| Type | Radio network |
|---|---|
| Country | Canada |
| Availability | Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg |
| Slogan | The Evolution of Sports Radio (City Name) Destination for Sports |
| Owner | Bell Media Programmed by TSN (Bell Media – 80% / ESPN – 20%) Distributed by Bell Media Radio (Bell Media – 100%) |
| Key people | Rob Gray Program Director, TSN Radio[1] Stewart Johnston President of TSN[2] Chris Gordon President of Bell Media Radio[2][3] |
| Launch date | October 5, 2011[2] (TSN Radio 1050 launched on April 13, 2011)[4] |
| Official website | TSN Radio |
TSN Radio is a semi-national sports radio network in Canada carried on AM radio stations owned by Bell Media's Bell Media Radio division.[4][5][6] The TSN Radio brand, and much of the network's content, is partially shared with Bell Media's television sports channel, The Sports Network. With the American sports network ESPN being a minority shareholder in TSN, the network airs some ESPN Radio programming.
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It was announced on February 17, 2011, that its Toronto station CHUM (1050 AM) would discontinue its audio simulcast of CP24's television programming as "CP24 Radio 1050" and switch to an all-sports radio format as "TSN Radio 1050" effective April 13, 2011, becoming the flagship station of the network.[4][7] The company further announced plans on October 3, 2011, to convert its two radio stations in Winnipeg and Montreal under the TSN Radio banner (becoming TSN Radio 1290 and TSN Radio 990 respectively) on October 5, 2011.[2]
The network in some respects represent a revival of the defunct The Team network, which formerly aired on many of the same stations in the early 2000s when they were owned by CHUM Limited. Bell Canada gained 100% control of CTVglobemedia's assets on April 1, 2011, thus renaming the company's name to Bell Media and likewise renamed the radio division, CHUM Radio to Bell Media Radio.
It was reported on January 19, 2011 that Rob Gray, who was the program director for CKST and CFTE, had been hired to be program director for both CHUM and the new TSN Radio network. [1]
| Broadcast area | Station | Branding | Previous format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal, Quebec | CKGM | TSN Radio 990 | Sports radio as The Team 990 |
| Toronto, Ontario | CHUM | TSN Radio 1050 | All news as CP24 Radio 1050 |
| Winnipeg, Manitoba | CFRW | TSN Radio 1290 | Sports radio as Sports Radio 1290 |
TSN entered radio broadcasting with CHUM (1050 AM) in Toronto, which became the first station under the TSN Radio moniker, as TSN Radio 1050, on April 13, 2011. The station serves as the flagship of the network.
Bell Media further announced on October 3, 2011 that its radio stations CKGM in Montreal and CFRW in Winnipeg would join the TSN Radio network (becoming TSN Radio 990 and TSN Radio 1290 respectively) on October 5, 2011.[2]
There are conflicting reports as to whether or not CFGO in Ottawa and CKST and CFTE in Vancouver will re-brand.[8][9] TSN has said that the aforementioned stations 'shall work closely' with the TSN Radio stations,[2] and that for the time being "...our focus is on successful launches of TSN Radio in Montreal and Winnipeg.”[3]
The network's programming has not yet been fully confirmed, but it is not expected that TSN Radio will seek to create a full-day national programming schedule along the lines of the 24-hour ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio services in the United States, with local programing intertwined.[2] Several weeks before confirming the company's plans, TSN president Stewart Johnston argued that "local is key" for the success of sports radio in Canada, as demonstrated by the earlier failure of The Team's national lineup.[10]
Nevertheless, like most of Bell Media Radio's existing sports stations, TSN Radio 1050 carries The Dan Patrick Show as well as some programming from ESPN Radio.[7]
Mike Richards has signed on to host the Toronto station's morning show. The show airs from 5:30am-9am (ET),[11] and was expected to be television simulcast on TSN2 beginning in September 2011.[6] However, due to delays in the studio being built at 9 Channel Nine Court, the show is not expected to air until early 2012.[3] It is not yet clear whether this program will air on other TSN Radio stations upon the launch of the simulcast, although its reported carriage on TSN2 would suggest the show will be most likely formatted for a national audience, as opposed to the Toronto market specifically.
Like The Mike Richards Show, Cybulski & Company is expected to be simulcast on TSN2, although it remains unclear if the show will air on other TSN Radio stations.[3]
Additionally, TSN has radio broadcasting rights for golf's The British Open, The U.S. Open, EURO 2012 and EURO 2016, 2011 NBA Playoffs, and NFL on Westwood One.
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