Vancouver Radio: CKZZ Fires Kid Carson For 'Misinformation'

During a Feb. 9 live broadcast, Canadian radio talk show host Kid Carson delivered an emotional speech voicing concerns about vaccine mandates, governmental restrictions, and inaccurate media coverage of the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa.

Near the end of his segment, he commented, “I hope it’s not my last day.” 

But, according to a story at visiontimes.com, Carson’s suspicions were correct: after the show, his employer, Vancouver radio station CKZZ Z95.3 immediately severed all professional ties, marking his last day on-air.

During Carson’s six-minute speech, the host delved into his motivations for supporting the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa, allegations of a media culture of censorship, all while expounding on personal feelings as both a broadcaster and a father.

“I host a radio show and I’m expected to talk about all sorts of things, but it seems I have to avoid talking about all the things that really matter,” Carson says. “I walk in the studio, put on my headphones, and I think: Okay, here I am. What silly stupid thing—that doesn’t really matter—can I talk about today?”

Z95.3 is owned by media conglomerate Stingray Radio Inc., the second-largest radio corporation in Canada. The corporation immediately parted ways with Carson after the segment.

Devon Tschirtter, Stingray’s General Manager, responded to Carson’s positions via Z95’s Instagram account, arguing that while Carson has a right to his opinions, “He does not have a right to broadcast misleading or inaccurate opinions and label them as facts” 

While the company claims that Carson was let go for promulgating misinformation, they did not comment on some crucial aspects of Carson’s speech, including criticism of how media funding often promotes conflict of interest.

LISTEN: Radio show host on his last broadcast, "you've been tricked". pic.twitter.com/RQR4KRR7Zf

— K2 (@kiansimone44) February 10, 2022

During his commentary, Carson pointed out, “The media took sixty one million [dollars] from the Liberals pre-election,” making particular note of Canadian media and marketing agency Daily Hive, who he said “took half a million [dollars].”

Although Kid Carson may have sacrificed his position, the decision to publicly speak out brought the reward of a rapidly expanded social media presence. The Kid increased Instagram followers by 30,000 shortly after the controversy aired.

While Carson was sober that “radio doesn’t have a history of letting you say goodbye on your last day,” his departure from X95.3 nonetheless has the potential to garner even greater popularity than before.

For The Kid, it appears he might not be saying goodbye for good after all.