CIRH-FM
 | |
| City | Vancouver, British Columbia |
|---|---|
| Branding | Roundhouse Radio |
| Slogan | Our City, Your Voice |
| Frequency | 98.3 MHz (FM) |
| First air date | October 15, 2015 |
| Format | Urban Talk w/ music |
| ERP | 1.7 kilowatts |
| HAAT | 87.5 metres |
| Class | A |
| Callsign meaning | C I Round House |
| Owner |
Roundhouse Radio (0971197 B.C. Ltd.) |
| Webcast | http://cirh.streamon.fm/ |
| Website | www.roundhouseradio.com |
CIRH-FM (98.3 FM) is an English-language radio station licensed by the CRTC in Vancouver, British Columbia. It is an urban talk/music radio station owned by, and doing business as, Roundhouse Radio.
History
The idea for the station came in 2012. Don Shafer, his partner Yvonne and a few friends were discussing what they would do if they owned a radio station and wrote the ideas on the back of a napkin from the Alibi Room.[1] The idea was to create a radio station that was local and inclusive, different than traditional talk radio stations and more like CBC, NPR and the BBC.[1]
CIRH was licensed on August 6, 2014 by the CRTC which described the station format as “niche spoken word” targeting adults aged 25 to 64 in Vancouver. It was one of only two licenses granted in 2014, with the CRTC turning down nine others.[2] Control of the station is exercised by Pushor Family Holding Corp., Okanagan Valley Business Consulting Ltd., Daudrich 2007 Family Trust and Craig and Candace Cameron, Don Shafer and Yvonne Evans, collectively Roundhouse Radio.[3][4] The station broadcasts on FM 98.3, a low-power station covering the city of Vancouver.[5] It was originally assigned the call letters CIRH-FM which previously broadcast at 107.7 FM in Halifax, Nova Scotia as part of the Information Radio system call letters.[6]
The building for studios and offices is located in Railtown, a neighbourhood within Vancouver on the Downtown Eastside.[1] This location was chosen due to the station having street access.[7]
Roundhouse Radio began broadcasting live on October 15, 2015.
Programming
CIRH broadcasts 20 percent music with the remaining 80 percent on talk.[1] Its programming includes news, weather, sports, local event promotion, public affairs, documentaries, radio plays and dramas, slam poetry, programs of public debate such as talk shows. In addition to broadcasting in FM, the station streams live from its website where archived content can also be downloaded.[1]
CIRH programming begins with a daily morning show hosted by Kirk LaPointe, former CBC ombudsman and former mayoral candidate.[1] Other programs include IMPACT with Don Shafer, focusing on community and non-profit organizations, TRACKS with Cory Price, an overnight music show hosted by Samantha Parton, a weekly blues music show hosted by Jim Byrnes, a daily afternoon drive magazine series hosted by Janice Ungaro and Cory Ashworth, an arts magazine show hosted by Terry David Mulligan and Indie Audio with Marton Strong.[8]
The station's news and content director is Marcella Bernardo and also includes former Vancouver radio host Kerry Marshall.[9] The station's director of programming, Tracey Friesen was formerly with the National Film Board.[10]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sieniuc, Kat (11 August 2015). "Roundhouse Radio: Bringing the hyperlocal to Vancouver's airwaves". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ↑ Korstrom, Glen (27 March 2015). "Jim Pattison and other investors see radio as better business than TV". Business In Vancouver. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ↑ Parry, Jacob (22 July 2015). "Who is killing the community newspaper?". British Columbia Business. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ↑ "Roundhouse Radio Owners Group". Roundhouse Radio official website. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ↑ "New FM stations signal more change in local radio market". Business In Vancouver. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ↑ "Broadcast Dialogue" (PDF). February 5, 2015.
- ↑ Duggan, Evan (31 March 2015). "Vancouver eastside neighbourhood shifts from industrial to mixed commercial". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ↑ "Roundhouse Radio 98/3, Vancouver, Unveils Programming Lineup". Broadcaster, October 6, 2015.
- ↑ Smith, Charlie (29 June 2015). "Vancouver broadcasters Kerry Marshall and Marcella Bernardo join Roundhouse Radio 98.3". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ↑ "Roundhouse Radio 98.3 Hires Tracey Friesen as Director of Programming". Vancouver Observer. 30 October 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2015.