U.S. border. The events immediately start on-air speculation on some stations about terrorism and the fallout from those who got it wrong affects the reputation of some stations and even hits jumping-to-conclusion politicians. 

November 29 – He’s Out At Home 

In an announcement that caught many by surprise, Rogers announces it has parted ways with Ben Wagner as the play-by-play voice of the Toronto Blue Jays. No reason is given and while speculation about who might replace him widens, the team owners will only say those questions will be answered closer to the start of the new season in 2024. But many fear Rogers is looking to cut costs and could wind up reverting back to using TV audio for its radio audiences. The answer will come in the New Year.  

November 29 – The Search Is Over 

As the countdown to the full implementation of Bill C-18 nears on Dec. 19th, Google announces it has reached an agreement with the federal government, to prevent the web search giant from blocking Canadian links on its site. It will be giving $100 million to Canuck news organizations, supposedly to compensate them for lost advertising. 

But both the CBC and the Canadian Assn. of Broadcasters are upset after learning that most of the money will go to newspapers – and not radio or TV stations. 

Meanwhile, Meta’s Facebook and Instagram refuse to obey the new law and will continue to block local news for those in this country.  

November 30 – The Last Shift 

One of the last live all night shows in Canada comes to an abrupt end, as Corus cancels its almost cross-country show “The Shift,” without even allowing its host, Shane Hewitt, a chance to say goodbye to long time listeners. He takes to YouTube to bid farewell instead. Corus replaces the show with a series of rerolls. 

December 

December 4 –The Layoffs Before Christmas 

Citing budget issues, the CBC lays off 600 people, and confirms it won’t be filling up to 200 other empty positions. CEO Catharine Tate gets into hot water after the announcement, unable to say if the executives who work there will still get their bonuses this year.  

December 4 – He’s A “Virgin” Again 

Fresh off a long stint at Rogers’ KISS-FM, Daryn Jones reveals he’s the new co-host on Bell’s Virgin 99.9, alongside Deepa Prashad. Both have worked together before.  

December 13 – Sorry Tory Story 

Months after resigning in disgrace following an affair with an office staffer and forcing a new election, former Toronto Mayor John Tory returns to his old radio stomping ground. He’s hired by Bell Media to be NewsTalk 1010’s Municipal Affairs specialist, as well as an occasional fill-in host. 

December 26 – Canadian Content 

The year ends with a historic first – the FCC in the U.S. approves a deal that allows two Canadians – including MyFM’s Jon Pole – to own an American radio station. They’re allowed to buy WLYK-FM in Watertown, N.Y., but the purchasers prime target audience is actually in nearby Kingston.