99.5 FM radio station will have a completely new face from the start of the school year, it will now broadcast QUB radio content. As learned The JournalMario Dumont will co-host the morning show with Patrick Lacasse from 98.5 FM, giving a glimpse of the clash of the titans in the Montreal market.
Last Thursday, WKND 99.5 announced on Facebook that it would no longer be “in its current form” and was “preparing for a new adventure.” According to our sources, 99.5 programming will be delivered from QUB from August 26, Monday to Friday from 6am to 6pm with public affairs programmes.
Former politician, columnist magazine and host of public affairs programs on TVA and LCN, Mario Dumont will take over the prime-time slot and will face off against Paul Arcand, who relinquished his microphone last June. Nicknamed the “King of the Waves” because of his absolute dominance of the morning ratings, Arcand leaves the loyal listeners who have followed him for almost two decades orphaned.
Photo by Ben Bellows
Mario Dumont was for many years one of the star columnists on Paul Arcand’s show until he came to QUB Radio in 2018. According to our sources, he was approached as a possible successor at the helm of the 98.5 morning show.
Marshall returns to radio
JULIEN FAUGÈRE/Agency QMI
Yet according to our sources, Isabelle Marechal, journalist, producer and former host of Gojeco Media Station, will host the show from 9 am to 11 am, which she occupied for 17 years at 98.5 FM. He will be succeeded by Benoît Dudrysac (11am to 2pm), then Sophie Durocher (2pm to 3pm) and Richard Martino (3pm to 6pm).
Around these providers will be many columnists, most of whom are already working at QUB. According to sources close to the matter, Quebecor is in discussions with radio MC Gilles (Dave-Éric Ouellet) and personal finance expert Pierre-Yves McSween, both recently fired by 98.5 FM a few weeks ago.
Notably, Quebecor will not acquire 99.5 FM, which is owned by Leclerc Communication. The Quebec company, owned by brothers Nicolas and Jean-François Leclerc, has been knocking on QUB Radio’s door to acquire broadcast rights for its content. Leclerc Communication, owner of three radio stations in Montreal and Quebec, is expected to confirm the news during a press conference scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday.
Maripier Morin and Etienne Boulay were the two star hosts of WKND 99.5 FM. The host and former footballer expressed gratitude for this chapter in his life in a post on Instagram. “There was David against Goliath,” he wrote. A small independent radio station takes on giants. We believed it till the end. Congratulations to the leaders of Leclerc Communication. I know that changing the direction of the station is not easy.
WKND 99.5 FM really struggled to stand up against Montreal “giants” of music radio like Rythme FM (Cogeco), 96.9 CKOI (Cogeco) or Rouge FM (Bell Média) in numbers.
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