The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / Zoomer Media takes control of CJOS-FM

**Posted by andysradio** April 1, 2025 8:06 am

CJOS-FM 92.3 Owen Sound is now Zoomer FM
https://zoomerfm.ca/

**Posted by paterson1** April 1, 2025 10:09 am

This is really interesting that they will now have a somewhat localized version of Zoomer in "GreyBruceLand."

Interesting since CFOS is a fair bit like Zoomer with oldies and specialized programming, and very well established. But at least the Owen Sound Rising version of Zoomer gets the jump with FM and a larger coverage area than the new FM for CFOS will reach.

Zoomer was smart not to adopt the classical format for Owen Sound since their station in Collingwood covers most the Owen Sound area already. And they would have needed to apply for a category change with classical.

**Posted by torontostan** April 1, 2025 10:22 am

Their schedule appears to show they'll syndicate CFZM for most of the day.... meaning a significantly older playlist.... not sure that's wise but alas....

**Posted by paterson1** April 1, 2025 10:44 am

I don't understand why so many stations, even small stations, feel that they need two or more hosts to do mornings. Zoomer in Owen Sound hired three announcers for local programming, but two are mornings. So this limits you basically to a live local morning show and afternoon drive weekdays. I would have had three local shows with the talent that they hired.

**Posted by RadioAaron** April 1, 2025 10:52 am

paterson1 wrote:
I don't understand why so many stations, even small stations, feel that they need two or more hosts to do mornings. Zoomer in Owen Sound hired three announcers for local programming, but two are mornings. So this limits you basically to a live local morning show and afternoon drive weekdays. I would have had three local shows with the talent that they hired.

The two person morning show was there from Bell. Zoomer hired an afternoon host, but that position had been vacant for a few months

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** April 1, 2025 3:47 pm

did'nt zoomer promiss a rock format?
Because what I'm hearing on the stream sounds the same as 740

**Posted by RadioAaron** April 1, 2025 3:51 pm

Scarboroughbluffsradiof99 wrote:
did'nt zoomer promiss a rock format?
Because what I'm hearing on the stream sounds the same as 740

They didn't promise anything specifically. They mentioned the format would be more-or-less the same as before, but they're not held to that.

Last edited by RadioAaron (April 1, 2025 3:51 pm)

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** April 1, 2025 3:55 pm

Scarboroughbluffsradiof99 wrote:
did'nt zoomer promiss a rock format?
Because what I'm hearing on the stream sounds the same as 740

But, sofar, it has a much softer sound from 740.
It sounds more like the old the jewel format.

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** April 1, 2025 3:56 pm

RadioAaron wrote:
Scarboroughbluffsradiof99 wrote:
did'nt zoomer promiss a rock format?
Because what I'm hearing on the stream sounds the same as 740
They didn't promise anything specifically. They mentioned the format would be more-or-less the same as before, but they're not held to that.

Oops.
I quoted my own post.
It has more of a soft AC sound

**Posted by RadioAaron** April 1, 2025 3:57 pm

That's fine too. It doesn't matter.

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** April 1, 2025 4:02 pm

torontostan wrote:
Their schedule appears to show they'll syndicate CFZM for most of the day.... meaning a significantly older playlist.... not sure that's wise but alas....

Almost like they do for classical fm.
They nead to make a seperate fight back show for CJOS.
Who in Owin sound wants to hear about Toronto issues?

**Posted by torontostan** April 1, 2025 5:09 pm

Scarboroughbluffsradiof99 wrote:
torontostan wrote:
Their schedule appears to show they'll syndicate CFZM for most of the day.... meaning a significantly older playlist.... not sure that's wise but alas....
Almost like they do for classical fm.
They nead to make a seperate fight back show for CJOS.
Who in Owin sound wants to hear about Toronto issues?

Fight Back is one of the programs that won't be syndicated to Owen Sound, according to zoomerfm.ca

**Posted by RadioAaron** April 1, 2025 5:22 pm

740 itself has been moving in a softer, more breeze-like direction lately.

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** April 1, 2025 6:08 pm

RadioAaron wrote:
740 itself has been moving in a softer, more breeze-like direction lately.

