CIWW-AM

Dr. George McKinley Geldert opened CKCO Radio on 400 metres with 200 watts of power from studios at 272 Somerset Street West.

The station moved to 690 kHz in February. Power was now 100 watts.

In January, CKCO moved from 690 kHz to 840 kHz.

The station returned to the 690 kHz frequency in February.

In September, CKCO moved from 690 kHz to 890 kHz. Power remained 100 watts.

On April 16 at 6:00 a.m., a frequency change to 1010 kHz took place. Power remained 100 watts. 

Lew Hill joined CKCO.

Under the Havana Treaty, CKCO moved from 1010 to 1340 kHz (Class IV) on March 29. Power was 100 watts.

To meet growing demands for network time during the evenings, largely due to the war, the CBC set up a second network for commercial sponsorship. The network’s first sponsor (on an experimental basis) was the Gillette Safety Razor Co. The Mutual Broadcasting System originated boxing events for 26 Canadian stations through the CBC, plus the MBS affiliate – CKLW Windsor. The second network had 23 Canadian stations with alternative stations in Montreal to meet local conditions there. The new network would operate only after 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Over the past year, private stations had been anxious to have such a network – outside of CBC control. However, under the Radio Act, the CBC had full control over all networks in the country. It was felt that a full second network with full day and night programming was not feasible or economically possible at this time. CBC-owned stations affiliated with the new network: CBK Watrous, CBA Sackville and CBY Toronto. Privately-owned stations affiliated with the new network were: CJOR Vancouver, CHWK Chilliwack, CFCN Calgary, CFRN Edmonton, CJRM Regina, CJGX Yorkton, CJRC Winnipeg, CKCA Kenora, CJIC Sault Ste Marie, CKOC Hamilton, CKTB St. Catherines, CFPL London, CFCO Chatham, CKLW Windsor, CKCR Kitchener, CKCO Ottawa, CFCF or CHLP Montreal, CHLT Sherbrooke, CKNB Campbellton, and CJLS Yarmouth. 

CKCO became the Ottawa affiliate of the CBC’s Dominion Network. CBC Dominion Basic Stations: CJFX, CHNS, CFCY, CKCW, CKNB, CJLS, CKCO, CHOV, CFBR, CJBC, CHEX, CFPL, CFCO, CFPA, CHLT, CFCF, CKRC, CJGX, CKX, CKRM, CHAB, CFQC, CKBI, CFCN, CFRN, CJRL, CHWK, CJOR, CJVI.

J.A. Shaw was manager. P.E. Hiltz was commercial manager. 

George Curran was CKCO’s farm editor. Joe Duff, just out of the “Army Show” and formerly in charge of recordings at CBC Toronto, moved on to CKCO to become the station’s new librarian. Disc jockey John Evans joined CKCO from CKOV in Kelowna. 

M.D. Yarrow was manager. 

Louis Leprohon accepted the position of managing director of CKCO in Ottawa. He had been running CKSB St. Boniface since February 1, 1946 and would leave that station on March 27 and take up his new post on April 1. CKCO later announced that Leprohon would take up his new job effective March 29.

CKCO 1310 operated with 5,000 watts day and 1,000 watts at night.

Slogans: The Community Voice of Canada’s Capital. Everybody’s At Home Listening To CKCO.

C. Edward Root was appointed program director. Jerry Kendall was commercial manager. CKCO created the new position of publicity and public relations director. It would be filled by R.N.H. Beach. Lew Hill returned to CKCO as program director. He had earlier moved on to other stations.

CKCO aired local news every hour between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

A special Christmas Day broadcast was beamed from nine different stations across Canada without the use of network facilities. The participating stations were CKWX Vancouver, CFCN Calgary, CKCK Regina, CJOB Winnipeg, CKSO Sudbury, CFPL London, CKCO Ottawa, CFCF Montreal and CFCY Charlottetown.

