Harvard Broadcasting has flipped Adult Alternative “95.7 The Sound” CKEA Edmonton to AC “Lite 95.7“. The station is debuting with a weekend of Christmas Music to promote the station as Edmonton’s new home for Christmas music come November.
The flip returns the format to the market following the flip of “EZ Rock 104.9” to CHR “Virgin Radio” in early February. In the recently released November-February ratings period, The Sound registered a mere 0.8 although it has been on the air a mere six months. The hole to fill a mass appeal format was too much for Harvard to ignore.
S. Kafara 
Shellshock 
what a joke 
Seriously?!? 
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Pamela Smith 
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This is terribly disappointing and honestly ridiculous. I couldn’t figure out what was happening when the Black Keys slowly changed into Christmas music… then found out about this. I had to actually check my calendar to make sure it wasn’t April 1st yet!This is the only good station is Edmonton that doesn’t play terrible music or the same 10 songs on repeat. It actually made me listen to the radio again and not just my iTunes. I sincerely hope this is some kind of sick joke.
Also EXTREMELY disappointed. We have just discovered the SOUND and have been playing it in our office continuously for the last couple of weeks… AND loved it!!
It was such an relief to listen to alternative music mixed with old rock, new rock, folk, etc… Hits mixed with songs NEVER played on the radio, never-heard acoustic versions, and more. Edmonton does not need another easy-listening radio station. I think the Sound may have just been poorly marketed and nobody ever never knew it was out there. Non-existing offensive over-stimulating commercials made the Sound a blissful choice.
We thought the DJs were playing a joke with the xmas music, but after an hour now, we thought maybe we had the wrong station. Very sad to see the Sound depart.
this is ridiculous. and this is supposed to be the solution? another lite station just like ez rock? AND christmas music to kick it off?! its not even APRIL. wow i’m really disturbed by this decision. the way radio works is a total joke, you can’t even get real ratings! they just shut down the one actual decent station that doesn’t play the same crap over and over all day! ridiculous.
I completely agree, this is completely ridiculous. I also had to make sure it wasn’t April Fool’s Day! I was so excited when i discovered The Sound. It was the only station i could listen to for hours, and not hear the same stupid songs over and over, or tons of pointless yapping and commercials! I am really disappointed, if this is truly really happening. WTF.
it did have a .8, you didnt see this coming?
I’m going to miss 95.7 The Sound!!! How could this happen? It was the BEST station! I loved the music and the Radio DJ’s – so entertaining!
This is a true disappointment. I understand the desire to fill a void, but it comes at the cost of shutting down a proudly independent radio station that connected to a large market that just had not found the listeners yet. I hope there is still a chance The Sound may return to provide Edmontonians with the great music we were teased with for the last 6 months, and had taken away.
I made a page about this whole cluster poodle http://www.facebook.com/pages/Edmonton-Needs-A-Decent-Radio-Station/212536378763580
I had to think twice about today’s date, nope it isn’t April Fool’s Day quite yet, but this has to be a JOKE! The Sound was the only radio station I’ve listened to in years!! Guess it’s back to the ipod for me…
This was soooo disapointing!!! I went to listen for my half hour drive home and they were playing CHRISTMAS MUSIC in MARCH. I couldn’t hate it more!! What void are they trying to fill that would appreciate that? They shouldn’t encourage something that ridiculous and obnoxious. The sound was awesome!!! It was like a mixtape of awesomeness. Who ever made this decision sucks, SELL OUT SUCKS. I really hope The Sound comes back!
Nice logo. Kabel font start to finish.
Worst reformat ever. In a saturated radio market ratings are less important than listener loyalty. I used to flip between stations every few minutes. Eventually I left it on the Sound and weeks have gone by since I’ve changed it. If they could convince me to stay, I’m sure that in time it would have become one of the top stations.
Under normal circumstances I’m sure Harvard wouldn’t drop the Sound so quickly after spending a lot of money putting it on the air, however the new format will bring a much larger return on its investment. The AC format was wide open due to decisions of other station operators and they quickly acted to fill the hole before someone else did. It was a business decision plain and simple.
Great station that I will miss. I have been listening since it started. It is true that there was a big void to fill with the easy listening market. There are a more
than a couple existing stations out there right now that should have jumped on that opportunity without straying to far from what they play now. From The Sound to The Lite, they have just lost all the listeners that were tuning in. Does anybody listen to 99.3 or 102.3? Maybe they could sacrifice one of the THREE top 40 in the city which only gives that listening audience choices during commercials. I don’t know how much it costs to launch a new station, but do we have no room left on the dial for a new freqeuncy? Anyway, sad to see you go.
I only found about The Sound in January and now losing this awesome radio station means once again Edmonton is left with junk on the airways. The Sound was unlike anything else on the radio, and I believe it just needed a wee bit more time to gather strength in the market. Really such a shame they felt they needed to “fill the void” left by 104.9, because UP, Joe, AND 96.3 Capital FM are doing the job just fine. Even Now Radio would fill the void for some 104.9 listeners!!! I hope the new station receives low ratings and maybe they will bring The Sound BACK!
I am very disappointed in losing 95.7 The Sound. It was one of the very few radio staions that actually played new music and a reasonable blend of older songs that resulted in a varied playlist.
What I generally find is that most (almost all) commercial radio stations tend to play oldies and are afraid to introduce new music unless it is from established performers.
I hope that Sonic 102.9 will readjust their programming to play new music like they did when they first started, and I will continue to listen to CKUA for non-top 40 music and new artists.
Edmonton radio has become more bland.
Like so many, I am VERY disappointed with losing 95.7 the sound. It was the one station you could listen to where they’d actually select new and interesting variety rather than playing the same loop of top 40 songs. It seems that not many people had heard of the sound so maybe it was more an advertising issue than anything. It’s probably much harder to get mass appeal with playing new music all the time, but I bet in the long term, they would have had quite a following. Now I have to figure out what I can possibly listen to in the morning….. and no it won’t be Christmas music(possibly the worst idea ever).
Really Harvard? Just when I had hope in a radio station that met my excellent taste and musical sensibility. Satellite radio here I come. This market sucks….