And there adding more AC songs from today and playing less 60s.
I was surprised to find ed sheerin's perfect on the last played section on zoomerradio.ca

**Posted by RadioActive** April 2, 2025 7:05 am

The Owen Sound Sun Times weighs in on the changes, with an admission from Toronto-based P.D. Gene Stevens that mornings and afternoons will be local, but weekends and evenings will virtually duplicate AM740.

"During weekday morning and afternoon shows, popular greatest hits and favourites from the 1960s through to the 2000s, will be a part of the musical “smorgasbord” being offered up.

Sandwiched in between will be the top 10 at Ten and the next 11 at Eleven hosted by Robbie Lane, along with the Number 1s at One. Lane is back in the evening with the 60s at Six, 70s at Seven, 80s at Eight, and 90s at Nine. At 10 p.m. will be Theatre of the Mind, featuring classic drama and comedy, followed by Stardust love songs at 11 p.m. and the risque music of Midnight Blue at midnight, followed by the all-night jukebox."

Plenty of musical variety at new Owen Sound radio station

**Posted by RadioActive** April 3, 2025 11:10 am

The new morning show debuted with a phoner from - who else? - new head honcho Moses Znaimer.

The former City TV boss was given a somewhat sycophantic intro that lasted almost two minutes. But the man has a huge ego, so I'm quite sure he ate it up. He told the morning duo and the audience that he plans to remake CJOS into the kind of "radical radio" everyone remembers from the past.

He decried what he called "traditional radio" that plays the same 40 songs "over and over and over."

And he referred to previous formats like The Dock and Bounce.

You can hear the conversation here.

**Posted by torontostan** April 3, 2025 11:43 am

I can hear the tagline already.... "From Graceland to GreyBruceLand... you're listening to Zoomer FM....."

**Posted by mace** April 4, 2025 9:55 am

torontostan wrote:
I can hear the tagline already.... "From Graceland to GreyBruceLand... you're listening to Zoomer FM....."

740's 50,000 watt signal would most likely make it to Graceland at night. CJOS's 9400 watts? Maybe with the help of E-Skip.

**Posted by rawkgurl** April 4, 2025 7:31 pm

paterson1 wrote:
I don't understand why so many stations, even small stations, feel that they need two or more hosts to do mornings. Zoomer in Owen Sound hired three announcers for local programming, but two are mornings. So this limits you basically to a live local morning show and afternoon drive weekdays. I would have had three local shows with the talent that they hired.

*** one does news and hosts, the other one hosts ****

and yes, you do need news in a small market.

**Posted by paterson1** April 4, 2025 8:21 pm

Who said anything about not needing news in a small market? If anything news is more important in smaller markets since the local paper could be long gone. Why tie up your only newsperson as a morning co-host?

I think that when the newsperson officially co-hosts a radio morning show lessens the credibility of that newscaster. Also indicates the station isn't overly concerned with news since the talent is on the air more than in the newsroom. If you're not in the newsroom, you aren't working on local stories. Again, in a smaller market with few local news sources, the radio newscasts are important and should be treated that way.

Last edited by paterson1 (April 4, 2025 9:25 pm)

**Posted by Paul Jeffries** April 4, 2025 8:27 pm

I listened to Zoomer 92.3 online the other night and I noticed the playlist on their overnight show, The All-Night Jukebox, differed from that of the Toronto Zoomer. I don't know if that's just temporary, although I don't suppose it costs that much more to run your own overnight show if it's going jockless.

The Owen Sound station doesn't show recently played songs (as of yet), but I assume their playlist is as broad as their Toronto counterpart. I don't know the market, but I'm thinking wide playlists work better in smaller communities than they do in places like metropolitan Toronto, judging by the likes of CJBQ Belleville, which seems to play every damn thing under the sun.

Good on Moses to decry stations that play the same 40 songs "over and over and over". (Hmm, that tagline sounds kinda familiar... )

PJ

**Posted by Paul Jeffries** April 4, 2025 8:45 pm

RadioAaron wrote:
740 itself has been moving in a softer, more breeze-like direction lately.

Really? I was thinking that Zoomer Toronto was sounding a little harder lately, playing the likes of Smash Mouth and Sugar Ray.

PJ

**Posted by rawkgurl** April 5, 2025 7:52 am

paterson1 wrote:
Who said anything about not needing news in a small market? If anything news is more important in smaller markets since the local paper could be long gone. Why tie up your only newsperson as a morning co-host?