Jack Kent Cooke, president of CKEY Toronto, was retained as consultant of CKCO Ltd. as of May 30. He would advise the owners of CKCO on programs, sales and technical issues. The company made application to the Department of Transport to change the call sign to CKOY. 

An ad for the new CKOY in June noted the following: offering five minute newscasts every hour on the hour; 24 hour ‘Round-the-Clock’ entertainment; All full-length feature programs broadcast at the same time every day, Monday through Friday; One of the largest musical libraries in Canada; Programs for one to two hours in length; New, refreshing voices; and “Top” direction. Slogan from the ad: There’s A new Deal in radio for Ottawa.

After CKCO became CKOY, manager L.E. Leprohon left the station to return to Montreal, where he was looking for new employment.  Lew Hill was program director. 

Edgar Guest was manager.

Rex Loring left CKOY news for CFCF Montreal.

Approval was given for the transfer of 200 preferred and 10,100 common shares of CKOY Ltd. The CBC Board ruled that shares held by the Southam interests should not exceed 38.5% of the preferred or 38.5% of the common shares issued. Dr. G.M. Geldert and G.W. Mitchell would no longer be shareholders.

The CBC approved the transfer of one common share in CKOY Limited.

Ottawa Citizen sports writer Tommy Shields handled Ottawa Rough Rider football (CFL) games for CKOY.

NABET was certified as bargaining agent for CKOY’s employees on June 24. 

Studios and offices moved from 272 Somerset St. in August to 635 Richmond Road (an old stone mansion built in 1840). 

Commercial manager Jack Thompson was appointed station manager, keeping his old title as well. He started in radio at CKOC Hamilton in 1936 and succeeded Dan Carr who began his radio career at CKGB Timmins in 1937.

Prof. Daly was sports director. Keith Sterling was program director. Mac Lipson was news director. 

Former CKEY Toronto account executive Bill Todd became CKOY’s Manager as of May 23.
The staff of CKOY went on strike in August to support demands of a wage increase. The station was forced off the air for 15 minutes when the 27 employees walked off the job. Station operations resumed with a skeleton staff and reportedly with the help of five CKEY Toronto staff members. Both stations were operated by Jack Kent Cooke. At the end of August, NABET picketed CKEY for sending the five staffers to Ottawa. The 58 day strike came to an end at CKOY on October 24 after the union and station could not successfully negotiate a collective agreement. A short time later, an agreement was reached. The deal covered the period from June 1, 1955 to November 30, 1956. The strike started on August 26 by 25 announcers, technicians and office employees.

Duncan K. MacTavish was President of CKOY.

The Canada Labor Relations Board granted decertification of NABET as bargaining agent of CKOY’s 52 employees in December. 

CKOY 1310 had a power of 5,000 watts day and 1,000 watts night (directional at night) and was affiliated with the CBC Dominion network. Ownership of CKOY Limited: D. I. Cameron 0.133%, N. W. Cleary 2.600%, G. M. Edwards 0.001%, D. K. MacTavish 0.134%, G. T. Southam 4.800%, F. H. Teller 0.001%, F. W. White 0.666%, Estate of F. A. Cameron 9.866%, Elizabeth G. Edwards 4.000%, Mary H. Hertz 4.000%, Edna Ann Edwards 4.000%, H. G. Ross 0.134%, D. Cargill Southam 6.399%, HASO Limited (G. Hamilton Southam) 6.333%, Estate of J. D. Southam 6.333%, R. W. Southam 4.800%, Ethel Toller 4.733%, Hon. Carine R. Wilson 30.800%, Janet C. White (nee Edwards) 3.999%, four other shareholders 6.268%.

D. L. Cameron was president of CKOY Ltd. Jack Daly was CKOY’s manager and sport director. Don Hamilton was commercial manager. Keith Sterling was program and production manager. Mac Lipson was news director. Dave Johnson was farm director. Norm Perry was promotions manager. 

Walter Monroe was CKOY’s music librarian. 

