-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Favourite Canadian radio station, past and present
- Thread starter mimo
- Start date
al_atl said:
Which is very Ironic, since Kiss 92 (as a CHR, not as the Country format Rawlco maintained) and 680 CFTR were the same owner=Rogers.
I have to agree, they never should have gone Urban in the first place.
Tarzan Dan also had a very strong following for afternoon drive, and (on my opinion) was terminated way too soon...along with the pre urban format.
A
al_atl
Guest
Yes. During mostly the '90s, Rogers grew...and grew a lot. I think back in the '80s and prior, Rogers of course had their radio stations in Toronto and a few others, channel 47 Toronto and a number of cable systems. Then came (in no particular order) Rogers cellular (did they own Cantel, or buy that?), Rogers Video, more radio and TV stations, more cable, Blue Jays, Skydome...er...Rogers Centre, more TV stations, still more TV stations and cable channels and I'm sure I'm leaving out a few things. Ted Rogers is an admirer of Ted Turner and always wanted to have an empire like the one Turner had (CNN, TBS, Atlanta Braves etc). I'd say he's achieved that. I guess the only thing missing is the international presence that CNN gave Turner. Ted Rogers is a very smart businessman and broadcaster whom I've admired for many years. But the business may be just a little too big now and lacks the personal touch it used to have. It's too corporate now. And when companies get too big, they seem to go too cheap sometimes. Though I haven't seen the budgets and all that, it seemed KISS-FM never had the money behind it that CFTR had. And yes, Tarzan Dan was awsome.
I am *SHOCK*ed that this thread , has continued for this long ( and unless I missed it)
NO ONE , for all the "praise" it "always" recieves, (usually by the top heavy,buffalo folks,
male,25-34)..well, now maybe, 29-41 about "the spirit of radio" / the LEGENDARY CFNY.
i didnt place this, as my personal favorite, however, "every one" swears that
this was theee station, "back in the day"<--what ever , that means now'adays.
and, yes im from the states,(buffalo-niagara falls) and it is an unhealthy swell of ego-stroking for
"CFNY" ( when it was the spirit of radio-era). can these same people, ACTUALLY name an air-talent,
NO.
they usually just stand by the EDGE/(or affectionately) call, it "CFNY" as the station to invent the live-2-aire...
but same like regular folk, and just tell it "like it is" ( the sunday, 'broadcast/show) was the best thing, on 102.1...
best thing, on the radio......ever!
yes, people here have a slight obession for canadian radio and make a claim that is "just better"
NO REASON.
it is just "better" / why can't kids go outside,play and have fun - "cause, I SAID SO" and, that ends that!
NO ONE , for all the "praise" it "always" recieves, (usually by the top heavy,buffalo folks,
male,25-34)..well, now maybe, 29-41 about "the spirit of radio" / the LEGENDARY CFNY.
i didnt place this, as my personal favorite, however, "every one" swears that
this was theee station, "back in the day"<--what ever , that means now'adays.
and, yes im from the states,(buffalo-niagara falls) and it is an unhealthy swell of ego-stroking for
"CFNY" ( when it was the spirit of radio-era). can these same people, ACTUALLY name an air-talent,
NO.
they usually just stand by the EDGE/(or affectionately) call, it "CFNY" as the station to invent the live-2-aire...
but same like regular folk, and just tell it "like it is" ( the sunday, 'broadcast/show) was the best thing, on 102.1...
best thing, on the radio......ever!
yes, people here have a slight obession for canadian radio and make a claim that is "just better"
NO REASON.
it is just "better" / why can't kids go outside,play and have fun - "cause, I SAID SO" and, that ends that!
another station, hailed as "one of the greats" that didnt cross any one's mind,
?
ca. 1991, very southern ontario, oldies format, and it was unbelievably(?sp) popular here
in the states/Buffalo, new york area...so far so , that lot of cars( still/only had AM radio)
and would already have it on.....am1120(?from hamiliton). it had "slicK" production, from
what i recall, and maybe the original jack-format..that leaned towards, oldies.
this/that:
i dont recall, what CDN. station, but i remember, "...playing tomorrow's hits, today"
(around, early 1985)..it was then, at age 12, i started to notice, that was a way
stations would "seperate" themselves, (besides from the obvious, the music they would play).
ps:
did am1470,CHOW make *any one's list!*?
