1922
On April 10, Sprott-Shaw Schools of Commerce & Wireless Telegraphy, and Radio Specialties Ltd., started CJCE on 750 kHz with 5 watts of power. Studios were at 153 Pender Street West.
Radio Specialties Ltd. opened CFCQ on April 20, using 40 watts of power on 450 meters. Studios were at 791 Dunsmuir Ave.
1924
Sprott-Shaw closed CJCE and assumed control of Major J.C. Dufresne's CFCQ, and the station's power increased to 50 watts.
1925
CFCQ moved to 730 kHz and increased power to 1,000 watts, sharing time with CKCD and CFDC.
1926
CFCQ 730 reduced power to 50 watts, sharing time with CKCD, CFDC, CKFC, and CJKC.
1927
CFCQ is now sharing time with CKCD and CFDC.
1928
CFCQ became CKMO, sharing time with CKCD and CKWX on 730 kHz.
1929
CKMO's studios moved to the Bekins Building, 815 West Hastings Street.
1930
Earle Connor joined the staff of CKMO.
1932
Engineer Earle Connor left CKMO for CKWX.
1933
CKMO switched from 730 to 1410 kHz. Studios were at 812 Robson.
1941
CKMO increased power from 100 to 1,000 watts.
1941-42
CKMO Inaugurated news every hour on the hour with the newly installed British United Press Service.
1942
W.R. Gardner was appointed manager of CKMO, succeeding Roy Wright, who left to become manager at CFAR in Flin Flon, Manitoba.
1944
Roy Wright returned to CKMO as general manager after a couple of years at CFAR in Flin Flon.
1945
Veteran American sportscaster Dan Sheridan succeeded Roy Wright as manager of CKMO.
CKMO manager Dan Sheridan announced the station would increase power to 1,000 watts. New equipment was ordered and installation was expected to be completed by the end of the year, under the direction of chief engineer Ross Whiteside. Omar Blondahl joined the CKMO announce staff from CKNW. Carl Mack joined from CJVI Victorai and Fred Darling came on board from CBL Toronto.
Dick Misener was now with the Canadian Army. Dan Sheridan was manager.
The B.C. government certified the Radio Stations Employees Union (Local 23757) as sole bargaining agent between management and employees of CJOR, CKWX, CKMO and CKNW. The union was affiliated with the AFL.
Johnny Hunt took over the reigns at CKMO after leaving CKWX where he was commercial manager.
Wally Grant returned to CKMO after five years with the RCAF. Eileen Fox joined CKMO as accountant from CKCK in Regina. George Dewey was added to the CKMO announce staff. He had been with CJCJ Calgary. June Hanson joined CKMO from CHWK Chilliwack as receptionist. New to radio, Bernice Burday also joined the station's staff.
Slogan: Vancouver's "Neighbourly" Station.
1945-46
Commentators Duke McLeod, Leo Nicholson and Reed Chapman were featured in CKMO's coverage of the Vancouver Golden Gloves boxing event.
Vancouver's Society for Jazz Promotion voted CKMO's "Education in Jazz" the most popular radio program.
CKMO began airing the weekly program, Teen Talk.
Chief engineer Ross Whiteside was waiting for the arrival of a new 1,000 watt transmitter.
Phil Baldwin was to return to CKMO as promotion manager once discharged from the army.
1946
Al Reusch was CKMO's program director. Johnny Hunt was manager. Eric Ajello was an announcer.
CKMO was carrying University of B.C. "Campus Theatre" plays, direct from the university.
Reed Chapman and Duke McLeod were handling baseball broadcasts on CKMO. Jack Cullen joined CKMO's operating staff as a program engineer. Jack also owned a collection of 6,000 records! Irene Holmes was a staff writer.
Leo Nicholson, Reed Chapman and Bob Willett were looking into the possibility of broadcasting hockey and baseball on the same night on CKMO. Al Reusch hosted "Stardust Review", a program about movies. June Hanson joined CKMO as an announcer/personality from CHWK in Chilliwack.
CKMO began broadcasting 24 hours a day in May and was now using its new 1,000 watt transmitter (May 1). It was the first station in Western Canada to operate continuously around the clock. A special program was aired for the occasion. It featured local artists and personal greetings from Hollywood. CKMO president R.J. Sprott thanked long time supporters of the station. The new transmitter, featuring the latest RCA technology, was located on Lulu Island, just outside the city limits. A short time after the new transmitter went into operation CKMO was receiving reception reports from as far away as California, Aleutian Islands, Maryland, New Zealand and Pearl Harbour. Pleasure Listening was the title of a series of feature presentations throughout the schedule of the new 24 hour programming at CKMO. The periods highlighted interpretations of famous instrumental groups.
