ROCK 95 Turns 31

Well, if walls could talk, there would be some pretty cool stories that came out of the studios of ROCK 95 over the past 30 years.  It was 32 years ago this fall that Doug Bingley the President and owner of ROCK 95 was driving to Ottawa to attend a hearing at the C.R.T.C. in hopes of securing a broadcast license for a new radio station to be opened in Barrie.  He and his partners were hopeful they would have the winning bid out of 5 other competing bids, but you never know for sure until the final government decision is made.

On February 29th of 1988, the decision on the 6 competing bids was handed down, and ROCK 95 Broadcasting was officially born in Barrie.  It took until October of that year to get things enough into place to begin “testing” the signal before the station’s initial launch.   It was the first time that a rock-music based channel had operated in our part of Central Ontario, and was launched at 95.7 FM.

At the time, many people, especially in the business community, felt the rock-based music format wouldn’t work in this part of the province, but over time ROCK 95 would grow from it’s meager start in the upper office level of the Kozlov Shopping Centre to become the most listened too radio station in this part of Central Ontario, and eventually ranking among the top 5 in Canada for rock-based music format stations.

Since it’s inception in 1988, it has been the vision of Doug Bingley, that has kept the steady, managed growth of ROCK 95 continuing over the years, by sticking to it’s original roots and strengths and by also standing behind the people who all work together to continue to make it happen.  Doug also secured a license and started KOOL FM in 2002, moved the station(s) to their current home on Huronia Road in 2007, and opened Indie 88 in Toronto in 2012.

This weekend, we celebrate those accomplishments and all of different the events that have unfolded over the past 30 years as we get together with our ROCK 95 listeners by presenting the ROCK 95 31st Birthday Bash featuring a private concert with 8 time Juno award winner Tom Cochrane together with The Trews and Finger 11, a ton of of cash and bucket list prizes to be given out all in one night.  It’s one of the biggest radio contests in Canada, and it’s meant as a big thank you to the many regular listeners for their support, and for continuing to tune to ROCK 95 over the past 30 years. Cheers to 31 years!

Tom Cochrane

The Trews

Finger 11