?
ca. 1991, very southern ontario, oldies format, and it was unbelievably(?sp) popular here
in the states/Buffalo, new york area...so far so , that lot of cars( still/only had AM radio)
and would already have it on.....am1120(?from hamiliton). it had "slicK" production, from
what i recall, and maybe the original jack-format..that leaned towards, oldies.
this/that:
i dont recall, what CDN. station, but i remember, "...playing tomorrow's hits, today"
(around, early 1985)..it was then, at age 12, i started to notice, that was a way
stations would "seperate" themselves, (besides from the obvious, the music they would play).
ps:
did am1470,CHOW make *any one's list!*?
I am an alternative rock fan and have been since the mid 80's. The only reason CFNY didn't make my list was because I didn't hear it. You make a great point in a lot of people saying that it was very acclaimed. Since I wasn't in a location to hear it, there's no way I could honestly say it was a favourite. CKOC which you mentioned has been on 1150 for years, not 1120, which belongs to Buffalo. In regards to CHOW 1470, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned any country stations, so I'll speak posthumously for my Grandfather in that respect, his stations were CKRC 630 and CJOB 680 in Winnipeg, and when he moved it Victoria, it was 1070 CFAX and 1130 CKWX from Vancouver.
Canadian stations did sound different from their U.S. counterparts, mostly because of the CANCON rules. They still do to this day sound different, although not as much since the world has opened itself up to our music much more so than in the 80's.
Canadian stations did sound different from their U.S. counterparts, mostly because of the CANCON rules. They still do to this day sound different, although not as much since the world has opened itself up to our music much more so than in the 80's.
mimo said:
Don't forget, the CRTC wouldn't allow all hits on FM for several years, so while Magic 102 and Kiss98.5(WKSE) were doing their thing in Buffalo NY, the Canadain stations were still forced to keep stations like CFTR and CKOC on AM...so the music would sound different (due to cancon), but the sound quality would still be better in the states.
As for Country, AM 640 (CFGM 640) was an amazing country station right up until it's end in June of 1990 when they decided to become a CHR rock station, as AM 640 "The Hog"...Maximum grunt!
(designed to get the kids to grow up listening to them and switch to sister station Q 107 when they get older..."They'll go to Hog High and graduate to Q U!")
The ratings for 640 failed miserably because the true CHR rocker fan refused to listen to AM radio for their music taste, so Q was adjusted to be a variety rock format, while 640 deciced to go after CFTR listeners.
I enjoyed AM 640 as both the rock CHR and the CHR station it was.
The thing people need to remember is, CFTR DID NOT give up and hand their listeners over to 640, as some may think.
Instead, they decided they did not want to end up being the last AM station playing music.
(regardless of the fact their ratings were alot higher than that of AM 640)
As a result, they went all news in June of 1993 and AM 640 enjoyed two more years of the CHR format.
In October of 1995 CHOG 640 made the switch to talk radio, but it was too late...they never could gain ratings of any sort ever since.
What not everyone knows though, is that 640 did have plans to go all news in 1993 but then decided at the last second not to bother because 680 CFTR already beat them to it.
My alltime favorites were Montreal CHR's CFOX 1470 and CJMS 1280 in the late 60's. CFOX was a fun English CHR with a Montreal flavor, and CJMS was an incredible Top 40 with both local Francophone hits and the latest ones from France. Somehow flowing French jocks and Franciise Hardy and Marie Laforet and Johnny Halliday and Joe Dassin made a perfect combination.
Gotta go with CHUM FM.
LUCAS Nugent:
there are a "few" chum-FM's (toronto market,i presume u are speaking of )
...
they seem to keep up w/ the times, and/or stay fresh...
but , "which" [era] if u will, is/was your fave for 104.5 FM/toronto
because...there was a time, they were very "pop"40, and dance-friendly,weekends,
early 2000's(my fave time), plus the music helped!! but, would rarely play
mainstream top40, versus NOW...and, i am sure the late80s,early 90s, they
(too long for me to remeber)and i was listening,living,breathing, am640/energy108...
to notice , what 104.5 did back then, but im sure it was awesome....
-
(including, the SUNDAY FUNNIES : )
i reeeely miss that show.
-
now,
it seems very 'structured'
the chum chart ( which wasnt that once-or still is, part of the electric-circus/or chum-tv top 30?)
they also have the sound lounge. ( very cool show , by the way : )
and, seems to be more dedicated on the "throwbacks" (sunday/daily).
i like this too, but wondering what part of chum u like best ?
-i personally believe once they hired, signed and sealed, "roger , rick and marylin"(?sp).
they immediately, placed them above and beyond, (not taking anything from any one else)...
but that morning team, is by far, #1 ( maybe not by the acual numbers) but by what really matters,
talent and personality.