Jack Turrell joined CKOY as general manager. He had been sales manager at Toronto’s CKEY. Turrell was replaced at CKEY by Jim Armstrong who for the past six years had been sales manager at Liberty Magazine. The magazine and both radio stations were owned by Jack Kent Cooke. 

CKOY applied for a power increase from 5,000 watts day / 1,000 watts night to 50,000 watts day and night. The power increase would give CKOY the capacity to better serve the people of Ottawa and the surrounding area. The 1310 frequency was in the crowded end of the AM band and this resulted in a one-sided struggle against a net of powerful American signals that made penetration of CKOY’s transmission difficult over a vast portion of the area it was intended and desired to serve.

Directors of CKOY Ltd. – D. Irving Cameron, N. Wainwright Cleary, Duncan K. Mactavish, Gordon T. Southam, F.H. Toller, F. Wallis White and Miss Cairine R.M. Wilson.

Shareholders of CKOY Ltd. (with number of common shares held) – D. Irving Cameron (stock broker) 100, Douglas I. Cameron (student) 575, Estate of Florence A. Cameron 7,400, N.W. Cleary (chartered accountant) 1,950, Elizabeth G. Edwards (spinster) 3,000, Estate of G.M. Edwards 1, Hasco Limited (private corporation) 4,750, Mary M. Hertz (married woman) 3,000, Alastair Stewart MacTavish and George Perley-Robertson in trust (retired barrister and barrister) 3,200, Janet S. MacTavish (married woman) 350, Duncan K. Mactavish (solicitor) 101, Mrs. Bradley Mitchell (nee Cameron – married woman) 575, Hugh G. Ross (consultant) 100, D. Cargill Southam (journalist) 4,799, Gordon Thomas Southam (executive) 3,600, Robert W. Southam (journalist) 3,600, Wilson J.H. Southam (student) 1,742, Wilson John Hamilton Southam, Neil Douglas McDermid and The Toronto General Trust Corporation, Executors of the Will of the late John David Southam 3,008, Edna Ann Stewart (married woman) 3,000, Ethel Toller (married woman) 3,549, F.H. Toller (contractor) 1, Janet C. White (nee Edwards – married woman) 2,999, F. Wallis White (executive) 500, Hon. Cairine Wilson (senator) 23,000 and Miss Cairine R.M. Wilson (spinster) 100. 

Don E. Hamilton left CKOY as director of advertising and sales to become general manager of CKSL in London.

The Trans-Canada and Dominion networks were merged into a single service. CBO had been the Trans-Canada station while CKOY was the Dominion affiliate. Following the consolidation, CKOY disaffiliated from the CBC.

Jim Sward started in radio at CKOY (sales). 

In May the power increase applied for in 1960 was approved. At 50,000 watts, CKOY would use two directional patterns from five 169 foot towers located on parts of Lots 17 and 18, Concession 4, Rideau Front, Stranherd Road, Nepean Township.

D. Irving Cameron was president of the company. Jack Daly was manager. Bill Lee was program/music director and morning man. Hal Anthony was news director. Pat Marsden was sports director.

Gordon F. Henderson was elected president of CKOY Limited. F. Wallis White was elected vice president. Henderson succeeded D. Irving Cameron who retired as president but remained on the board of directors. White, on the board for ten years succeeded him as vice president. 

CKOY received approval to operate an FM station in Ottawa. It would simulcast some AM programs.

Former owner Dr. G.M. Geldert died at the age of 81.

Broadcast News was the main source of news for radio stations in Canada but only a handful at this time were subscribing to BN’s voice (audio) service. CKOY was one of those stations. 

On July 27, the application to transfer 28,700 common shares of CKOY Ltd. from Southam Press Ltd. to Selkirk Holdings Ltd. was denied. The CRTC stated that approval of the application would result in a further increase in the Southam holdings of Selkirk Class A shares to 40.1%.

