PBS Dials Up Deal For Alternative Music Doc ‘CFNY: The Spirit Of Radio’

EXCLUSIVE: The story of a plucky Canadian station in the golden era of alternative radio is headed to PBS.

CFNY: The Spirit of Radio will broadcast on PBS in September and be available to stream through PBS Passport and on BPTM+. That follows a PBS Docs deal struck with Canadian producer-distributor HighballTV.

The doc, from director Matt Schichter, will roll out in the U.S. with a community-based screening tour prior to its PBS debut. In Canada, it launched earlier this year via TVO Docs following an acquisition deal.

CFNY: The Spirit of Radio chronicles how CFNY, also known as 102.1 The Edge, went from a tiny station launched out of a modest suburban house north of Toronto in 1976 to becoming one of the most influential destinations for punk, new wave and alternative music. The station still exists today and is owned by Canadian giant Corus.

Musical acts who feature through interviews include Geddy Lee and Jim Kerr from Rush, Steven Page from Barenaked Ladies, Emily Haines from Metric, Ben Kowalewicz from Billy Talent, Peter Hook from New Order/Joy Division, Lol Tolhurst from The Cure, Andy McCluskey from OMD and Deryck Whibley from Sum 41.

The film features an original score by Broken Social Scene’s Brendan Canning and Ohad Benchetrit that was recorded at the likes of Abbey Road Studios, EastWest Studios, Grant Avenue Studio and Toronto’s El Mocambo.

Matthew Campagna is the producer for HighballTV, with Alan Cross, Barbara Hall, Chantal Jackson, Ivar Hamilton and Scot Turner the executive producers. Campagna negotiated the deal with Kathryn Larsen on behalf of TBS.