#1 most def. in toronto, and i would make a bid for the best in broadcasting, coast to coast.
there are a "few" chum-FM's (toronto market,i presume u are speaking of )
...
they seem to keep up w/ the times, and/or stay fresh...
but , "which" [era] if u will, is/was your fave for 104.5 FM/toronto
because...there was a time, they were very "pop"40, and dance-friendly,weekends,
early 2000's(my fave time), plus the music helped!! but, would rarely play
mainstream top40, versus NOW...and, i am sure the late80s,early 90s, they
(too long for me to remeber)and i was listening,living,breathing, am640/energy108...
to notice , what 104.5 did back then, but im sure it was awesome....
-
(including, the SUNDAY FUNNIES : )
i reeeely miss that show.
-
now,
it seems very 'structured'
the chum chart ( which wasnt that once-or still is, part of the electric-circus/or chum-tv top 30?)
they also have the sound lounge. ( very cool show , by the way : )
and, seems to be more dedicated on the "throwbacks" (sunday/daily).
i like this too, but wondering what part of chum u like best ?
-i personally believe once they hired, signed and sealed, "roger , rick and marylin"(?sp).
they immediately, placed them above and beyond, (not taking anything from any one else)...
but that morning team, is by far, #1 ( maybe not by the acual numbers) but by what really matters,
talent and personality.
#1 most def. in toronto, and i would make a bid for the best in broadcasting, coast to coast.
numbers game -
unless i missed it, no one posted about.....
chfi 98.1
now *its a number one station, but i guess, on paper, that is impressive...but,
the REAL factors, (talent, coolness, and even playlist) makes that station...
well, shows why it is # 1 from a business stand point.
another thing, to include, what about, (im a US-Citizen)so, Im not sure what you call
it in Canada...i guess it is CBC-Radio-1...or NPR/ Public radio!? does that rank any where
in this "best of the best" / no, it is NOT the coolest...to listen to --and, i am sure, 1% of one per cent,
know/can name some one on CBC/radio , but i am willing to bet, it has stellar programming,
excellent topics, and top-notch production, etc...
unless i missed it, no one posted about.....
chfi 98.1
now *its a number one station, but i guess, on paper, that is impressive...but,
the REAL factors, (talent, coolness, and even playlist) makes that station...
well, shows why it is # 1 from a business stand point.
another thing, to include, what about, (im a US-Citizen)so, Im not sure what you call
it in Canada...i guess it is CBC-Radio-1...or NPR/ Public radio!? does that rank any where
in this "best of the best" / no, it is NOT the coolest...to listen to --and, i am sure, 1% of one per cent,
know/can name some one on CBC/radio , but i am willing to bet, it has stellar programming,
excellent topics, and top-notch production, etc...
In a lot of Markets radio 1 of the CBC has traditionally done very well. Back in the 80's in Calgary there was a time it was number 1. In Ottawa it has been consistantly in the top 3, sometimes at number 1 over the last couple of years. I don't know of any markets that it's a bottom feeder, but I don't read the numbers of every market in the country.
Hi Folks:
To me, there has just never been a Canadian station which compared to "The Big 8, CKLW" before it was ruined by the CRTC. I was a listener during my formative years and by the time they went onto the Drake format, I was in the radio business too.
A few years later, although I was working in a combination of on-air and engineering, I went to CKLW as a Board Op in late 1969 and early 1970. Walking across the threshold of that station as an employee always filled me with a sense of great honor combined with a palpable fear of screwing up. We were the 5th highest rated station in North America in those days, ranking up there with the likes of WABC, WLS, KHJ, and WIBG.
What I learned from Paul Drew was the meaning of the word "prefection" and it was expected that each and every operation, 24 hours a day was done to the utmost. The jocks were superb at delivering the format and the other Ops had a sense of timing which was superb. "Layovers" were my favourite thing to do .. the top of the hour break was "my set" and the opportunity to make that station sound so dynamic that other radio people would almost cry with how well it was done.
The lessons learned at CKLW carried me well ... and continue to do so. Not many Canadians ever experienced that level of performance expectation, and although CHUM did a reasonable job of emulating the standard of performance, they never came close in my jaded and biased opinion.
Later I worked for the CHUM Group for 5 years and they were nice to work for in those days, but the constant pursuit of absolute perfection was just never understood by other staffers the way they did at "The Big 8." Despite trying, the penny just never did drop for them.
After 1971 when the CANCON Regs came into being, the station went downhill in a hurry .... but some scumbag politician probably gained about 20 votes from the music business in the process and the CRTC gained a truckload of money to squander.
Running the board at CKLW was a real "high" and can perhaps be compared to being the low-ranking sailor on an aircraft carrier who actually has his hands on the ship's wheel and does the steering of that huge piece of equipment. I was somebody who was "lower than a nobody" in the big scheme of the happenings at CKLW, but it was a huge deal for me.