Ray Perrault (UBC sports announcer and mainstay in the University Radio Society) joined CKMO as announcer. Bob Jones joined the staff as program engineer and announcer. Big George Dewey moved in to run CKMO's midnight platter show, DX Prowl, an all-night request show (midnight to 1:30 a.m.). Since going to 24 hours, Jack Cullen was on the air from 2-6 a.m. with "Pacific Patrol". Bill Griffiths was an announcer at CKMO. He was appointed assistant news editor. Former CKMO continuity man Hugh Wallace was now back at the station in the same role after a stint in the army. Phil Baldwin was named publicity director. Newcomer Jack Tregalis joined the announce staff. Bob Willett was production manager.
Betty Rousselet worked in the traffic department. Tom Slattery was sales manager. Al Erskine was an announcer. Wilf Ray was a program engineer. George Dewey was named chief announcer. Jack Kemp joined the CKMO production department from CKRC Winnipeg. Bob Wielert was heard on the station. Hugh Wallace was a continuity writer. Announcer Vic Fergie left CKMO for CJAV in Port Alberni. Al Erskine was appointed night supervisor at CKMO.
The CBC announced it hoped to have an FM transmitter in operation in Vancouver by October. The transmitter would be the first permanent FM unit on the west coast, but it was noted that a portable unit was used recently by CKMO to broadcast from a moving auto during a Jubilee parade.
CJOR was unable to carry the Sunday game of the World Series due to church broadcast commitments. CKMO aired the Sunday game with CJOR plugging the fact on the air. In return, CKMO mentioned (on-air) CJOR weekly broadcasts.
Home Gas hockey broadcasts were set to go back on the air on CKMO. Veteran sports commentator Leo Nicholson would handle play-by-play. Bill Griffiths would assist with introductions and period summaries. CKMO staffer Bob Willett would handle between period interviews.
Chief engineer Ross Whiteside and crew were installing a new 76-B2 RCA Consolette in CKMO's new control room.
Gordon Walberg joined CKMO from CKRC Winnipeg. Bill Griffiths left CKMO for an announcing job at KMO Radio in Seattle. Sales manager Tom Slattery moved up to station advertising manager. Salesman Dick Quinn became sales supervisor.
1947
In January, manager John Hunt announced the following appointments at CKMO: Eileen Fox (assistant manager), Tom Slattery (advertising manager), Jack Quinn (sales supervisor), Al Reusch (production manager) and Jack Kemp (assistant production manager).
Orrin Botsford joined CKMO from Hamilton's CKOC where he had been commercial manager. Al Goodwin was heard on-air at CKMO. Lloyd Bulmer hosted Speaking of Sports. Cy Cairns was a station pianist. Ralph Hall was an announcer at CKMO. George Dewey was chief announcer. Hugh Wallace and John Jackson left CKMO's continuity department for similar jobs at CKNW. Tom Marshall joined CKMO as news editor. He had been with CFRN in Edmonton.
Vancouver's oldest radio station - CKMO - marked 25 years of service and the 1st anniversary of its power increase to 1,000 watts, in June. CJCE went on the air with 50 watts of power to broadcast musical programs during the daytime only. Three businessmen, B.A. Arundel, G. Cran and R.J. Sprott started the station. CJCE was discontinued after a few months and later, Arundel and Sprott purchased ten watt CFCQ, which in 1922, became CKMO with 50 watts of power. Power later increased to 100 watts and a year ago, 1,000 watts. Also a year ago, new control room and recording equipment was installed. Today, CKMO had a staff of 37 and was noted for its sports coverage and musical programs.
CKMO is listed as owned by British Columbia Broadcasting System Ltd., 812 Robson St., transmitter: Lulu Island.
1955
Sprott-Shaw sold CKMO to Radio C-FUN Ltd. (R.R. Keay, W.J. Barrie, A.M. Gavin, S.G. Ross, F.H. Elphicke, plus a number of shareholders who were station employees). Texas businessman Patt MacDonald apparently was among the purchasers. The call letters changed to CFUN.
However, a short time later, C-FUN sold out to a group which included Gordon Burnett (who later founded C-HOW, Welland, Ontario in 1957) and Robert Redmond (who launched CHSC and CHRE-Fm St, Catherines, Ontario in 1967).
On February 14 at 6 p.m., the call letters changed to CFUN.
1956
J. L. Sayers, general sales manager of CKWX, joined CFUN as manager.
1959
C-FUN increased power to 10,000 watts and moved to new studios at 1900 West 4th Avenue.
1960
CFUN adopted a Top 40 (rock) format on March 10...24 hours a day.
1967
On September 18, CFUN dropped rock for easy listening ("Sound of Music").
1966
Radio C-Fun Ltd. had applied for a power increase from 10,000 to 50,000 watts for CFUN. The application was denied because the Board of Broadcast Governors didn’t feel the station’s programming justified such an increase.
1968
On May 28, CFUN was given approval to increase power from 10,000 full-time (directional at night) to 50,000 watts full-time (different patterns for day and night). The CRTC felt CFUN’s programming had improved since the BBG turned down a similar power increase application in 1966.
Also on May 28, a transfer of 100% of Radio C-Fun Ltd. to Radio Futura Ltd. and other minority shareholders was approved.
