There has been a lot of talk about CIBL community radio in recent years, particularly the storms it has had to weather. This almost made us forget that she has a cousin on the south coast and has the wind in her sails.
Published at 1:45 am. Updated at 7:15 a.m.
The citizens of Longueuil, Brossard, Saint-Hubert and Greenfield Park know FM 103.3 well, whose story is now told in a book full of anecdotes and testimonies. In FM 103.3 Radio on: More than 35 years of history, author and presenter Valérie Guibbaud traces the journey of this radio that continues to maintain a very strong connection with citizens.
PHOTO FROM VALériE GUIBBAUD’S FACEBOOK PAGE
Valerie Guibbaud
Thanks to a federal government employment program, the project to create a community radio station on the south coast was launched in the mid-1980s. Maurice Giroux, Pierre Legault and Pierre Grimard worked hard for three years to create this radio, whose frequency initially had a power of 50 watts.
The first studios were set up in the presbytery of St. Mark’s Anglican Church in Longueuil. However, we quickly realized that the frame of the building was not strong enough to support the disco, which at the time consisted of numerous records and CDs. Work was necessary.
On November 15, 1987, South Coast listeners were finally able to discover the programs that made up the 168 hours of airtime, including 126 live hours. The first song presented was Un trou dans les neiges by Michel Rivard. It must be said that FM 103.3 has always given a high priority to French-language music.
However, ten years after its launch, the station ran into certain difficulties. It was difficult to recruit volunteers, staff turnover was high, bills were overdue… Éric Tétreault then took on the matter. The person still in charge, together with France Dubé, made a significant contribution to making FM 103.3 a quality radio station.
If you don’t know it’s a community radio station, you might actually think you’re listening to a station that’s part of a commercial network. The sound design (indicative and refrains) gives it a professional setting.
We are far from amateurism, hosts stumbling over words and technical glitches on the line.
It should be noted that presenters and journalists who are on air between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays are paid. The station generates revenue through advertising, the station’s website is rich and lively, and the program lineup is varied and very well designed. We even launched an English-language HD radio station called Coyote New Country, dedicated entirely to country music.
In short: It’s not for nothing that FM 103.3 has often won awards and is considered one of the best community radio stations in the country.
FM 103.3’s audience is large. When we come there to make musical discoveries of all kinds, we also turn on this frequency for local news. This radio speaks to the citizens of the South Shore and their reality. During the 1998 ice storm and the COVID-19 crisis, managers and anchors recognized the importance of a local media outlet like theirs.
We like to repeat that the secret of FM 103.3’s success is based on a mix of “local and urban” concerns.
FM 103.3 is also known for its famous bingo. Every Saturday, thousands of listeners tune in to win prizes totaling $5,000.
This show is popular but also very lucrative. Bingo accounts for one million of the annual turnover of 1.9 million.
Thanks to the consistent work of Valérie Guibbaud, presenter of the Dimanche program on Lit, we learned that FM 103.3 has given several talents the opportunity to develop. This is the case of Gino Chouinard, Éric Nolin and Éric Martel. Caroline St-Hilaire, mayor of Longueuil from 2009 to 2017, and Catherine Fournier, the current mayor, also paraded behind the microphones of this station.
The book, whose publication was the subject of a large celebration last Thursday evening, is rich in photos and testimonials. Valérie Guibbaud was able to count on Stéphane Gourde, professional archivist and presenter of the excellent program Dans le temps, broadcast on Wednesday evenings.
You often tell me that you like radio and that you enjoy discovering new shows. I invite you to visit the FM 103.3 website. You should find what you are looking for there.
Personally, I am delighted with the menu at Vinyle 360, where the focus is on lounge, disco, vintage and new wave. To the wise!
FM 103.3 radio on: More than 35 years of history
Béliveau editor
In bookstores from October 11th