1947
Pollock Enterprises Ltd. applied for an FM station at Kitchener. The application was deferred by the CBC Board in December.
1948
C.A. Pollock applied again for a 10,000 watt (effective radiated power) FM station. The application was recommended for approval by the CBC.
1949
CFCA 106.1 opened on April 26. Pollock Enterprises Ltd. operated the first Canadian station to use FM exclusively (no AM counterpart). Carl Pollock, vice president and general manager of Dominion Electrohome Co. Ltd., was owner and manager of CFCA. E. Chris Fairley was commercial relations manager. He had been with Electrohome. Program director Fred Russell came from CKNX Wingham. Len Starmer, production manager, had been with Rai Purdy Productions. John Becker was the station's engineer. Chief announcer Harold Wordell had been with CJCS in Stratford.
Studios and offices were in the Medical Arts Building. The transmitter and antenna were located on Baden Hill, about eight miles from Kitchener. The hill plus antenna/tower presented a height of 1,600 feet above average terrain. The actual radiator height was increased by the use of a 190 foot Ajax tower and 50 foot mast. A 4-bay antenna and Canadian General Electric BT-3-B 3,000 watt transmitter, with four gains in the antenna, provided a radiation power of 10,000 watts. The "CA" in the call sign: Carl A. (Pollock).
An ad for the new station talked about a ready made audience of 3,500 brand new FM receivers in the prosperous 50 mile area around Kitchener-Waterloo. The station would aim to give listeners the finest in music, drama and news - entertainment and culture - network calibre programming made perfect by the magic of FM.
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| Carl Pollock |
1950
The CBC Board turned down a request by Pollock Enterprises for a dawn to dusk AM station at Kitchener (1290 kHz with 250 watts).
1951
The CBC Board of Governors approved an application by CFCA to reduce daily hours of operation from 10 to 6. Later in the year, the board said it was not in a position to recommend the retention of the license if CFCA-FM was temporarily discontinued. The station left the air a short time later.
1952
CFCA-FM left the air. Carl Pollock wasn't done with broadcasting though. In 1953, he would be part of a group that would apply for a television station licence in Kitchener.
1967
A new CFCA-FM signed on the air on April 3. It was owned by Central Ontario Television Ltd. which in turn was owned by Carl A. Pollock's Electrohome Ltd. The station now broadcast on a frequency of 105.3 MHz and had an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts (horizontal and vertical polarization). CFCA-FM Stereo used a non-directional antenna. Antenna height was 812 feet and situated on the CKCO-TV tower at Baden. Studios and offices were located at 864 King Street West. Co-owned CKKW-AM and CKCO-TV also broadcast from this location.
1969
On April 17, the CRTC denied the application by Famous Players Canadian Corp. to transfer its Canadian broadcast interests to a new corporation – Teltron Communications Ltd. The Commission denied the application because effective effective ownership of Teltron would have remained essentially the same as before. Famous Players Canadian Corp. became an inelligible licence holder under the new foreign ownership regulations – it was a controlled subsidiary of Paramount International Films Inc. Famous had interests in Television de Quebec
Ltee, Central Ontario Television Ltd., British Columbia Television Broadcasting System Ltd., and numerous cable
companies.
1970
On July 20, the sale of Central Ontario Television Ltd. (CKCO-TV, CKKW-AM and CFCA-FM) by Famous Players Canadian Corp. to a company to be incorporated, represented by Carl .A. Pollock was approved. Under the proposed structure, a public company to be known as Electrohome Communications Ltd. would own 100% of Central Ontario Television Ltd. Electrohome Ltd. would own apx. 55% of the holding company (Electrohome Communications Ltd.). Electrohome Ltd. was a large manufacturer of radio and tv sets. Apx. 54% of the shares of the new company would be owned by the Pollock family.
1972
W.D. McGregor became president and director of Central Ontario Television Ltd.
1976
CFCA-FM suffered an $80,000 fire that burnt out the transmitter on Baden Hill.
1977
W.D. McGregor, president of Central Ontario Television, also became vice president of Electrohome Ltd.
1983
Chief engineer Paul Turchan and his crew upgraded and enlarged the CKCO-TV transmitter building. The upgrade included a concrete floor to replace the old wooden one. Six transmitters (main and standby for CKCO-TV, CFCA-FM and CKGL-FM) had to be moved three times in order to do the construction work. All was done while keeping the three stations on the air.
1980
Construction began on the expansion of the Central Ontario Television building on King Street West. The projected was expected to cost over a million dollars and be completed by the fall. Radio expansion would include new control rooms and production facilities, record library and administration and sales offices for both CKKW and CFCA-FM.
On July 3, Central Ontario Television Ltd. was renamed C.A.P. Communications Ltd., in honor of founder Carl A. Pollock. This followed the amalgamation of Central Ontario Television Ltd. with parent company, Electrohome Ltd.
1981
On June 1, the official opening ceremonies took place to mark the completion of the expansion project at 864 King Street West. CAP Communications doubled the size of the facilities to more than 100,000 square feet at a cost of $2.2 million. Supervisor of engineering Joe McIntyre said the building was virtually gutted and rebuilt to accommodate CAP's staff of 168 - recently increased by about 30, mostly in production and engineering. Radio space was doubled and a new TV production studio (50 x 60 x 18) was added, along with production control rooms and enlarged newsroom facilities.
Walter Hulme was promoted to general sales manager of CAP's radio division (CKKW and CFCA-FM).
This followed the amalgamation of Central Ontario Television Ltd. with parent company, Electrohome Ltd.
1986
CAP president Bill McGregor was named to the Wilfred Laurier University board of governors for a three year term.
