Allan Holender is the founder of the internet radio station that can be accessed at OkanaganRadio.com. Holender, who operates the station out of his home in Peachland, will be broadcasting jazz and ‘golden oldies’ to subscribers across the South Okanagan and around the world. (Keith Lacey photo)
Allan Holender’s passion for radio started as a child and hasn’t subsided for more than half a century.
The founder of PeachlandRadio.com, the internet-based radio station that he started a year ago, officially went off the air in late June.
However, Holender and his new business partner Lori Dean, are hoping to transform the regional radio landscape across the Okanagan Valley with the introduction of OkanaganRadio.com, which was launched to listeners around the world in late July.
“OkanaganRadio.com will be the home of Golden Oldies and cool jazz for listeners across the Okanagan Valley, across Canada and around the world,” said Holender, who was born and raised in Edmonton and spent 45 years in business in Vancouver before settling in Peachland to retire just over a year ago.
“We’re going to have some of the finest jazz programming of any radio station in the country and we will host 15 shows every week featuring some of the best Golden Oldies and jazz programs available on the radio today.”
Holender’s love of radio dates back to when he was a little boy growing up in Edmonton.
“My first broadcast was to my mother in our kitchen when I was about 10 years old,” said Holender with a smile. “My dad somehow hooked up speakers in the kitchen and I would talk to my mom from the den. That was my first experience with broadcasting and I was hooked.
“My friends would get home from school and go outside and play. I would stay inside and write up stuff I could broadcast at home, including news stories, sports and weather. I would also write up the ads and pretend I owned my own little radio station. I was hooked as a child and that feeling has never gone away.”
By age 13 he was being mentored by renowned Edmonton disc jockey John Dolan, who would allow him into the studio every Sunday morning. He would spend endless nights listening to famous radio hosts in the United States, such as Les Bowen from Salt Lake City, who hosted the most popular jazz show in the United States back in the 1960s.
“That’s when I fell in love with jazz,” said Holender. “Les would end every show with the words, ‘jazz is great so watch out.’ It made no sense, but I loved it.”
After completing a sociology degree from the University of Montana, Holender moved to B.C. and worked as director of development for the University of British Columbia for 45 years.
He also became partners in a radio station in Richmond, B.C., but left as the station wasn’t committed to excellence, “but simply selling ads to stay in business.”
When he moved to Peachland last year, he pursued his dream of owning his own digital internet radio station.
“I wanted to be free of the rules and regulations of the CRTC (Canadian Radio-Television Telecommunications Commission) and run a truly independent station where I could play the kind of music I felt the people of Peachland would love, including Golden Oldies and jazz,” he said. “I didn’t realize the population of this town drops from 5,200 to about 3,000 once November comes.
“It has been a difficult ride financially for sure.”
He met Dean, who shares the same passion for radio he does, and they came up with the idea to target listeners and advertisers across the entire Okanagan, rather than just Peachland, said Holender.
“We’re going after a region,” he said. “We know this market is not covered by another radio station in the Okanagan … those between ages 50 and 80, which is the fastest growing segment of the population.”
The station will generate revenue by promoting businesses and events across the entire Okanagan, said Holender.
“I don’t like to call them ads, but rather sponsorships,” he said. “No spot will last longer than 23 seconds, because that’s when you start to lose the interest of listeners. We won’t run two sponsorships in a row. The focus will be on great music and great programming.”
Holender says “traditional terrestrial AM and FM radio is hanging on by a thread” and relies heavily on endless advertising and a dearth of quality programming and music.
“The future of radio is on the internet,” he said. “Terrestrial radio can’t survive in its current format. There will always be some stations that do well, but most are barely surviving and many won’t be around much longer. People can listen to our station on their smart phone … the smart phone is the new radio transmitter.”
Holender will continue to host his own morning show every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
“It will be called Okanagan Rise and Shine,” he said. “We’ll talk about issues that are important to residents across the Okanagan Valley and here in Peachland. And we’ll also play some great music.
“Our studio is virtual and in the (internet) cloud, so there’s no need for a radio tower, expensive equipment or lease of a building to broadcast from, which means sponsors will be paying far less to advertise.”
The station will be able to provide sponsors with a better bang for their buck and listeners won’t be forced to listen to endless commercials, he said. While internet radio isn’t governed by CRTC rules and regulations, his station will pay royalties to all musicians played on OkanaganRadio.com, said Holender.
Holender is confident this venture will be a success.
“This has regenerated my passion for radio,” he said. “I’m 73 years of age, but this has made me feel like the 10 year old boy back in my mother’s kitchen.”
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
