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PBS Dials Up Deal For Alternative Music Doc ‘CFNY: The Spirit Of Radio’
PBS has struck a deal with Canadian producer-distributor HighballTV to broadcast the documentary "CFNY: The Spirit of Radio" in the United States, with the film airing in September and streaming via PBS Passport and BPTM+. The documentary tells the story of CFNY, a pioneering Toronto-area alternative radio station, and its US arrival follows a community screening tour and an earlier Canadian launch via TVO Docs.
Directed by Matt Schichter, the film traces CFNY's rise from a small station launched out of a suburban house north of Toronto in 1976 (now known as 102.1 The Edge and owned by Corus) to a major force in punk, new wave and alternative music broadcasting. It features interviews with musicians including Rush's Geddy Lee and Jim Kerr, Barenaked Ladies' Steven Page, Metric's Emily Haines, Peter Hook of New Order/Joy Division, and Sum 41's Deryck Whibley, alongside an original score by Broken Social Scene members Brendan Canning and Ohad Benchetrit recorded at studios including Abbey Road. Matthew Campagna produced for HighballTV, with the PBS deal negotiated with Kathryn Larsen.
In short
- PBS acquires US rights to Canadian radio documentary "CFNY: The Spirit of Radio"
- Film debuts on PBS in September, streaming via PBS Passport and BPTM+
- Documentary features interviews with Rush, New Order and Sum 41 musicians
Explained simply
CFNY was a pioneering Canadian radio station that launched in 1976 from a suburban Toronto house and became a major force in alternative music broadcasting. The station, now known as 102.1 The Edge, helped introduce punk, new wave and alternative music to Canadian listeners during a pivotal period for the genre.
A new documentary called "CFNY: The Spirit of Radio" traces the station's rise and cultural impact through interviews with influential musicians including members of Rush, Barenaked Ladies, New Order and Joy Division. Directed by Matt Schichter, the film features an original score recorded at Abbey Road Studios and documents how this small suburban operation became a launching pad for alternative music in North America.
Radio stations of the late twentieth century served as tastemakers that introduced audiences to new music and artists before the era of streaming and digital distribution. CFNY's story is significant because it illustrates how one influential independent station shaped the musical landscape and helped establish the careers of artists who remain prominent today.