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Opening comments: More at the end.
To the main Judicial Inquiry page - to the Hazel McCallion page.
Comments by others to this web-page 10.
Toronto Sun - Apr. 23, 2010 - By Ted Woloshyn - ted.woloshyn@sunmedia.ca -
Mississauga's voice in the Haze: Woloshyn
New radio station hits the air at the perfect time for Canada's 6th biggest city
For years people have asked me why it is that Mississauga, Canada’s sixth largest city, does not have its own radio station.
Back in 1974 we did — CJMR, the last two letters stood for Mississauga Radio. Today it broadcasts multicultural programming, predominantly South Asian.
But earlier this year, after failing to find an available signal in the GTA, and without much fanfare, Marilynn Roch and Peter Whitaker launched thehazeFM.ca a commercial Internet radio station touted as “Mississauga’s Internet Station,” featuring music from the ’60s through today. Whitaker believes it’s the first commercial Internet radio station in Canada.
And how did they arrive at the name the hazeFM?
“We wanted one name that represented Mississauga, and that name was Hazel,” Whitaker told me. “The mayor fully embraced the idea.”
Two years ago Marilyn and Peter’s Mississauga-based company Lakeshore Pools and Beachcomber Hot Tubs bought time on a Toronto radio station, and although it brought them customers, the cost for a small business in Mississauga to advertise was prohibitive.
“We knew we needed an alternative” Whitaker said.
Rates for 30-second commercials on Toronto radio vary from $50 to $400. The same $400 on thehazeFM will score you 160 30-second commercials over one month.
But in Toronto, top shows draw audiences in the 100,000-listener ranges in a one-minute period.
ThehazeFM at best reaches 2,000 a day, but those numbers are climbing.
At this point they have about 30 sponsors, from local shops to corporate sponsors like Kaneff golf and Canadian Tire. The latter sponsored for the Mississauga Majors Junior A playoffs.
“We drew 1,000 people for a playoff game and we’re currently negotiating a deal to broadcast the Mississauga Twins Intercounty League baseball games,” added Whitaker.
They found their sportscasters through broadcaster Rogers Lajoie’s Triumph Sports Communications, a sports broadcasting school.
Live broadcasts
Whitaker believes the path to success for thehazeFM is through local presence and to that end they will also broadcast live from numerous Mississauga events like the Bread and Honey Festival, The Southside Shuffle, The Mississauga Waterfront festival and the local Santa Claus Parade.
“We’ve also established a community affairs team of three people who will be assigned to follow the judicial inquiry (into the mayor) and the upcoming election,” added Whitaker.
“We want to provide as much local information as possible, and we’re also working on a local sports show which will promote sporting events, fundraisers and re-cap scores,” he said.
It makes a whole lot of sense — you tell kids their team’s scores and player’s names will be on air, and they turn around and tell their friends, parents and grandparents.
The broadcast day currently consists of pre-taped shows filled with community news and announcements.
“We also have daily news, weather and sports, along with a show called Musically Yours which features up-and-coming local artists and Sunday Morning Soul with Johnny Max,” added Whitaker.
The studio, housed in Whitaker’s former pool and hot tub service area, has a kind of WKRP feel to it — not chaotic but not exactly the CBC, which in their case is a good thing.
But Whitaker feels growth is strong and steady, and they could turn a profit within a year.
More importantly, Mississauga finally has a voice, which is also a good thing because based on what’s been happening lately in Hazelwood, there’s going to be a lot to talk about this year.
Comments by others, 10, to this web-page;
Chas April 30th 2010, 12:31pm
@ Mississaugawatch
Is that you Parrish ? Perhaps one of your moronic supporters ?
Listen closely. We are going to make sure you, and all those that support you, are DEFEATED in the next election.
Count on me being there every time you open your mouth in public to remind everyone what an egotistical big mouth fool you were as part of the lying thieving government of Jean Chretein.
Count on me reminding voters how you embarrassed us to our next door neighbour, & the world, by calling all 300 million Americans "bastards" publicly while a member of Canada's government.
Count on me telling all of them how you childishly ripped up a poster with our wonderful mayor's face on it because you didn't get your way.
Count on losing your seats !
MISSISSAUGAWATCH April 26th 2010, 12:37pm
Quote: “We’ve also established a community affairs team of three people who will be assigned to follow the judicial inquiry (into the mayor) and the upcoming election,” added Whitaker.
HAHAHAHAAHAAHhaahahahah *SNORK*
MISSISSAUGAWATCH April 26th 2010, 12:23pm
All you need to know about this "new" voice.
Quote: “The mayor fully embraced the idea.”
Rogers funnels the Party line through television. Now HAZEFM through radio.
"HAZE", all right. City TV and not CITY Radio.
You got a six-point documentary right now on Rogers called "Hazel". Last episode also had an additional documentary called "Our Mayor".
Then there's Woloshyn flinging the Party line here at the Sun...
And we can all look forward to Hazel McCallion proudly announce that she doesn't have to campaign!
Democracy inaction.
Matthew April 25th 2010, 3:52pm
I work in mississauga in a office ( which is really boring ! ) Def going to tune in and listen great to know we have a mississauga based station and can hear what is happening in Mississauga and not Toronto all the time.
rebecca April 25th 2010, 1:44pm
thanks Ted for the information - great article! good to know Mississauga has a voice on the radio....i am on the computer all day long - now i can know what''s going on in my city.
Monika April 24th 2010, 11:30pm
Nice article, Ted. I work at thehazefm.ca and need to clarify the following:
"They found their sportscasters through broadcaster Rogers Lajoie’s Triumph Sports Communications, a sports broadcasting school."
While Roger Lajoie is a man of many talents, Triumph Sports Communications is not a sports broadcasting school.
Our sportscasters (and me) are products of the The College of Sports Media, operated by David Lanys, best known for his reporting work at The Score. Roger Lajoie was one of our many talented instructors and let us know about opportunities at thehazefm.ca
Jim April 24th 2010, 6:33pm
At this point in time I am much happier to be from Mississauga than the socialist cesspool that is present day Toronto. Toronto is a beautiful city but it has been overrun by rats like David Miller and it will take a long time for the damage to be undone. In the meantime, Mississauga and other 905 cities will continue to take business away from Toronto. Mississauga is really no longer a suburb, because the number of people working within the city (or commuting to the city from Toronto or elsewhere) is huge.
Mississauga has no voice April 24th 2010, 3:24pm
Kate you are dillusional
Kate April 24th 2010, 10:34am
We do have a voice and it can be heard on HAZEFM! Mississauga is not Toronto, We are our own City and have many great things to offer, in transit, art and culture!
Mississauga has no voice April 24th 2010, 12:10am
Mississauga has no identity. No one from Mississauga travels the world and tells people he meets that he is from Mississauga. That city exits as a suburb of Toronto, and is what it is because of its proximity to Toronto. It has spent decade not needing (or thinking it did not need to) built transit because many of its citizens drive to TTC stations, and it thought it did not need institutions like art centers, musuems, tourist attractions, etc
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