Regards to all,
Lee
To me, there has just never been a Canadian station which compared to "The Big 8, CKLW" before it was ruined by the CRTC. I was a listener during my formative years and by the time they went onto the Drake format, I was in the radio business too.
A few years later, although I was working in a combination of on-air and engineering, I went to CKLW as a Board Op in late 1969 and early 1970. Walking across the threshold of that station as an employee always filled me with a sense of great honor combined with a palpable fear of screwing up. We were the 5th highest rated station in North America in those days, ranking up there with the likes of WABC, WLS, KHJ, and WIBG.
What I learned from Paul Drew was the meaning of the word "prefection" and it was expected that each and every operation, 24 hours a day was done to the utmost. The jocks were superb at delivering the format and the other Ops had a sense of timing which was superb. "Layovers" were my favourite thing to do .. the top of the hour break was "my set" and the opportunity to make that station sound so dynamic that other radio people would almost cry with how well it was done.
The lessons learned at CKLW carried me well ... and continue to do so. Not many Canadians ever experienced that level of performance expectation, and although CHUM did a reasonable job of emulating the standard of performance, they never came close in my jaded and biased opinion.
Later I worked for the CHUM Group for 5 years and they were nice to work for in those days, but the constant pursuit of absolute perfection was just never understood by other staffers the way they did at "The Big 8." Despite trying, the penny just never did drop for them.
After 1971 when the CANCON Regs came into being, the station went downhill in a hurry .... but some scumbag politician probably gained about 20 votes from the music business in the process and the CRTC gained a truckload of money to squander.
Running the board at CKLW was a real "high" and can perhaps be compared to being the low-ranking sailor on an aircraft carrier who actually has his hands on the ship's wheel and does the steering of that huge piece of equipment. I was somebody who was "lower than a nobody" in the big scheme of the happenings at CKLW, but it was a huge deal for me.
Regards to all,
Lee
Re: numbers game -
Definantly, CHFI is Number 1 because of Erin Davis.
They let her go because they thought it would be smart to go after a younger audience.
That failed miserably...Mad dog and Billie on CHFI was a major failure!
The station went from a 13 share to having a mere 5.7 in the market.
They rehired Erin Davis, and ratings were restored.
Radio_bored-Op said:
Definantly, CHFI is Number 1 because of Erin Davis.
They let her go because they thought it would be smart to go after a younger audience.
That failed miserably...Mad dog and Billie on CHFI was a major failure!
The station went from a 13 share to having a mere 5.7 in the market.
They rehired Erin Davis, and ratings were restored.
Lee...
Thanks for the great stories. As a frequent business traveller to Canada, I find the CHUM group stations generally to be well-run operations. And I especially appreciate that the original....CHUM-AM...in Toronto is one of the very few legacy stations anywhere that still understands and honors its heritage.
But my own favorite CHUM story was off the air. About 6-8 years ago in Ottawa one evening. Little wine bar attached to the seafood restaurant up the street from the building housing the CHUM operations in the Byward Market. There I was enjoying a cold Rickard's Red, watching a slightly overserved middle-aged corporate suit hitting on a twentysomething tall blonde secretary. I was close enough just to pick up bits and pieces of the conversation. Couldn't make out all of it, but did definitely pick up that they both worked for CHUM.
Hopefully the young lady was able to get some sort of career advancement out of the evening. Her body language certainly telegraphed that she wasn't enjoying the proceedings.
Thanks for the great stories. As a frequent business traveller to Canada, I find the CHUM group stations generally to be well-run operations. And I especially appreciate that the original....CHUM-AM...in Toronto is one of the very few legacy stations anywhere that still understands and honors its heritage.
But my own favorite CHUM story was off the air. About 6-8 years ago in Ottawa one evening. Little wine bar attached to the seafood restaurant up the street from the building housing the CHUM operations in the Byward Market. There I was enjoying a cold Rickard's Red, watching a slightly overserved middle-aged corporate suit hitting on a twentysomething tall blonde secretary. I was close enough just to pick up bits and pieces of the conversation. Couldn't make out all of it, but did definitely pick up that they both worked for CHUM.
Hopefully the young lady was able to get some sort of career advancement out of the evening. Her body language certainly telegraphed that she wasn't enjoying the proceedings.
Radio_bored-Op said:
To be honest, I only really listen on Fri/Sat nights. It broadcasts through my StarChoice. Their live to air stuff is good good music (usually).
RRM are very good. They have this simple approach that seems easy, but isn't.
- Status