Stingray Radio
A Canadian radio broadcasting group owned and operated by Stingray Group.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Stingray Radio is the Canadian radio broadcasting division of Stingray Group and one of the country's largest commercial radio operators. The business operates a broad portfolio of stations serving metropolitan, regional and smaller communities, with particularly strong historical concentrations in Atlantic Canada and Western Canada, including Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador. Its portfolio has included contemporary hit, hot adult contemporary, soft adult contemporary, country, adult hits, rock, news, sports and other local formats. The group distributes both locally produced programming and networked shows shared among stations with similar formats. The business traces its corporate history to Newfoundland Capital Corporation Ltd., established in 1986 by Harold R. Steele after earlier communications interests had been assembled through the Steele family's Newfoundland and Labrador operations. The company initially expanded through radio acquisitions, beginning with CHTN in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, after receiving approval from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. It later operated under the Newcap Broadcasting and Newcap Radio names. By 2008, Newcap had grown to more than 70 radio stations and had converted a number of AM services to FM, reflecting broader changes in Canadian radio listening and station economics. Newcap's development involved a mixture of acquisitions, exchanges and divestitures. In 2008 it traded Halifax's CFDR to Rogers Media for CIGM in Sudbury; the two stations subsequently moved from AM to FM. A proposed 2008 acquisition of 12 Ontario stations from Haliburton Broadcasting was withdrawn during the credit-market crisis. Newcap later sold its Winnipeg stations to Evanov Communications, considered but abandoned a possible sale of much of its Western Canadian portfolio, and expanded in major markets after Bell Media's acquisition of Astral Media. In 2014 it acquired four former Astral stations in Toronto and Vancouver, together with Bell's CFXJ-FM, in a transaction approved by the CRTC. Some assets were subsequently sold, including Vancouver station CISL to Rogers Media in 2017. Stingray Group announced its agreement to acquire Newcap Radio in May 2018 for $506 million. The CRTC approved the transaction in October, and completion followed on October 26, 2018. The acquisition made Newcap's stations part of Stingray's wider music, radio and entertainment portfolio; the Steele family became Stingray Group's largest third-party shareholder at the time. The acquired radio assets were progressively presented under the Stingray Radio identity. From 2019 onward, Stingray Radio increased the use of shared programming across station clusters while retaining local inserts and market-specific content. Examples included the distribution of morning, midday and evening programs among country, adult hits, contemporary and hot AC services. In Atlantic Canada, rock stations were networked from Halifax in 2021 under the Q brand, while Western Canadian rock stations received a comparable shared evening program. The company also launched The Morning Breeze for its Breeze-branded soft adult contemporary stations, originating from Halifax and incorporating local material. Stingray Radio's stations joined Bell Media's iHeartRadio Canada service in June 2023 while continuing to participate in Radioplayer Canada. The group has also faced the structural pressures affecting Canadian radio and local broadcasting, including changing listening habits, digital competition, advertising volatility and the cost of maintaining local operations. In May 2025, Stingray closed its two Lloydminster television stations, CITL-DT and CKSA-DT, which had been non-radio assets associated with the broader Newcap portfolio. Stingray Radio remains focused primarily on terrestrial radio stations and related audio distribution across Canada.
History
Stingray Radio developed from Newfoundland Capital Corporation Ltd., a communications business associated with the Steele family. The corporate group dates its broader history to 1980 and was formally established in 1986, when it received approval to acquire CHTN in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The business later used the Newcap Broadcasting and Newcap Radio names and expanded through acquisitions across Canada. Newcap's early growth was especially visible in Atlantic Canada, while later expansion created a substantial Western Canadian presence. The company acquired and operated stations in multiple formats and converted numerous AM services to FM. It also held interests beyond radio at different points, including two television stations in Lloydminster and unrelated historical interests in areas such as newspapers, freight transportation and hospitality. The company's portfolio changed through transactions with other Canadian broadcasters. In 2008, Newcap exchanged Halifax's CFDR for Rogers Media's CIGM in Sudbury, with both services eventually moving to FM. A proposed purchase of 12 Ontario stations from Haliburton Broadcasting was abandoned during the financial crisis. Newcap sold its Winnipeg stations to Evanov Communications in 2011 and reconsidered, then abandoned, a potential sale of its Western Canadian assets in 2013. Newcap expanded in Toronto and Vancouver in 2014 by acquiring four former Astral Media stations and CFXJ-FM. The company later sold CISL to Rogers Media in 2017. In 2018, Stingray Digital agreed to acquire Newcap Radio for $506 million. The CRTC approved the deal on October 23, and closing took place on October 26. The Steele family became Stingray Group's largest third-party shareholder following the acquisition, and the radio portfolio became associated with Stingray Radio. After the acquisition, Stingray pursued greater operating integration while continuing to use local station brands and inserts. Beginning in 2019, selected programs were shared across format-based clusters. In 2021, Atlantic rock stations adopted a networked Q presentation from Halifax, and Western Canadian rock stations received a related shared evening program. Stingray also launched The Morning Breeze for its Breeze services. These initiatives reflected the economics of operating radio stations across dispersed Canadian markets, although a 2021 restructuring resulted in layoffs affecting some staff and local programming roles. In June 2023, Stingray Radio stations became available through Bell Media's iHeartRadio Canada service and continued their participation in Radioplayer Canada. In May 2025, Stingray closed its two Lloydminster television stations, CITL-DT and CKSA-DT. The closure concerned television assets rather than the core radio network and was attributed to difficult economic conditions and other operational challenges.
