What we do

At Radiodowntown.ca, everything we do is driven by passion — not profit. We are a station built on heart, commitment, and a love of music. We don’t charge artists or promoters a single penny, and we don’t get paid ourselves. Yet the time, effort, and care we put in rivals any professional operation out there. And that’s something we’re proud of.

Each week, we receive and listen to over 200 song submissions. Every track is personally reviewed — not skimmed, not skipped. We give each artist a fair listen, taking the time to find what fits with the sound and values of our station. That alone takes hours upon hours each week. Once we find something that’s a good fit, we send out personal emails to the artists or promoters, and we keep track of those who confirm. These artists are then marked for playlist rotation — an honour we treat with professionalism and care.

Your tunes are included in our daily rotation and played at random throughout the week, so while we can’t provide an exact time, rest assured they’re part of the mix. In addition, we feature music on our Center Stage Mavericks program every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., where tracks are also played at random. For the best exposure, we recommend becoming a featured co-host—an exclusive one-hour segment where artists or bands can share their story, promote their music, and connect with listeners. These special segments are also archived on our website for future playback.

Behind the scenes, this all comes together thanks to a dedicated team. John K, our CEO and a seasoned presenter, leads by example with tireless passion and vision. Julia, who handles administration, ensures every track is properly filed, organized, and prepared for rotation with precision and care. Darrel, our trusted talent navigator, plays a key role in connecting with artists, guiding them through the process, and helping identify voices that deserve to be heard.

Together, we download, name, and catalogue every accepted track, making sure that artist names and song titles appear correctly in our system. We load them into our Independent Artist category, where they’re ready for airplay — giving artists real, repeated exposure at no cost.

If an artist expresses interest in an interview, we reach out to schedule a day and time, confirm all requirements are met, and arrange a test connection to ensure smooth delivery on live day. We also design and share custom promotional graphics for social media, building anticipation for their appearance on the air.

When it’s showtime, we go live for a one-hour interview, giving the artist space to tell their story and share their music. These interviews are recorded and archived on our website, and often rebroadcast. Artists are also eligible to appear in our monthly online magazine, again — completely free.

We put in countless hours each and every week, not for recognition or reward, but because we believe independent music deserves a platform. And while the kind words from artists fuel our drive, we’ll be honest — the occasional complaint, even a small one, can feel discouraging. When so much is offered freely, it can make us pause and wonder why we give so much of ourselves. But then we hear a great new song… or we get a heartfelt “thank you.” And that makes it all worthwhile.
Radiodowntown.ca is more than a radio station. It’s a community, a commitment, and a passion project powered by people who care deeply about music. All we ask in return is a little appreciation. Because a simple thank you is a small gesture — but it means the world to us.