ZoomerMedia Limited is a Canadian
media
Media may refer to:
Communication
* Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data
** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising
** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass el ...
company controlled by
Moses Znaimer
Moses Znaimer (; born 1942) is a Tajik-born Canadian media executive of jewish descent. He is the co-founder and former head of Citytv, the first independent television station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and the current head of ZoomerMedia. ...
, the founder of the
Citytv
Citytv is a Canadian television network owned by the Rogers Sports & Media subsidiary of Rogers Communications. The licence of the original Citytv station, granted the callsign of CITY-TV by the CRTC on November 25, 1971 to Cable Television Ass ...
network. Originally focusing on properties targeting what the company calls "zoomers", or the 45+ demographic, in 2022, the company began expanding the company's target audience by acquiring youth-focused properties BlogTO and Daily Hive.
History
ZoomerMedia was formed in December 2007 following Znaimer's acquisition and merger of Kemur Publishing, publishers of CARP Magazine, and website operator Fifty-Plus.Net International. It provides marketing, membership, and other services to
CARP
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. While carp is consumed in many parts of the world, they are generally considered an invasive species in parts of ...
(formerly the Canadian Association of Retired Persons), of which Znaimer serves as executive director, and publishes Zoomer Magazine (the renamed CARP Magazine). The company also operates several Internet properties including a portal and a social networking site, all targeted to older adult audiences.
In addition, Znaimer previously personally owned a variety of other assets through his privately held company, MZ Media, that were also unofficially considered part of the "ZoomerMedia" group. These included southern Ontario classical music radio stations
CFMZ-FM
CFMZ-FM (''The New Classical 96.3 FM'') is an FM radio station licensed to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Broadcasting on 96.3 MHz, the station is owned by ZoomerMedia and airs a classical music radio format. CFMZ's studios are located on Jefferson Av ...
and
CFMX-FM
CFMX-FM (103.1 MHz) is a commercial radio station in Cobourg, Ontario, and serving the Peterborough area. It is owned by ZoomerMedia and airs a classical music format branded as ''Classical 103.1''. It is a semi-satellite of Toronto's 96.3 CFMZ-F ...
(Classical 96 and Classical 103 respectively), adult standards station
CFZM
CFZM is a Class A clear-channel radio station, licensed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, broadcasting on the assigned frequency of 740 kHz, and with a low power repeater in downtown Toronto at 96.7 FM. The station airs an oldies format branded ...
Toronto (AM 740), and the annual IdeaCity conference.
In June 2009, ZoomerMedia Limited announced a deal to acquire the broadcasting assets of
S-VOX
S-VOX Foundation was a Canadian non-profit media organization dedicated to producing content on spirituality.
The organization is the successor to the non-profit entity that operated VisionTV, and later other related Canadian speciality channel ...
, which includes conventional stations
CHNU-TV
CHNU-DT (channel 66) is a religious independent television station serving southwestern British Columbia, Canada, including Greater Vancouver, Victoria, the Fraser Valley and surrounding areas. Licensed to the Fraser Valley Regional District, the ...
and
CIIT-TV
CIIT-DT (channel 35) is a religious independent television station in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, owned by ZoomerMedia. The station's studios are located on Osborne Street and Wardlaw Avenue in Winnipeg, and its transmitter is located near Courch ...
along with specialty channels
VisionTV
VisionTV is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel that broadcasts multi-faith, multicultural, and general entertainment programming aimed at the 45 and over demographic.
VisionTV is currently owned by ZoomerMedia, a company ...
and
One: the Body, Mind & Spirit channel, for $25 million. As part of the transaction and a related
private placement
Private placement (or non-public offering) is a funding round of securities which are sold not through a public offering, but rather through a private offering, mostly to a small number of chosen investors. Generally, these investors include friend ...
, Znaimer also merged MZ Media into ZoomerMedia.
Following the transactions (which required the approval of minority shareholders and the
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC; french: Conseil de la radiodiffusion et des télécommunications canadiennes, links=) is a public organization in Canada with mandate as a regulatory agency for broadcasti ...
(CRTC), Znaimer owns 66% of the combined company, and insurance company
Fairfax Financial
Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited is a Canadian financial holding company based in Toronto, Ontario, which is engaged in property, casualty, insurance and reinsurance, investment management, and insurance claims management. The company operate ...
owns 28%. All of these transactions were completed on June 30, 2010.
In 2022, ZoomerMedia began acquiring more youth-focused online properties, including ''BlogTO''
[Nick Krewen]
"Zoomer’s big plans for BlogTO are already underway"
''Media in Canada'', February 14, 2022. and ''
Daily Hive
''Daily Hive'', formerly known as ''Vancity Buzz'', is a Canadian online newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia. It began digital publishing in 2008 and became Western Canada's largest online-only publication by 2016.
