STORYSynopsis
In 1976, CFNY 102.1 went on the air from a modest suburban house just north of Toronto and went on to become one of the most influential punk, new wave and alternative radio stations in the world. Directed by Matt Schichter, CFNY: The Spirit of Radio tells the story of the station's mission to bring the most exciting music in the world to the masses, and of the personalities, lawsuits, bankruptcies, concerts and listener protests that went along with it.
TRAILERWatch
Where to watch: Stream on PBS (US) · TVO streaming app (Canada)
CREDITSDetails
| Directed by | Matt Schichter |
| Written by | Matt Schichter, Miles Davren, Julia Wallace |
| Production company | HighballTV |
| Running time | 86 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Premiere | TVO, 6 January 2026 (Canada) |
| US broadcast | PBS, September 2026 |
CASTFeaturing
PRESSCoverage
- DeadlinePBS dials up deal for music doc CFNY: The Spirit of Radio
- The Hollywood ReporterRush's Geddy Lee, Jim Kerr get spotlight in pioneering rock radio station doc
- Billboard CanadaCFNY: The Spirit of Radio captures the essence of an influential Ontario rock station
- Global NewsNew documentary shows the 'Spirit' side of Toronto radio station
- RadioInsightReview: CFNY: The Spirit of Radio
- Brioux.TVCFNY: The Spirit of Radio is alive, if choppy, on TVO Docs
- Spill MagazineCFNY: The Spirit of Radio
- Biff Bam Pop!'CFNY: The Spirit of Radio' celebrates a revolutionary radio station
- A Journal of Musical ThingsPBS picks up CFNY: The Spirit of Radio
FAQQuestions
Where can I watch CFNY: The Spirit of Radio?
In the United States it streams on PBS.org and the PBS app. In Canada it premiered on TVO on 6 January 2026 and has been available through TVO's streaming app.
Who directed CFNY: The Spirit of Radio?
Matt Schichter, a Canadian producer and documentary director based in Glasgow, who also co-wrote the film with Miles Davren and Julia Wallace.
How long is the documentary?
86 minutes.
Who appears in the film?
Interviewees include Geddy Lee (Rush), Jim Kerr (Simple Minds), Emily Haines (Metric), Peter Hook (New Order), Andy McCluskey (OMD), Deryck Whibley (Sum 41), Steven Page, Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo), Bruce Cockburn and broadcaster Alan Cross.
MOREElsewhere
IMDb · Letterboxd · TMDB · Wikidata
Matt Schichter is a Canadian film producer, line producer and documentary director based in Glasgow. Before filmmaking he was a music director in Canadian rock radio and interviewed more than 700 musicians and actors for the Matt Schichter Interviews archive. More about Matt → · All films →