On October 31, approval was granted for the transfer of 31% of CKOY Ltd. from the estate of the Hon. Carine Wilson and Carine R. M. Wilson to a numbered company owned by four Ottawa residents. The four new shareholders would now control 54.3% of CKOY Ltd. Southam Press would still hold 37.86%.

On October 14, the transfer of 480 common shares of CKOY Ltd. to Selkirk Holdings Ltd. from the treasury of the numbered company mentioned in 1973, was denied. The numbered company now controlled 31% of CKOY Ltd. 

Moffat Communications Ltd. applied to the CRTC for permission to purchase 100% of CKOY and CKBY-FM. A previous bid was denied and this one was as well. The Commission would not accept Moffat’s proposed reduction in music programming and the use of computerized music control. A revised application was prepared for a June hearing. That application was also denied. The Commission said that Moffat’s proposal was substantially the same as the one denied earlier in the year, which would reduce the diversity of AM radio service in Ottawa. 

Bill Lee was CKOY’s morning man.

After failed attempts to sell CKOY and CKBY to Moffat Communications, Maclean-Hunter subsidiary CKEY Limited of Toronto was given approval to purchase the stations. CKEY’s Stu Brandy would head the Ottawa operations,  new studio facilities were a high priority for the new owners. 

Bill Roberts was the mid-day host. John Curtis was heard on the station. Ken Kirkley joined for mornings from sister station CKEY Toronto. Jim Maclean joined the CKOY news department from CKEY.

CKOY and CKBY leased space in a downtown office tower for new studios and offices. The new facilities would be similar to those of sister station CKEY in Toronto.

Elizabeth Grey was the mid-day host.

On January 16, at 2 p.m., CKOY began broadcasting from new studios at Tower B., Place de Ville, 112 Kent Street, Suite 1900.

Also in January, CKOY Ltd. and CKEY Ltd. merged into Key Radio Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Maclean-Hunter Ltd.

Harvey Gold was appointed general sales manager of CKOY / CKBY. 

Personalities heard on CKOY: J.J. Clarke (joined from Hamilton’s CJJD on April 28), Lowell Green, Gary Page, Gil Wright, John Gilbert (via CKEY), John Caines, Dick Maloney, Terry McConnell, Ric Peterson and Scott Cameron. The news team included Brian Goff, John Ross, Ed Andearst, Paul Taylor, Mike Walco, Hal Lee, and Breen Murray (sports). 

Announcers: J.J. Clarke (mornings), Gary Page (mid-days), Scott Cameron (afternoons), and Terry McConnell (evenings).

Dave Thomas and Dean Hegopian handled a split mid-day shift.

Hal Blackadar was named vice president and general manager of CKOY and CKBY. He had held the same position with CHNS and CHFX-FM in Halifax.

Gary Page was in mid-days and Al Baldwin handled afternoon drive.

On December 31 at 11:45 p.m., CKOY dropped its adult-contemporary/news-talk and sports format and was reborn at 12 a.m., January 1, 1986 as oldies formatted CIWW “W1310”.

J.J. Clarke (mornings) left for CJOH-TV. Gary Michaels handled mid-days, Al Baldwin, afternoons. John Ross was program director.

Gary Michaels became morning man. Gary Aube joined as program director. Jim Ducharme joined. 

John Bartrem joined CKOY/CKBY-FM as sales manager. He had been with CJAD/CJFM-FM in Montreal.

Hal Blackadar, vice president and general manager of W1310/CKBY was added to Key Radio’s executive team.

Gary Peel was on the air at CIWW. Brian Crawford was news director. 

Jerry Stevens joined W1310. He had been program director at CKSL in London.

Program director Gary Aube left for CJSB.

Gary Michaels was still the morning man. Geoff Franklin was now her. Jim Ducharme left for Sarnia.

On December 19, the CRTC approved the purchase of Maclean-Hunter Ltd. by Rogers Communications Inc. CIWW became a Rogers Broadcasting station. 

