Golden West Broadcasting in Swift Current saw a huge turnout for Customer Appreciation Day, more commonly referred to as Hot Dog Day.
Hundreds of people came out, eating free hot dogs and cake. The cake was for Swift Current Online’s (SCO) 25th anniversary, marking a quarter-century of local stories for southwest Saskatchewan.
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Three cakes were handed out in pieces to those who came out to celebrate the milestone. (photo by Violet Saretsky)
Content Director David Zammit was thrilled to be able to recognize the milestone, having first joined the SCO team in 2016.
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David Zammit, content director with Golden West Broadcasting in Swift Current. (photo by Kirsty Hanson)
“Today was a great celebration where we had a lot of people from the community that enjoy the product that we put out there,” he said. “It might just sound like Swift Current Online, and you think it’s just news about Swift Current, but we really do try to have a broader reach of everything that’s happening across southwestern Saskatchewan.”
That reach, whether it’s through Swift Current Online, CKSW 570, Country 94.1 and Country 1490, or Magic 97.1, has been a cornerstone of the prairie news landscape for a quarter-century.
Two and a half decades of growth
Colin Powers, morning show host on Magic 97.1, has been with Golden West Broadcasting in Swift Current for more than 20 years. He was around for the early days of SCO and has seen the evolution of what it is now.
Colin Powers, morning show host on Magic 97.1. (photo by Colin Powers)
“Think about what the internet was 20 years ago,” said Powers. “It was pretty much a novelty. Not everybody had it, and it was basically the cool thing to have in your house.”
As time has marched on, the internet is now one of the most integral parts of society. Taking advantage of that since its inception has been SCO, which launched in 2001.
A screen shot of SCO in 2005. (image courtesy of Colin Powers)
“Back when I started, it was just a basic website,” said Powers. “It didn’t have photos. It had news stories and it had the business directory.
“It has grown from there.”
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More than a news page
These days, Swift Current Online boasts millions of unique users every year. In 2025, it saw more than 22 million page views, having now amassed more than 83,000 local stories covering news, weather, and sports since 2001.
A modern look for a modern SCO. (image via SCO)
More than just news, these days SCO is a powerhouse for local events and advertisements. Local businesses can count on local eyes seeing their promotions, and events can count on grabbing local interest with their posts on the SCO Events Page.
Another big change is how the website has become a hub for local contests offered by Golden West Broadcasting. As an example, Mike Slater won a free Sabre BBQ at Hot Dog Day.
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Mike Slate, local listener and winner of the Hot Dog Day barbecue! (photo by Violet Saretsky)
“I know I’m barbecuing tonight,” Slater said when the prize was delivered to his home. “Thanks to the radio station!”
The next 25 years
When asked what the future might hold, both Zammit and Powers felt it was hard to hazard any kind of guess.
“I don’t think anyone really knows,” said Powers. “I know that 25 years ago, I couldn’t have answered that question then either.”
The one thing Zammit ventured was that there would be a continued push to put local stories in front of local people with the tools they already use.
A screen shot from the SCO App. (image via SCO)
“When this Facebook stuff happened with Meta and news not being shared, we pivoted to really investing in our apps,” said Zammit. “We have a lot more mobile users now than we do on desktop. I think we’re just touching the surface of those apps.”
Salute to those behind the mics
While the customers make it all possible by listening to, sharing, and asking for more stories, Zammit took the time to thank everyone who has worked at SCO over the last 25 years.
“Whether it be in the sales department, or on the content side, we are truly grateful for all the work everyone has put in,” he said. “A lot of people don’t realize the late hours that news people put in, but people behind the scenes are doing just that, constantly, and have been doing it for years.
“It’s gratifying to see people care about the job to the extent that they will be up at all hours to make sure that the story gets done.”
The Golden West Broadcasting Swift Current content team of 2026. (image via SCO)
Powers added to the sentiment.
“A lot of people I’ve worked with, and myself included, have been up late working late nights and early mornings covering storms, big events, and breaking news,” said Powers. “That’s what we’re here for. We work hard to make sure that we can share these stories with the community.”