- 2025
Lloydminster television stations close
[1]CITL-DT and CKSA-DT ceased operations amid difficult economic conditions and other challenges.
- 2023
Stations join iHeartRadio Canada
[1]Stingray Radio stations joined Bell Media's iHeartRadio Canada service while remaining involved with Radioplayer Canada.
- 2021
Networked programming expands
[1]Stingray introduced shared Atlantic and Western rock programming and launched The Morning Breeze.
- 2018
Stingray acquires Newcap Radio
[1]The CRTC approved Stingray's acquisition in October, and the transaction closed on October 26.
- 2014
Expansion into Toronto and Vancouver
[1]Newcap completed the purchase of several stations formerly associated with Astral Media and Bell Media.
- 2008
Newcap surpasses 70 radio stations
[1]By this point the company had grown beyond 70 stations and had converted many services from AM to FM.
- 1986
Newfoundland Capital Corporation is established
[1]The company was established by Harold R. Steele and received approval to acquire CHTN in Charlottetown, its first radio station.
- 1980
Steele communications interests consolidate in Newfoundland and Labrador
[1]The broader corporate history associated with the later Newcap group dates to communications operations in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Products and positioning
A large Canadian multi-format radio network combining local station identities with centralized programming, national digital distribution and regional operating scale.
Radio broadcasting · 1986
Commercial radio stations
Stingray Radio operates a large Canadian portfolio of terrestrial commercial stations. The portfolio spans major and regional markets and includes music, information, sports and other formats. Station identities remain locally recognizable, while ownership enables shared resources, common sales capabilities and coordinated programming across geographic clusters.
Syndicated radio programming · 2019
Networked format programming
The group distributes selected morning, midday and evening programs across stations with related formats. Networked shows such as The Morning Breeze and shared Atlantic and Western rock programming are combined with local inserts, allowing stations to retain market-specific material while reducing duplicated production.
Digital audio · 2023
Digital radio distribution
Stingray Radio extends station access through third-party audio platforms. Its stations joined iHeartRadio Canada in 2023 and also participate in Radioplayer Canada, giving audiences additional digital pathways to live radio content.
Brand decisions
2023
Join iHeartRadio CanadaStrategyBackground
Radio audiences increasingly access live stations through digital platforms in addition to terrestrial signals.
Action taken
Stingray Radio stations joined Bell Media's iHeartRadio Canada service while continuing to participate in Radioplayer Canada.
Aftermath
The arrangement broadened the digital availability of Stingray's stations without ending their participation in Radioplayer Canada.
2019
Increase cross-station programmingStrategyBackground
Stingray operated a dispersed portfolio of stations with overlapping formats and sought greater programming efficiency.
Action taken
The company began sharing selected morning, midday and evening shows across format-based station groups while preserving local inserts.
Aftermath
The model expanded in 2021 through Atlantic and Western rock networks and The Morning Breeze; a related restructuring led to layoffs among some staff and programming roles.
2018
Acquire Newcap RadioM&ABackground
Stingray sought to expand from its cable and digital music activities into a much larger Canadian terrestrial radio portfolio.
Action taken
Stingray announced a $506 million acquisition, obtained CRTC approval on October 23 and completed the transaction on October 26, 2018.
Aftermath
Newcap's stations became part of Stingray Radio, and the Steele family became Stingray Group's largest third-party shareholder at the time.
Acquisition value. $506 million (Announced May 2018; completed October 26, 2018)
Sources2 sources
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