Harvard Broadcasting began testing their new FM station Tuesday, December 18th in Fort McMurray Mix 103.7 - CJVR-FM.  They mailed "Tune in Today" cards promoting their morning show which was scheduled to sign on Wednesday Morning (the next day).   Wednesday morning they weren't on the air.  A Facebook group message later said...

"As of 2 p.m. Thursday, our testing period for Industry Canada will be complete. Therefore our programming will not be available on your FM dial. You can continue enjoying today's best music by joining us online at http://www.mix1037fm.com

Our official launch will take place in January, where you will hear the same great music that you've enjoyed for the past few days, plus a whole lot more.

Have a Happy Holiday and a fantastic New Year, from you new friends at Mix 103.7 - Today's Best Music. We look forward to partying with you in early January 2008.

Stay tuned to mix1037fm.com, where will keep you informed as to an exact date and time for our official launch.

We look forward to being your new radio station in early 2008!"

Apparently Industry Canada ordered them to shut off the transmitter.  Word has it the signal was interfereing with Telus and the local Fire Department.

Isn't it common procedure that any new FM test for 21 Days before signing on?   They were running advertisments and the like and now a load of listeners were hyped up for nothing.

Talking to a friend of mine that works there, he said it is an Industry Canada problem, one of the people that was supposed to monitor the station was on holidays.  

I'm not sure about the testing period, but he says they have complied with everything, and judging by the Facebook group you took that "press release" from it appears people are very excited about the new station as they have more members than all three other stations in the 'mac combined.

I think the Rogers stations are running scared.

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2006/db2006-627.htm


"At the hearing, the Commission also explored with Harvard its plans for the use of voice-tracking, automation or live-to-air programming. Harvard indicated that none of the programming broadcast on the proposed station during each broadcast week would be "voice-tracked" programming"

"The Commission also notes the commitment made by Harvard that none of the programming to be broadcast on the new station will be "voice-tracked" programming, and expects the applicant to adhere to this commitment throughout the licence term"

Is there any applicant who doesn't say they won't VT...they say that, then VT claiming that they can't afford to go live 24/7.

VTing during the broadcast week is what was mentioned I believe and unlike Rog(cough)rs vt'ing in mid mornings and the afternoon from out of market on both their stations in Fort Mac.  It will be interesting to see what Harvard does during their official launch in the New Year.

http://www.mix1037fm.com/index.php?mo=2&yr=2008

Anyone have audio of the launch...which has apparently happened.

How STUPID is this?

Nick S was swing at ROCK 97.9 the Rogers satrion. Was hired to do Mornings on the MIX and his commercials are STILL airing on Both Country & Rock which ironically are only about 150 meters, if that, away.

Great example of LOUSY programming by the Rogers people even though Nick has been GONE since October of last year! ANd YES this had been pointed out to the Rogers PD more than once!

Not really.  It's not uncommon in smaller markets for stations to swap spots when a client buys on more than one station.  Think of it in that way.

agree Radiodood, in Victoria, I hear jocks from all the different stations on ads.  Big local buys do that from what I tend to hear.  Have one spot produced by one of the clusters but then run all over town on all the stations.

Quoted from newstalker

How STUPID is this?

Nick S was swing at ROCK 97.9 the Rogers satrion. Was hired to do Mornings on the MIX and his commercials are STILL airing on Both Country & Rock which ironically are only about 150 meters, if that, away.

Great example of LOUSY programming by the Rogers people even though Nick has been GONE since October of last year! ANd YES this had been pointed out to the Rogers PD more than once!

Unless the ads are him endorsing the station or a station event this is pretty much a non-issue.

ANd how pray tell, does a spot for a LOCAL cab company constitute a "big buy"? It's simple laziness by the PD.

Quoted from newstalker

ANd how pray tell, does a spot for a LOCAL cab company constitute a "big buy"? It's simple laziness by the PD.

b/c the radio station might charge $50 or $100 to produce a new spot... so they just run the old one and save the money.

It is a commercial.  any voice the company pays for can be in that 30 seconds.

wow.  somebody hasn't worked small town radio for a while...

with that said, if the employee left the station and they simply haven't updated the commercial, yes, that is lazy.

if the client asked for the dub to be shipped over, that is pretty standard in a lot of markets.  develop a policy for it, determine compensation if need be, and deal with it.

3rd scenario is a client not wanting the voice changed.  which does happen.  "change the voice, i pull my buy" has happened before.

Press Release is over at Milky's.

GX and The Fox are now part of the Harvard group (subject to CRTC green-light).

It doesn't matter who's voice is on what station as long as the spots aren't station specific.  

We used to get provincial buys all the time at CHAB Moose Jaw back in the Mofatt days.  The spots were then dubbed for the rest of the markeplace Regina etc., and the talent was paid a one time talent fee for every station other than CHAB the spot ran on.  It was good extra cash.

Smiley

wow..extra pay?  Insanity.  We got nothing but the narcissistic satisfaction of hearing our voice on the competing station.  When I was 22, that was the cat's hind end...