Oldies 1310 signed a 2-year deal to broadcast Ottawa Lynx (baseball) home games, starting June 2. 

Gates Cooney joined CIWW/CKBY-FM on April 4 as general sales manager. Geoff (Franklin) & Jo hosted the morning show. 

The Ottawa radio scene was changing dramatically, with CHEZ 106 and Lite 101/CJET AM Smiths Falls being purchased by Rogers Broadcasting (Y105/Oldies 1310 Ottawa). 

The Rogers Ottawa stations moved to new studios and offices in the Southern Ottawa Business Park, 2001 Thurston Drive.

Ken Grant was now CIWW’s morning man.

Ken “The General” Grant, after celebrating 40 years in Ottawa radio, left the Oldies 1310 morning show after his June 29 show. He was expected to remain with the station to do an oldies show, fill in on the morning show, and do some sales work. 

Bob Derro joined CIWW from CFRA/CFMO-FM. He replaced Ken “The General” Grant as morning show host. 

Early on the morning of December 2nd, Ted Rogers, founder and former Chief Executive of Rogers Communications, owners of CIWW-AM, died at his home in Toronto, after having suffered from congestive heart failure for some time.

Former CKOY/CKBY sports director & general manager, John Daly, passed away on December 8. He worked at the stations from 1951 to 1979.

Longtime morning host Brother Bob Derro and CIWW parted ways in October. He had been doing the morning show for nine and a half years. At this time Oldies 1310 began simulcasting with sister station 92.3 JACK FM, giving the oldies listeners a teaste for a suggested music alternative.

On October 18, CIWW Oldies 1310 became All News Radio station, 1310News. 1310News was Ottawa’s only all news station, offering the format 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to Ottawa and the valley. According to manager Scott Parsons, 1310News would be the only radio station in Ottawa with local, regional, national and international news all day, every day. 1310News would help Ottawa get to and from work using the best traffic reports in the city every day all day, and experienced meteorologists would let you know what you and your kids need to be wearing to face Ottawa’s weather. 

Dick Maloney died at age 77 following a 2006 fall that broke his neck and left him a paraplegic. While in the hospital, Maloney did a regular Sunday morning show on Oldies 1310 at first called Sentimental Journey then more aptly, The Dick Maloney Show. The singer, songwriter and perennial Ottawa media personality began his broadcast career in Ottawa during the early ‘60s.

On August 8, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CIWW until August 31, 2013. 

Alison Sandor, lead reporter for 1310 News crossed the street to begin work at CFRA in early September.

Ronald W. Osborne died at age 66, in Florida. His broadcasting background included the presidency of Maclean Hunter Ltd. In 1994, he fought off a hostile takeover bid from Rogers Communications. After a protracted battle, a deal was inked for $3.1-billion. 

In November, 1310News refreshed its programming schedule to focus on the key areas of news, sports, and talk. The station would continue its multiplatform newswheel coverage, Monday to Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., and 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Listeners would now also hear premium sports content from all-sports station Sportsnet 590 The FAN. Toronto Blue Jays regular season games would also be heard on the station in 2014. The station was now known as 1310News – News. Sports. Talk. 

Danny Kingsbury, General Manager for the Rogers Radio stations in Kingston and the Maritimes, added GM responsibilities for the Ottawa cluster in November. This was upon the retirement of Vice President/GM Scott Parsons, a 36-year Rogers vet whose position at retirement was EVP, national capital region, Ontario north and Atlantic Canada. Parsons had been with the Ottawa stations since 1995. Kingsbury, now based in Kingston, would move to Ottawa.

Danny Kingsbury became VP & General Manager for Rogers Radio in Ottawa, Kingston and Halifax.

Dave Inglis, a producer with Rogers Radio Ottawa for over 39 years, retired at the end of April.

Rogers Media expanded its digital news offering with the debut of OttawaMatters.com. Editorial coverage was provided by 1310 NEWS. The site also featured live stream video from Rogers TV Ottawa.