Four regions of Quebec now have seven new radio stations to listen to, thanks to Montreal-based RNC, which operates a total of 16 radio stations and five television stations in the province.
Known collectively as ‘Planète Radio,’ the stations target listeners in the 35-64 demographic and offer a selection of music ranging from jazz and contemporary hits to golden oldies.
RNC Media president/CEO Raynald Brière says young ‘boomers’ are looking for radio stations that reflect their values and music preferences while providing a new listening experience.
‘This initiative, the first in a series, is part of the transition from Radio Nord to RNC Media,’ he adds. ‘This move allows us to strengthen our position and modernize our image. The number of stations we operate makes us a major player in Quebec broadcasting, and the bringing together of select stations under a common banner allows us to better communicate and clarify who we are.’
The name Planète, Brière explains, is intended to evoke the personal universe of each listener, a strategy that extends to offering specific local and regional content. ‘Planète is a world unto itself, a sanctuary where you can hear the kind of music you like best,’ notes Marc Giguère, VP, operations, sales and marketing. This positioning is also aptly reflected in the slogan of the stations, ‘Mon univers musical’ (My musical universe).
Giguère adds that the creation of the Planète Radio group of stations is also intended to appeal to advertisers. ‘It will become much easier for them to identify our stations when deploying their campaigns… allowing them to communicate information about their brands to listeners while benefiting from a broadcast environment specific to each city and region.’
The stations under the Planète banner are:
– Planète Jazz 91.9 (Montreal), formerly Couleur Jazz
– Planète 97.1 (Gatineau), formerly Couleur FM
– Planète 96.5, 103.5 and 103.9 (Abitibi-Témiscamingue), formerly Couleur FM
– Planète 93.5 (Chibougamau/Chapais), formerly Tag Radio 93.5
– Planète 99.5 (Roberval/Saint-Félicien), formerly CHRL-FM, ‘la Radio du Lac St-Jean’
– Planète 100.3 (Dolbeau-Mistassini), formerly CHVD Émotion Rock FM
– Planète Lov’ 102.1 and 104.9 (Lachute-Hawkesbury), formerly Lov’ Radio
An aggressive promotional campaign for Planète Radio, spearheaded by a consumer contest, is currently being developed in-house.