I think that when the newsperson officially co-hosts a radio morning show lessens the credibility of that newscaster. Also indicates the station isn't overly concerned with news since the talent is on the air more than in the newsroom. If you're not in the newsroom, you aren't working on local stories. Again, in a smaller market with few local news sources, the radio newscasts are important and should be treated that way.

My comment about news stems from your comment "=12px I would have had three local shows with the talent that they hired."
You're right about the news position. It should be dedicated to news only, and working on those local stories. A long time ago, at big corporate radio, someone in an expensive suit said, "Let's cut the news departments in small and medium markets because no one listens to the news anymore".
The worst is when there's two hosts and the news is recorded by a third person who works on another station within the cluster.

**Posted by Shorty Wave** April 5, 2025 8:36 am

Paul Jeffries wrote:
RadioAaron wrote:
740 itself has been moving in a softer, more breeze-like direction lately.
Really? I was thinking that Zoomer Toronto was sounding a little harder lately, playing the likes of Smash Mouth and Sugar Ray.

PJ

I think they’ve broadened their reach as I’ve heard The Flaming Lips & REM of late, both not regular artists in 740’s rotation, and a couple of other tunes that are a bit out of their regular playlist, which is great, better than Terry Jacks!

**Posted by paterson1** April 5, 2025 10:41 am

I have heard that CFOS could flip to FM sometime later in the summer, but no firm date. CFOS generally plays a wide swath of music as well, but tends to be a bit more jarring with more rock cuts. CFOS isn't your typical oldies or classic hits station and has some real similarities to Zoomer with block and specialized programs.

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** April 5, 2025 10:55 am

Shorty Wave wrote:
Paul Jeffries wrote:
RadioAaron wrote:
740 itself has been moving in a softer, more breeze-like direction lately.
Really? I was thinking that Zoomer Toronto was sounding a little harder lately, playing the likes of Smash Mouth and Sugar Ray.

PJ

I think they’ve broadened their reach as I’ve heard The Flaming Lips & REM of late, both not regular artists in 740’s rotation, and a couple of other tunes that are a bit out of their regular playlist, which is great, better than Terry Jacks!

And, I'm starting to hear more songs from the 00s and today.
I think it might be consittered a full-survice or gold AC station with great talkshows.
I think zoomer is trying to atract more of my generation, gen z

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** April 5, 2025 10:57 am

paterson1 wrote:
I have heard that CFOS could flip to FM sometime later in the summer, but no firm date. CFOS generally plays a wide swath of music as well, but tends to be a bit more jarring with more rock cuts. CFOS isn't your typical oldies or classic hits station and has some real similarities to Zoomer with block and specialized programs.

Please bring back a little breath of scotland!

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** April 5, 2025 11:00 am

One more thing, Zoomer and mybroadcasting are doing the best takovers yet.
Neeti still has aways to go with CKOC and CKWW.
He's mutch better running bollywood stations.
I think Neeti should sell the stations to zoomer and have CKOC switch to Talk or and True oldies format and CKWW switch to zoomer radio windsor.

**Posted by Paul Jeffries** April 5, 2025 11:06 am

paterson1 wrote:
I have heard that CFOS could flip to FM sometime later in the summer, but no firm date. CFOS generally plays a wide swath of music as well, but tends to be a bit more jarring with more rock cuts

A sampling of yesterday's playlist included the likes of "Teacher Teacher" by 38 Special and "Jump in Line (Shake, Senora)" by Harry Belafonte.

Mind you, a lot of Gen-Xers are probably familiar with the latter from its usage in the movie Beetlejuice.

PJ

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** April 5, 2025 12:20 pm

Paul Jeffries wrote:
paterson1 wrote:
I have heard that CFOS could flip to FM sometime later in the summer, but no firm date. CFOS generally plays a wide swath of music as well, but tends to be a bit more jarring with more rock cuts
A sampling of yesterday's playlist included the likes of "Teacher Teacher" by 38 Special and "Jump in Line (Shake, Senora)" by Harry Belafonte.

Mind you, a lot of Gen-Xers are probably familiar with the latter from its usage in the movie Beetlejuice.

PJ

A good thing is you can play bits of songs on there website.