Toronto radio doesn’t have to be über-repetitive or über-niche. Not any more anyway. Three weeks into the soft launch of Toronto’s brand spanking new indie-focused radio station, general manager Megan Bingley reflects on the fledgling frequency’s initial steps and what we can expect when 88.1 FM’s new tenant hard-launches on September 3. Here, a few reasons to tune in.
It’s a democracy.
What’s been surprising so far, says Bingley, is just how quickly people have embraced the station and are getting involved. “I don’t want to tell people ‘Come love our radio station!’ I want them to help us build it, because once they’ve built it it’s really theirs.”
Listeners who choose to engage are sent regular email surveys whereby they dictate what plays and what doesn’t, Reddit-style. Sign up at indie88.com to participate.
You’ll hear new music – actual new music.
“Our licence requires us to play a certain amount of CanCon and a certain number of emerging artists,” says Bingley. “I feel a lot of pride when I hear someone say, ‘I never thought I’d hear XYZ on the radio.'”
An emerging artist, she says, is defined as someone who hasn’t had a hit. True to mandate, the station plays a mix of acts new and old, big and small, local and international, known and mostly unknown, leaning heavily on indie pop and indie rock. Its first-ever on-air band was Arcade Fire, and a random morning sampling might include Radiohead, Feist, the Clash, Jack White, July Talk, MS MR, Bastille and the Strokes.
You ain’t seen nothing yet.
“This entire month has been about doing tweaks on the microphones and getting our studio sounding really good,” says Bingley.
“Our announcers will soon be joining us in the building September 3 is when all of them will be on the air. It’s going to be a really special day, because we’ve been scouring the whole country.”
So far, Raina Douris has signed on as music director and host, and Brian Bailey joins the team from Victoria to preside over the morning show. There are more, many more, but you’ll have to wait till after Labour Day weekend to find out who they are. Content, too, will evolve as more Torontonians start shaping their new station.
You will not hear Blurred Lines or Get Lucky.
Isn’t that reason enough?
julial@nowtoronto.com | @julialeconte