In August, Radio Futura (Jack Tietolman, owner of CKVL Verdun, Quebec) took ownership of CFUN, and the station switched to "wall-to-wall music."
1969
CFUN became CKVN with an all-news format. The VN in the calls: Voice of News. The corporate name changed to Radio Station CKVN Ltd.
CKVN’s power increase to 50,000 watts took place.
1970
In March, CKVN ended its total news concept format. The station had carried total news or talk shows from 6am to midnight and music during the overnights. It returned to a Top 40 format, which included five-minute newscasts every half hour. On June 15, a change of corporate name was approved from Radio Station CKVN Ltd. to Radio Futura Ltd.
1972
On July 12, CHUM Ltd. of Toronto agreed to acquire CKVN from Radio Futura Ltd. On December 4, the sale was approved.
1973
CHUM Western Limited (CHUM Ltd.) took ownership of CKVN on January 1.
On September 30th, CKVN returned to the C-FUN call letters and went Top 40 again (from news). The CFUN calls returned to Vancouver after a sojurn in Newcastle, NB. CHUM negotiated a deal with the Newcastle station which had been CKMR before CFUN and would now be known as CFAN.
1984
All CHUM Limited divisions, including CHUM Western Ltd., merged into CHUM Ltd.
On December 19, CFUN switched from CHR (Contemporary Hits) to "Lite Rock, Less Talk".
1986
Paul Ski was CFUN's general manager.
1987
J.J. Richards was news director at C-FUN.
CFUN general manager Paul Ski was appointed vice president responsible for CHUM radio operations in Western Canada and program development at CFRA / CFMO-FM Ottawa and CJCH / CIOO-FM Halifax.
1990
On January 25 CHUM Limited agreed to acquire CHQM-AM and FM Vancouver. On October 17 the CRTC approved the purchase, under the condition that CHQM-AM was sold to another party, as rules at the time only allowed ownership of one AM and one FM in a market area. CHQM-AM was eventually sold and became multilingual CHMB-AM on February 9, 1994.
1993
Early in the year, CFUN and CHQM-FM, also owned by CHUM Ltd., moved to the former Bendorf Vester Building on 2nd Ave.
1996
CFUN changed from “all oldies all the time” to an all-talk format on March 27.
1998
On November 3, the CRTC authorized CFUN to add digital radio transmitters on 1458.048 MHz (channel 2) with Effective Isotropic Radiated Power of 5,046 watts at Mount Seymour and 2,774 watts at Burnaby.
2000
On January 19, CFUN was given approval to operate a transitional digital radio undertaking at Vancouver. The station would operate on 1459.792 MHz with an effective isotropic radiated power of 5,046 watts from Mount Seymour and 2,774 watts from Burnaby.
2001
B.R. Bradbury died. He had been with C-FUN news up until about four years ago.
Ross Langbell, vice president of research at CFUN and CHQM-FM left to become general manager of RCS Canada as of March 1.
Daryl Burlingham (Daryl B) died February 25. Over the years, he had worked as an announcer at stations such as CKY, CKLG, CFUN, CKLW and CHUM.
2003
CHUM Ltd. purchased CKST 1040.
2005
Allan Waters, the founder of CHUM Limited, owner of CFUN, 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 CFUN-AM.
2009
On August 28, the CRTC renewed the transitional digital radio licence of CFUN-DR-2.
In October, CFUN was now fully operational from its new transmitter site in Delta. The old site would be kept operational until December to allow CFUN to remain on the air while engineers tune co-owned CKST, now operating at half power from the new antenna site. The old CKST towers, immediately to the north of the new ones, were toppled this month. Engineers hoped to have CKST fully operational at its new location by the end of October. Both CFUN and CKST would broadcast with 50,000 watts from the new state-of-the-art seven tower site. CFUN would be directional from two towers with the same pattern day and night. CKST would be directional from 5 towers with different day and night patterns.
In November, it was announced that CFUN "Talk 1410" would become an all sports station - "Team 1410". CHUM Radio also owned all sports Team 1040 in Vancouver. CFUN would be the new home for world class sports personalities including Jim Rome, Dan Patrick, Bob McCown and the best of the best ESPN sports insiders. The station would also broadcast every BC Lions game, from pre-season to playoffs (with Rick Ball & Giulio Caravatta). Canucks games aired on Team 1040 would also be replayed on 1410. CFUN would also offer more NFL football...more English premier league and UEFA champions league soccer...more major league baseball...more NBA, more NCAA college football and the bowl championship series, NCAA march madness basketball and the Final 4...even the huge sports events such as the Masters, the British Open and the Daytona 500.
CFUN, which had switched from talk to all sports on November 5, was assigned the call sign CFTE at the end of the month (by Industry Canada). The historic CFUN calls had been in use by AM 1410 since February 14, 1955 when it changed from CKMO, except for the period from 1969-73 when it used the call letters CKVN. CKCL-FM in Chilliwack/Abbotsford picked up the CFUN calls as CFUN-FM.
Written by Bill Dulmage, Gord Lansdell - Updated January, 2010
