I'm the boss ... is it ok if I brag about our radio team?

As the person tasked with running our radio stations across Canada (we own 52 including this one) I hope you will indulge me one blog post so that I may brag about our radio team.

Our stations, websites & apps across the Country were proud to broadcast the One Love Manchester benefit concert with Ariana Grande & friends. We were proud to air it; although sad that there had to be a concert in the first place.

It takes a lot of people to pull off a concert of this magnitude. Kudos to the BBC, Scooter Braun, Live Nation, Universal Music and the many other groups that worked together to make this happen. Special thanks to the artists that performed. Without them and their music we wouldn’t have a concert. Or music radio.

Here in Canada, our radio team worked tirelessly to get the broadcast from the UK to you. It may seem like an easy thing to do but trust me it’s not. They’ve been working 24/7 for the past week. From organizing the technical aspect – I still don’t really understand how we get a concert happening in Manchester, England on the air in Canada – that’s for people much smarter than me – to the programming coordination to providing up to the minute news, information & coverage on the radio & across our websites, apps & social media sites.

Watching our team across the Country work has been nothing short of inspiring. This is a team of people that  love their jobs so much they’ll even come in on a Sunday. They work early in the morning & late at night. Happily. (Or at least they tell me that they are happy!)

I am so proud of them and grateful that they care as much as they do & I’d like you to meet some of them. These are a few of the folks in Toronto (where I live) that did a lot of the “heavy lifting” for the broadcast.

First this guy on the left – he’s the boss of KiSS 92.5 & the rest of our Top 40 stations. His name is Paul. Paul is from the UK so this event is even closer to his heart. That’s Jeremy his right-hand, in this case on his left – they’re talking about what music to play after the show. Below is Paul’s other right-hand Ryan who works on the promo & brand team and makes everything KiSS touches … pretty. Ry likes the Jays too!

Below are Shem & Kayla. You know Shem as one of our on-air hosts & he writes a lot of our website stories. He’s always smiling. Kayla to the right is also on-air at KiSS & mad at me for taking her picture today!

Jen & Amanda are working hard updating our social media sites. Both had prior commitments today that they are missing to be here.

These guys below? They are the reason we’re on the air! Cam, Neil & Alex are our engineers who made sure we were able to carry the live concert. There were many other engineers and programmers & technicians across the Country that showed up in their individual cities today too. Note Cam pointing out which button he needed to push to get us going. I still have no idea what these guys do but I do know radio wouldn’t exist without them.

And finally, a group shot – including the folks you’ve already met & Albert who along with Chris (not pictured) produced all of the audio that ran before, during and after the concert today.

Thank you team.

To each of you pictured here and the rest of you across Canada that work tirelessly and passionately to bring radio to our communities every day.

Thank you.

We may not be able to stop the evil acts happening around the world, but we can use our microphones and airwaves to help inform, support and heal the world.

To our amazing listeners – thank you for choosing local radio.

Peace & love to you all.

Julie