1987
Neil Aitchison was sales manager.
1987-88
Ron Johnston was news director for CFCA-CKKW and CKCO-TV. Dave Carswell was radio news supervisor.
1988
J.A. Pollock, president, chairman and CEO, Electrohome Ltd., announced the appointment of W.D. McGregor to a newly established position, president of Electrohome Communications Inc. and vice president of Electrohome Ltd. D.L. Willcox would be the new general manager of CAP Communications Ltd. Willcox had been program manager of CKCO-TV.
1990
John Spragge was appointed station manager for CFCA-FM and CKKW.
CFCA received approval to increase the ratio of vocals from 45% to 75%. The station told the CRTC that more than 70% of its audience was over the age of 65 and it wants to add listeners in the 35-55 age group.
1991
Don Wilcox, general manager of CAP Communications, announced the appointment of Joe Brenner to the position of manager of engineering, effective June 1. Brenner started his career with CAP in 1970 on a part-time basis while attending college. He became a full-time staff member in 1973 (maintenance technician) and in 1978 he was appointed maintenance supervisor.
Craig Smith was appointed CFCA-FM program director.
1992
On August 19, Jack Schoone (51%) and Irving Zucker (49%) were given approval to purchase CFCA and CKKW from CAP Communications. Both of the purchasers were familiar with the Tri-Cities market. Zucker owned the old CKCR-AM-FM (now CKGL and CHYM-FM) in the early 1960's. Schoone was an announcer at CHYM in 1960 and went on to become manager of the station at age 20. CAP vice president Bill McGregor said the two stations had lost about $3 million since 1988 and the sale would allow the company to focus on television. Schoone and Zucker proposed a new one million dollar state of the art facility for the stations.
1993
The purchase of CKKW and CFCA by Schoone and Zucker did not move forward. CHUM Ltd. stepped in to acquire the stations and was given CRTC approval to do so on July 30. CHUM took over operations of the stations on September 1 and took complete ownership on October 28. CHUM would spend $526,000 on new facilities for the two stations.
1994
The CFCA/CKKW studios and offices moved to the JC Group building at 255 King Street North (at University) in Waterloo.
At 12 noon on August 12, "105.3 KOOL-FM" was born with a classic rock format (music from the 1960s, 70s and 80s). The station had provided an easy listening music format for several years. The new sound targeted the more lucrative 25-44 age group while the former “soft and easy favorites” attracted a mostly over 60 audience. The CFCA call letters remained.
The stations showed off their new facilities with an open house on December 1. On hand were the Mayors of Kitchener (Dom Cardillo) and Waterloo (Brian Turnbull), Waterloo MPP Elizabeth Witmer, and executives from CHUM Ltd., including chairman and founder, Allan Waters, and his son Jim, president of CHUM Group Radio.
1995
Lisa Brandt (morning drive co-host) left for CHML Hamilton. Brian Bourke (on staff since 1983 and in news) became AM Drive co-host. Other on-air names included Brian Adam, and Tino Monte.
1997
On-air names included Jennifer Sherratt, Janice McKay (news - joined from CKDK Woodstock), Brian Bourke (news, AM Drive co-host), and Scott Farhood.
2000
On-air staff included Janice McKay (news), Brian Bourke (AM Drive co-host), Stacey Thompson (mid-days) joined this year, Dan Delorme (evenings - also on CKKW) joined from CHUR North Bay.
2001
On-air line-up: Mark Paine & Angie Hill (5:30 to 9:00), Stacey Thompson (9-2), Dave Schneider (2-7), Jennifer Sherratt / Dan Delorme (7-12), and Jay Nijhuis (12-5:30). Weekends-swing: Tanya MacIntyre and Kelly Rose. News: Brian Bourke (AM Drive co-host), Dan Sherman, Jason Herrington, and Janice MacKay.
2005
Allan Waters, the founder of CHUM Limited, owner of CFCA-FM, passed away at the age of 84, on December 3rd.
2006
On July 12 it was announced that Bell Globemedia would pay C$1.7 billion for CHUM Ltd., in a deal that would see the company become part of the BCE-owned media conglomerate, subject to CRTC approval. On August 31, the two companies announced that BGM had been successful in its offer to acquire approximately 6.7 million common shares and approximately 19.2 million non-voting Class B shares of CHUM. The shares were to be placed in the hands of an independent trustee pursuant to a voting trust agreement approved by the CRTC.
On December 12th, it was announced that Bell Globemedia would henceforth be known as CTVglobemedia.
2007
A CRTC hearing on the CTVglobemedia application to acquire the assets of CHUM Limited was held on April 30th 2007. On June 8 the CRTC approved the acquisition of CHUM Ltd. by CTVglobemedia, on condition that CTV sell off its five City-TV stations, CITY-TV Toronto, CHMI-TV Portage La Prairie/Winnipeg, CKEM-TV Edmonton, CKAL-TV Calgary and CKVU-TV Vancouver. Rogers Communications announced on June 25th that a deal had been reached for them to buy these stations from CTV, subject to CRTC approval. Among the CHUM assets acquired by CTVglobemedia in the deal were seven television stations, 21 specialty channels and some 33 radio stations, including CFCA-FM.
2008
Dave Schneider was named program director for CFCA-FM and CKKW-AM. He had been with CHYM-FM and CIKZ-FM.
2009
Mark Paine exited KOOL FM to cross the hall to handle morning duties at KFUN. KOOL's new morning show was Angie, Sarge and Brian. Current KFUN morning host Ross Pole moved to PM drive.
2010
Long time Kitchener-Waterloo radio personality Dan Fisher (Dan Fish) passed away. He was 75.
Written by Bill Dulmage - Updated June, 2010
