James’ Brand New Blog

Changes on the London FM dial at 97.5. Ryan Seacrest etc.

- August 17th, 2012

Judged by sheer numbers, far & away the most successful post in JBNBlog history allowed a London radio fan, angry over the firing of Rich Greven, to speak up . . . scores & scores of fans followed to register their similar feelings.

This was a total surprise to JBNBlog and for months after that September, 2010, post, comments still came in. Well. This morning, reading between the lines of the following media release, it looks as if the E-Zed (it’s EZ as a brand, but JBNBlog likes Zed that unnecessary letter) Rock has given way to Richard Branson, a man so handsome Randy Bachman is occasionally mistaken for him. (Randy B’s version of this mixup in funnier but you get the idea), & his Virgin Radio brand. Or something like that.

Here’s the announcement about the change & JBNBlog just tuned into 97-5 Virgin Radio apparently aka “London’s all-new #1 hit music station” . . . & lo & behold, upon tuning in, there is apparently Drake (CanCon, yay!) wording away on what JBNBlog takes to be Over (10q, metrolyrics.com) with the friendly eff-words removed & so it’s a lot from Rich Greven to Drake & whoever tells you it’s Drake. Solidarity with anyone displaced by this change as Rich Greven was in the format switch about two years ago.

JBNBlog is always willing to listen to tales from the #ldnont radio world & any details gratefully received.

97-5 Virgin Radio is London’s all-new #1 hit music station

London, Ontario, August 17 - More hit music. More entertainment.  More fun. As of now, the largest radio movement on the planet makes London its new home with the all-new #1 hit music station 97-5 Virgin Radio.

97-5 Virgin Radio will deliver the top 40 music format to London listeners with the true excitement and energy of the premium international Virgin Radio brand.

“London’s radio landscape was in need for something bold and new and that is exactly what 97-5 Virgin Radio is about, said Al Smith, Brand Director, Astral Radio London.
97-5 Virgin Radio will offer more opportunities for our listeners and clients to engage with us and experience radio in a brand new way, and I am confident they will welcome
97-5 Virgin Radio with as much excitement as we had bringing it to town.”

97-5 Virgin Radio will entertain London 24/7 with the biggest promotions, the best personalities – including star host Ryan Seacrest and Canadian DJs Angry Kids –, a new interactive web platform, an iPhone app, a vibrant new street team and more. In the coming weeks, along with the hit music, Virgin Radio will be announcing a brand new talent line-up featuring what will undoubtedly be London’s new #1 morning show.  It’s guaranteed to shake up the London airwaves.

“After Toronto, Vancouver, Montréal, Edmonton and Calgary, 97-5 Virgin Radio is the sixth station Astral has launched in Canada as part of a commercial association with
Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Radio International, said Rob Farina, Executive Vice-President, Content at Astral Radio. This speaks of Astral’s priority to build strong brands across Canada and deliver listeners and clients radio stations that meet their tastes and expectations.”

As of today, the difference begins. Witness the evolution now at www.975virginradio.com.

-30-

Founded in 1961, Astral is a leading Canadian media company. It operates several of the country’s most popular pay and specialty television, radio, out-of-home advertising and digital media properties. Astral plays a central role in community life from coast to coast by offering diverse, rich and vibrant programming that meets the tastes and needs of consumers and advertisers. To learn more about Astral, visit astral.com.
Media
Al Smith
Brand Director
Astral Radio London
519-686-2525
asmith1@astral.com

Categories: General

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2 comments

  1. Greg Simpson says:
    August 18, 2012 at 12:28 am

    Technically, the Astral media release is in error…it is in fact the 7th time they have applied the Virgin brand to one of their stations…a few years ago they tried it in Ottawa, thinking that their flagship rock station The Bear had run its course as a brand…Ottawans did not agree and within a little more than a year, if I remember correctly, The Bear returned revived and stronger than it had been in a long time. I’m a little surprised that Al Smith didn’t remember that as I believe he was in the Ottawa market at the time of the change, though possibly working for a different corporation. Or, perhaps, history was rewritten to avoid this one failure in the growth of the Virgin brand in Canada.

  2. james.reaney says:
    August 18, 2012 at 7:27 am

    Thanks as always Greg for setting the record straight . . . didn’t something like the Bear attempted rebrand happen with a BX93 a while back. Whatever the new name/brand was, it never stuck in that case either. Perhaps amusingly the arrival of Virgin radio in #ldnont has been greeted with approving comments from “fans” who must have had an hour or two to notice how good it was. On rawk. Always.

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