New sounds hit the airwaves on March 15, as community radio station 91.7 Coast FM officially became ICON Radio.
On Friday, Vista Radio announced a rebrand of the Sechelt and Nanaimo radio station. In a press release, Vista Radio president Bryan Edwards said it was “an exciting day for music lovers on the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island.
“91.7 ICON Radio is not just a radio station; it’s a celebration of musical genius from across eras,” Edwards said in the release. “We’re thrilled to bring a station to the airwaves that honours the icons of music, offering our listeners an unmatched audio experience.”
For some listeners, the rebrand raised questions, including: what is going to happen to the local hosts?
Keith VanBrabant — known as Keith on the Coast — has been off air since Tuesday afternoon. His popular Wet Nose Wednesdays saw the host shining a spotlight on adoptable animals at the Sunshine Coast SPCA. But there was more to the job than playing with kittens. VanBrabant spoke to residents about the hot topics of the day, from pressing issues to community events, and interviewing musicians. He could also be found on the mic at sporting events, calling out scores at hockey games. Keith on the Coast’s listeners have been vocal online about their support of the host and local programming.
From the head office in Courtenay, general manager Robin Ram told Coast Reporter no one has been fired in Sechelt. While he couldn’t share details, Ram said they’re expecting to hear back from staff about staying on. They are also in the process of hiring another individual in Sechelt.
“It’s evolving and it’s growing,” Ram said. Programming will depend on the staff involved, with the goal of increasing local content. ICON Radio will be increasing music presence on the air, as well as increasing local stories, presence and connection, including involvement in community events, Ram said.
The CKAY Coast FM station first went on air in May 2006. When Bob Morris, the station’s co-founder, moved to the Coast in 2000, he noticed a need for local radio coverage on the Sunshine Coast. Coming from a broadcasting background, Morris recognized radio as a platform for instantaneous coverage. The topography of the Coast made it impossible to cover on one frequency, so Morris applied to put a broadcasting tower on Vancouver Island. Once all the applications were approved, the radio station went live.
“It was live, it was local, it was everything that a local radio station has to be,” Morris told Coast Reporter, adding that local radio “is today’s version of a town crier.”
A snowstorm that winter would solidify the station’s place in Coasters' lives. Folks called in with reports on the conditions near them, asking about roads and where there was power. A generator at the station meant they could stay on air in an emergency, and its Wilson Creek location kept it in close proximity to the Sunshine Coast Regional District office.
Around 2010 or 2011, Morris and his business partner sold the station to Vista Radio. At the time, Morris said, Vista promised to keep the radio station local.
Morris says stations have to be involved in the community they serve, which also leads to credibility with advertisers. “The reality of what’s going on in the broadcasting now is that, unless you’re local, you’re going to go broke…As soon as you start eliminating local support, you start eliminating any chance of it being a viable business.”
“The only reason that local radio exists is to serve the local community, with local information, local people on local issues. That’s it. There’s no other reason for it to be there,” Morris said.
On social media last Friday, the District of Sechelt said the news was “Heartbreaking to hear,” and reminisced about the station’s early days of giveaways — free gas to drivers if they heard their licence plate on air as they waited in the ferry line up.
Last month, Castanet reported that Vista Radio is in the process of buying 21 radio stations from Bell Media, though the approval from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) could take up to a year. The news of Bell Media selling 45 of its 103 stations and cutting multiple newscasts sparked a comment from Premier David Eby about the “crapification” of local news.
Vista Radio operates stations in B.C., Alberta, Ontario and the Northwest Territories. When asked if the rebrand of Coast FM to ICON Radio will be rolled out at its other stations, Ram said it’s too early to tell, but the Sechelt/Nanaimo station is the only station currently being rebranded.
