Radio station Vinyl 95.3 relaunched as 95.3 Fresh FM and cuts staff
David Churchill Wed Apr 10 2013 20:43:00 13 Comments
Oldies radio station cutting the vinyl. Vinyl 95.3 became 95.3 Fresh FM.
Fan Favourites Colleen Rusholme and Darrin Laidman are still there every weekday morning.
But some listeners of the former Vinyl 95.3 were caught by surprise Wednesday when the Hamilton FM radio station relaunched with a new name and a new format.
The New 95.3 Fresh FM will feature current hits from the likes of Pink, Maroon 5, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake and Bruno Mars as well as newer music from longer-established stars such as Bon Jovi, Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson and Train.
The Spectator has also learned in a confidential email that hosts Gord James, John Novak, Bob Saint and Michael Landsberg have been let go.
“This was purely a business decision and had nothing to do with their performance,” Suzanne Carpenter, general manager, Corus Radio Toronto and Hamilton, said in the email.
The memo also indicates no other personnel changes are “planned at this time.”
Station staff received the email Tuesday afternoon and the news was followed up with a staff meeting Wednesday at 10 a.m.
The station had previously featured the greatest hits of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. Recently, the station had broadened its playlists to include the ’90s and a few current popular tracks.
This is the second shakeup at the station in a little more than two years. It had adopted a greatest hits format in January 2010, dropping its previous country music format. That change was sparked by the station’s desire to reach a more mainstream music audience, particularly women, Carpenter said at the time.
The latest change was being quickly critized on social media yesterday and brought a Twitter response from host Rusholme.
“Change is never easy. We are going through it with you,” she tweeted.
“I do hope you give it a try. I’m sitting in the studio and I can’t stop dancing.”
Corus Entertainment Inc. also owns two other area radio stations, AM 900 CHML and Y108.
Calls to the local station and Corus Entertainment’s Toronto offices were not returned Wednesday
