Stingray has confirmed that the former Conversation Radio/Variety Hits “93.5 Today Radio” CFXJ-FM Toronto will become “New Country 93.5” on Tuesday, September 3.
Paul McGuire will move from afternoons to host mornings from 6-10am. McGuire also hosts a national midday show for Stingray’s nineteen other “New Country” branded stations across Canada. Stingray Podcast Network lead and national tracker Devin McNeil will follow in middays. “Today Radio” afternoon co-host and “Z95.3” CKZZ-FM Vancouver midday host Vanessa Newman remains in afternoons. The nationally syndicated Casey Clarke Show will be heard from 7pm-12am. Crosby McWilliam remains as Program Director. Prior to joining CFXJ-FM for its flip to Today Radio in February 2022, McWilliam programmed CKZZ-FM from 2017-22 after seven years as APD and Promotions Director.
Original Report 8/29: Stingray has pulled the plug on the Conversation Radio/Variety Hits “93.5 Today Radio” brand on CFXJ-FM Toronto and is currently in stunt mode teasing the launch of the company’s “New Country” brand.
Among the imaging heard includes sweepers stating, “Tuesday morning when you wake up, Toronto will have a new home in the country”, “Tuesday morning we’re opening the big barn doors to the future of Toronto Radio”, and “Tuesday Morning, the big city gets a little more country”. Stingray currently owns nineteen stations with the “New Country” brand across Canada. Among the songs heard in our sampling include Shaboozey “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”, Cole Swindell “She Had Me At Heads Carolina”, Garth Brooks “Friends In Low Places”, Jade Eagleson “She Don’t Know”, and Florida Georgia Line “Cruise”.
A flip to Country would place CFXJ-FM in competition with three stations rimshotting Toronto from different directions. Evanov’s “Hot Country 88.5” CKDX-FM Newmarket covers northern portions of the market and Durham Radio’s duo of “KX94.7” CHKX-FM Hamilton-Burlington covers areas south and west and “KX 96” 95.9 CJKX-FM Ajax covers Toronto’s eastern suburbs. CFXJ-FM covers the city of Toronto and adjoining towns.
The former “Today Radio” brand launched in February 2022 and signed off at 10am today. A farewell message on the station’s site says, “To our 93.5 Today Radio family… over the past couple of years we’ve had so much fun getting to know you. You’ve shared your wild and crazy stories, your hilarious adventures and misadventures, and your real life goose bump moments. We’ve shared big laughs and choked back a few tears together. We couldn’t have done this without you. We’re embarking on a new adventure starting Tuesday September 3rd. Of course you’re welcome to join us. But if this is goodbye for now, then we’d like to say a heartfelt THANKS. All the best, Your friends at 93.5 Today Radio.”