In September 2022 ...
''.
Assets
Conventional television stations
ZoomerMedia's two conventional stations were part of a television system known as ''Joytv'' until August 2013 when CIIT was rebranded as "Hope TV" and dropped all non-religious programming. As Joytv, they were licensed as religious television stations that air religious-based programs in addition to other family friendly and entertainment programs. Both were previously owned by S-VOX. They had previously been a part of the
Omni Television
Omni Television (stylized as OMNI Television) is a Canadian television system and specialty channel owned by Rogers Sports & Media, a subsidiary of Rogers Communications. It currently consists of all six of Canada's conventional multicultural t ...
system, having been previously owned by Trinity Television before the sale to Rogers. Rogers sold the two stations to S-VOX on March 31, 2008.
*
CHNU-TV
CHNU-DT (channel 66) is a religious independent television station serving southwestern British Columbia, Canada, including Greater Vancouver, Victoria, the Fraser Valley and surrounding areas. Licensed to the Fraser Valley Regional District, the ...
,
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
,
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
(Joytv)
*
CIIT-TV
CIIT-DT (channel 35) is a religious independent television station in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, owned by ZoomerMedia. The station's studios are located on Osborne Street and Wardlaw Avenue in Winnipeg, and its transmitter is located near Courch ...
,
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...
,
Manitoba
Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...
(FAITHTV)
Specialty channels
*
VisionTV
VisionTV is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel that broadcasts multi-faith, multicultural, and general entertainment programming aimed at the 45 and over demographic.
VisionTV is currently owned by ZoomerMedia, a company ...
(Canada) and ZoomerTV (United States)
*
ONETV (Canada) and ONETV US (United States)
Radio
*
CFMZ-FM
CFMZ-FM (''The New Classical 96.3 FM'') is an FM radio station licensed to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Broadcasting on 96.3 MHz, the station is owned by ZoomerMedia and airs a classical music radio format. CFMZ's studios are located on Jefferson Av ...
,
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
(Classical 96)
*
CFZM
CFZM is a Class A clear-channel radio station, licensed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, broadcasting on the assigned frequency of 740 kHz, and with a low power repeater in downtown Toronto at 96.7 FM. The station airs an oldies format branded ...
, Toronto, Ontario (Zoomer Radio 740AM & 96.7FM)
*
CFMX-FM
CFMX-FM (103.1 MHz) is a commercial radio station in Cobourg, Ontario, and serving the Peterborough area. It is owned by ZoomerMedia and airs a classical music format branded as ''Classical 103.1''. It is a semi-satellite of Toronto's 96.3 CFMZ-F ...
,
Cobourg, Ontario
Cobourg ( ) is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in Southern Ontario east of Toronto and east of Oshawa. It is the largest town in and seat of Northumberland County. Its nearest neighbour is Port Hope, to the west. It i ...
(Classical 103)
*
CFMO-FM
CFMO-FM (''Classical 102.9'') is a radio station broadcasting a classical music format on 102.9 MHz FM in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada. The station is owned by ZoomerMedia, through licensee MZ Media Inc. It is largely a semi-satellite of Zoomer ...
,
Collingwood, Ontario
Collingwood is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. It is situated on Nottawasaga Bay at the southern point of Georgian Bay. Collingwood is well known as a tourist destination, for its skiing in the winter, and limestone caves along the Nia ...
''(Classical 102.9)''
Magazines
*On the Bay Magazine
*Tonic Magazine
*Zoomer Magazine
Digital
*EverythingZoomer.com
* Buzz Connected Media
**''
Daily Hive
''Daily Hive'', formerly known as ''Vancity Buzz'', is a Canadian online newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia. It began digital publishing in 2008 and became Western Canada's largest online-only publication by 2016.
In September 2022 ...
''
Other assets
*Fresh Daily Inc
**BlogTO
[
*MZTV Museum of Television
*MZTV Production & Distribution
*ideaCity (Conference)
*Marketing / membership operations of ]CARP
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. While carp is consumed in many parts of the world, they are generally considered an invasive species in parts of ...
*Zoomer Management Limited
*ZoomerCard
*ZoomerShow
See also
* CHUM Limited
CHUM Limited was a Canadian media company based in Toronto, Ontario in operation from 1945 to 2007. The company was founded in 1945 as York Broadcasters Limited when it launched CHUM-AM 1050 but was acquired by salesman Allan Waters in 1954. CHU ...
– A television broadcast company managed by Moses Znamier from 1981 to 2003.
References
External links
ZoomerMedia
{{ZoomerMedia
Companies listed on the TSX Venture Exchange
Companies based in Toronto
Canadian companies established in 2008
Television broadcasting companies of Canada
Mass media companies established in 2008
2008 establishments in Ontario