COUNTRY MUSIC FANS TO TURN A LITTLE BIT ROCK 'N ROLL
By Adnews Staff
Toronto country music fans got a surprise last Friday night when they were listening to CISS FM 92.5. The Toronto radio station is being bought by Rogers Broadcasting of Toronto, and changing from a new country station to a top 40 contemporary format. The change happened on Friday, even though the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission hasn't approved the deal yet. Current owner, Rawlco Communications of Calgary, has entered into a local management agreement where Rawlco continues to be responsible for programming and Rogers manages the process on its behalf, Rogers Broadcasting president and CEO Tony Viner told Adnews yesterday. The radio station is now called Power 92. It will be commercial-free for the rest of the month while Rogers rounds up advertisers. Rogers went commercial-free to get listeners use to the station and also for competitive reasons. "No one wanted to reveal what the plans were," he said. "You can't sell advertisers when you can't tell them what they're buying." For advertisers who were promoting their wares on CISS FM, Rogers will work on alternatives for them, such as airing their ads on other Rogers' Toronto radio stations CHFI 98.1 or 680News. Viner said the station's sales representatives will be on the phone with advertisers this week trying to work out a plan. Advertising for Power 92 will begin soon, using primarily TV ads. The campaign will be created in-house with the help of various producers of radio commercials. In addition, CISS FM had already committed itself to advertising on Toronto area bus shelters. These posters will be replaced with ads for Power 92.