CBC Radio 2

Type	Radio network
Country	Canada
First air date	1946
Availability	National, through regional stations
Slogan	"Canada's National Music Network", "Everywhere Music Takes You"
Owner	Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Launch date	1960 (own programming)
Former names	CBC Radio / CBC FM (1960-1975) CBC Stereo (1975-1997)
Website CBC Radio 2

CBC Radio 2 is a Canadian FM radio network operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Previously concentrating on classical music and jazz, during 2007 and 2008 the network transitioned towards a new "adult music" format with a variety of genres, with the previously-dominant classical genre generally restricted to midday hours on weekdays.

History

The CBC's FM network was launched in 1946, but was strictly a simulcast of the AM radio network until 1960. In that year, distinct programming on the FM network was launched for the first time. That was briefly discontinued in 1962, but resumed again in 1964.

On November 3, 1975, the FM network was renamed CBC Stereo, to distinguish it from the AM network, known as CBC Radio. However, in the 1990s many of the old AM stations moved to FM as well, so in 1997 the CBC rebranded the networks as the current CBC Radio One and CBC Radio Two.

For much of its history, its programming focus was on arts and culture, primarily consisting of programs devoted to opera, classical music and jazz. Some programming devoted to Canadian pop and indie rock music was also aired, via the Saturday night CBC Radio 3 simulcast and predecessors such as RadioSonic, as well as the late-night programme Brave New Waves.

Format change

In 2006, speculation arose that CBC Radio Two programming would undergo a format and branding change, similar to that which its French counterpart Espace musique undertook in 2004, although no specific plans were announced until January 2007.^[1] These changes, which took effect March 19, resulted in a tighter focus on music — still primarily classical but also including jazz, world music, and live music of all types. The length and frequency of newscasts, which previously essentially duplicated those heard on Radio One, was reduced dramatically. Finally, the 2007 revamp resulted in a subtle name change from Radio Two to Radio 2.

In March 2008, CBC announced plans to complete the "transformation" of Radio 2, significantly altering its daytime programming lineup.^[2] These plans resulted in a the "New Radio 2", starting September 2, 2008. In essence, the previous morning and afternoon drive programs, which focused almost exclusively on classical music, were replaced with new shows featuring a wider range of genres.

The goal, according to the CBC, is to increase exposure of musicians and genres, other than classical and jazz, which previously received little airtime on private radio; more specifically, the CBC says the music played would not be pop music^{citation needed}. Critics have challenged these claims; they moreover note that classical music programming would be reduced from 12 hours per day to only five hours during day time working office hours, and that only "popular and accessible" classical music will be played^{citation needed}.

Concomitantly, four web radio streams including an all-classical stream as well as jazz, singer-songwriter, and "Canadian composer" streams were introduced.

There has been a vocal, negative response to these changes from a variety of sources connected with the classical community, ranging from Facebook to blogs^[3] to newspaper columnists.^[4][5][6] National protests were also held at CBC facilities across the country. However, the move also drew support from other corners of the cultural community, noting in many cases the low ratings of the existing service. Among the supporters were several critically-acclaimed artists who would benefit from the changes.^[7][8][9]

On May 2, 2008, the president of the CBC and the director of programming attended a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Canadian Heritage. There appeared to be opposition to the movement away from classical music on Radio 2 from MPs of all three main parties represented on the committee. Committee members Bill Siksay and Ed Fast were particularly opposed to the programming changes. In fact, the committee voted unanimously to hold further hearings specifically on the CBC Radio 2 changes in September of 2008.

On June 10, the CBC announced that hosts associated with the new programming would include Julie Nesrallah, Molly Johnson and Rich Terfry.

Distribution

Radio 2 is not as widely available across Canada as Radio One. While Radio One is available in most communities across Canada regardless of size, Radio 2 for the most part is available only in larger cities. Radio 2 also has a more consistent national schedule than Radio One, with only limited regional programming, such as weather updates. In the past these stations would also air local news summaries or a daily calendar of local arts and culture events; this was dropped in 2007. (There is an exception in Atlantic Canada, discussed below.)

In some smaller communities, especially in rural northern British Columbia, community groups have been licensed to rebroadcast a CBC Radio 2 station on a local low-power radio transmitter. These transmitters are owned by the community group rather than the network, and do not originate any programming at all.

On satellite, Radio 2's programming can also be heard on Bell TV and Star Choice. Unlike Radio One and Radio 3, Radio 2 is not carried by Sirius Satellite Radio, in part because the network relies largely on foreign classical and jazz music, and would not satisfy the CRTC's definition of a "Canadian" channel as required for Sirius Canada.

Programming

Although most programming on CBC Radio 2 is exclusive to the network, some programming is shared with other CBC networks. Some specialty programs, including The Vinyl Cafe and the Sunday night edition of Tonic, are also aired on CBC Radio One in different time slots.

During the 2005 Canadian Media Guild lockout, the normal schedule was temporarily replaced by continuous music from Galaxie, except for short news updates at the top of each hour from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time.

Until 2007, Radio 2 simulcasted the majority of newscasts on Radio One, including all major newscasts such as The World at Six or World Report - resulting in several lengthy breaks from music throughout the day. This ended in March 2007, when Radio 2 began to carry a separate news service, with news updates of 90 seconds in length a handful of times each day. The length was soon changed to 4.5 minutes, the usual length of the CBC's non-major newscasts, with the frequency increased slightly.

CBC Radio 2 schedule

Weekdays

Saturday (to early Sunday)

Atlantic Canada only: Due to live performances on Saturday Afternoon at the Opera (e.g. the Metropolitan Opera), regional programming airs during the 11:00 a.m. to noon hour (Connections in the Maritimes, The Performance Hour from 11:30 to 12:30 in Newfoundland). The remainder of the Saturday schedule is pushed back an hour, with the final hour of Nightstream dropped.

Sunday (to early Monday)

Past programming

• Music and Company with Tom Allen - classical music; weekday mornings
• Here's to You with Catherine Belyea (previously Shelley Solmes) - by-request classical music; weekday mid-mornings
  • Based on the earlier program Take Five, hosted by Solmes and earlier by Shelagh Rogers
• Studio Sparks with Eric Friesen - classical, with some jazz and world music; early weekday afternoons
• DiscDrive with Jurgen Gothe - classical, with some jazz and bluegrass; weekday afternoon drive
• In Performance with Andrew Craig (previously Eric Friesen) - live-to-tape classical performances; weeknights
• After Hours with Andy Sheppard (previously Ross Porter) - jazz; weeknights
• Brave New Waves with Patti Schmidt - alternative music; late night
• CBC Radio 3 programming (various names) - Saturday nights
• Northern Lights with Andrea Ratuski (and predecessor That Time of the Night) - soft classical music; early morning (also aired late evenings on Radio One)

Stations

References

See also

• Espace musique (the CBC's French language equivalent to CBC Radio 2)

External links

• Official website
• Vorbis Radio Stream
• Windows Media Stream