Recently Mokapey (or Hank or Gonzo… w’ever he calls himself these days) messaged me asking if I knew anything about Z95.3’s recent format change (popular, or used to be anyway, radio station locally), for which I replied that I had no idea.

Typical radio procedure… no word of any changes coming. Just BOOM! The next day we now have 95 Crave (or is it Crave 95???). No matter.

Anyway, I tracked down a cached blurb from the “old” 95.3’s site before the new site replaced it:

A Note to Z95-3 Listeners

We wanted you to know that the time has come for a change. As of Sunday at midnight, Z95-3 is no longer. We can’t thank you enough for your support of Z over the years. We really appreciate it. On Tuesday you will hear a new radio station on line (here), and on your radio at 95-3 FM. We hope you really like it. We think you will.

Best regards,
The Team at Z95-3

Here’s a blurb I found in the Vancouver Sun surmizing Zed’s end:

Rock station Z95.3 disappears from airwaves (11:38 am)

Z95.3, Vancouver’s dominant rock and pop radio station for more than decade, signed off at midnight Sunday, a victim of declining ratings.

The station will relaunch “with a new name and new direction” at 7 am Tuesday, said general manager Gary Russell. He declined to reveal details except that the station will be pitched to an older audience.

Five on-air personalities, including morning show hosts Nat Hunter and Drew Savage, were let go on Friday.

Z95 was launched on the FM dial 16 years ago, targeting the 12 to 25 crowd, and at one point its share of the total audience got as high as 14 per cent, according to the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement. But audience share had dropped to less than seven by 2003, when JACK-FM (96.9) was soaring up the ratings.

Z95 moved to a more adult contemporary format in 2004 but never recaptured its former glory.

“The change is coming about because of the station’s declining ratings over the years,” Russell said. “With some audience feedback, we have been pointed in a new direction.”

Vancouver Sun
Published: Monday, June 04, 2007

And finally, a blog entry from “Freeway Frank”, a former Zed on-air personality and whom I worked with in my nightclub “bouncer” days at The Rage:

Zed is Dead

Some of the best years of my career thus far were spent at a great station known as Z95.3/Vancouver.

At the height of our HEY DAY, the station was close to a 15 share and one of the biggest stories in Canadian Radio..I had the opportunity to work there from April 24th, 1995 to May 24th, 2001.  Those days were some of the most memorable..the people I worked with were pretty amazing and we did some great radio..I learned a lot there and the listeners were some of the best and the most loyal anywhere.

The day has come for the end of Z95.3..and eventhough I’m not there anymore and I’m enjoying New Hey Days’ here at Energy 101.5, Calgary’s Newest Radio Station.  (where I host the morning show).  Zed will always have a place in my heart.  I am sad the station will no longer exist as it’s been known as over the many great years since it hit the airwaves in 1991, but this is the nature of the business and management at Zed have decided for a new direction and new station. 

Here’s to Z95.3! Back in the day when I worked there… Jordie, C’est Dur Dur Etre Un Bebe, Mazda Miata Sticker Searches and $$, Zed FX, Club 95, Speedo’s, Swift and Kool, Darren B. Lamb, Clay and Janice, JoJo, Zack Spencer, Matt Mcbride, Buzzzz, CK, Erin Wilde..Big Daddy, Pam Stevens, JT, Curtis Strange, Amber Lee etc etc..

Salute to Zed 95.3
Freeway Frank (1995-2001)

I have to agree with Frank. Although I’ve moved on to other stations as I’ve gotten older, I’m still saddened by the loss of “my radio station”. The station I grew up listening to and that has been a part of me for more or less half my life.

Let’s hope they don’t go sideways like 104.9X FM did when they suddenly pulled a 180 and started blasting Contemporary Classics on the new and SO NOT SIMILAR 104.9 Clear (aka Queer) FM.

Jug