Staff
For more than 65 years, the XFM family has brought quality information and entertainment programming to listeners throughout Northeastern Nova Scotia. Meet the team that helps make it all happen on the air and behind the scenes
Reception
Florence Beaton – Reception
Florence (seen here with Mitch MacDonald September 3rd, 2009) comes to us via Cape Breton. She is from the Judique area and she is a proud Cape Bretoner. She heads back almost every weekend. She is the the go-to gal at XFM and is the helpful voice on the other end of the phone for anyone who calls the station during business hours. In addition to answering your questions and putting you in touch with the rest of the staff at XFM, Florence is responsible for keeping the X-File up to date and keeping on top of cancellations (a full time job on a windy winter day!). With more than 20 years experience she is a key member of the XFM Family.
On-Air
Barry MacKinnon - Breakfast with Barry 6 to 10am
Apart from hosting the Breakfast Show (weekday mornings at 6 ) and The Ceilidh (Saturdays at 6pm), Barry is the Program Director here at XFM. He’s responsible for making sure the announcers are on top of their game and that the messages that make it to you ears every day are clear and consistent. Barry has been with XFM since the summer of 2003 having spent the earlier days of his broadcast career at CHER, CJCB, CKCW, and K94
Rhonda Howare – Middays 10am to 2pm
When you say the name Rhonda Howare people in our community are almost always sure to recognize it. Rhonda enjoys meeting listeners and being on location. A farming enthusiast, she has been the hostess of “Farmer’s Forum” Saturday mornings at 6am, since starting at XFM.
Joey on XFM – Afternoons 2pm to 6pm
Joey comes from Sussex, NB and is very excited to join the XFM on air team. He will also be hosting ” Sounds Atlantic ” and looks forward to meeting tons of artists from our region.
Stay tuned !
Evenings 6 to Midnight/Promotions
Gerard MacDonald – Weekend Announcer
I started at XFM in 1981 (at age 5)… (editors note: Yeah Right ) when we used to spin records, read news from a teletype machine and drank gallons of coffee. After 28 years in front of a microphone, and now 33, I’m still having fun. Hope to retire at 40 somewhere, where the beaches are warm, the days are long and the girls are single and beautiful.
Joe Chesal – Weekend Announcer
I work part -time at XFM, mostly Saturdays, but I fill in shifts when needed during the week. Hired in 1970, working weekends, coincided with my full-time teaching career in Antigonish. I retired from the classroom in 2001, but maintain my radio gig ever since, fulfilling a life-long dream to work in this medium since my teen years. I am still fascinated with the process and in spite of the many changes through the years, I enjoy the work and immediate communication with the listening audience… through words and music. I believe “music somehow connects us all” and it is a beautiful way to entertain and ultimately communicate one’s thoughts and feelings.
Paul Kerwin – Weekend Announcer
When I was 7, I got a turntable and two vinyl L.P.’s, the TEEN years I had my own radio station, myself and my best friend Glenn Baker dreamed radio for all those years. Well apparently all that practice paid off… both of us got into radio. For the last 25 years I’ve been able to do it for real and actually get paid for it. Back in the day, radio was different than now, we played vinyl records, commercials on carts; very different now with computers and digital files. I’ve worked at several different outlets in the maritimes before landing a job here at XFM back in 1998. I’ve been away for a while I find myself back, since they were CRAZY enough to take me back. Being at XFM is a great experience, the people are nice, times are great. Drumming is the only other hobby that I seem to have been involved in. And still do it from time to time. Neil Peart of RUSH has to be my favorite drummer of all time, although Buddy Rich is a close second. That said, favorite music would be Rock, hard soft, doesn’t matter, I LOVE it all. Rush has to be my favorite band by far.
News
Ken Kingston -News Director
Ken Kingston is News Director with XFM. In this role, Ken leads a team providing all aspects of news, including coordinating local news content, reporting, and anchoring local news casts. A big believer in mentorship, Ken supports Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Antigonish County. Ken is also President of the Radio Television News Directors Foundation, an organization that awards six scholarships annually to Broadcast Journalism students.Ken is no stranger to journalism. Before joining XFM in 2002. Ken worked for 24 years for a diverse range of media companies as a reporter and senior editor, including Radio and T-V stations and the newspaper industry in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and Alberta. An avid volunteer, Ken has worked for a variety of causes, and has served on host committees that have organized international, national and regional sports tournaments, including the 2009 and 2010 C-I-S Women’s University Hockey Championship at St. FX.
Geoff Goodfellow – Afternoon News
Geoff was born and raised in Nova Scotia. He studied at Bishop’s in Quebec and completed a post-graduate program at Humber College in Toronto. He just bought a new truck! Catch Geoff for the afternoon news on XFM.
Heather MacAdam – Weekend News
My name is Heather MacAdam and I’m a 26-year-old Antigonish native. After graduating from high school in Antigonish I took journalism at Holland College in Prince Edward Island and shortly after began working at the Casket newspaper. Catch my news, weather and sports updates Saturday mornings on 98.9 XFM!
Sales & Advertising
Neil Scribner – Sales Manager
A westerner who now makes his home in Antigonish with his Cape Breton wife, Mary Ellen and their children….When Neil is not in the office….you may find him on the golf course.
Beth Gillis – Sales Executive
Beth is a lady who really knows our listening area having lived here all her life. Her husband Gerry and her enjoy all that North Eastern Nova Scotia has to offer.
Mary Sears - Copywriter
Mary has been with XFM for 40 years now. She can pretty much do it all! Mary spends her days writing commercials and fills in at the reception desk when needed.
J. Clyde Nunn – Copywriter
Clyde is a Commercial Writer for the XFM Continuity Department. With experience as National Media Relations Manager for one of Canada’s Top 5 Banks, and Marketing & Public Relations Manager for a leading Atlantic Canadian University, Clyde understands the needs of the business community and can translate “business speak” into “everyday language” the general public speaks and understands!
Trevor Austen – Accounts Payable/Traffic
.
.
.
.
Management
Ken Farrell – General Manager
Ken Farrell is a lifelong Antigonisher who took over the duties of General Manager in June of 2009. Ken brings with him twenty five years of radio experience and thirty five years in the Antigonish business community to the position of GM at XFM. An avid sports fan and long time community volunteer, Ken is committed to continuing XFM’s longstanding tradition as a key pillar in our community’s information, entertainment and cultural programming.
Andrea Bowers – Assistant General Manager
Andrea looks after many of the “behind the scenes” logistics of radio. Nothing goes on around XFM without it going through her office. But she is never too busy to sit down and talk.
X-FM Weather
