CFOX-AM

CFOX-AM, Montréal

Purchased by Canada All News Radio Ltd.

StationYearFreq.PowerOwner/Info
CFOX-AM1977147010,000Purchased by Canada All News Radio Ltd.
CFOX-AM1960147010,000Gord Sinclair & Group

1960

Gordon Sinclair Jr.

Lakeshore Broadcasting Ltd. opened CFOX 1470 on March 15 or 16. Power was 1,000 watts day and night. CFOX was licenced to Montreal/Lakeshore and studios were in the Pointe Claire Industrial Park at 203 Hymus Boulevard in Pointe Claire. The transmitter and two towers were in the town of Chateauguay (adjoining Vinet Road and known as La Commune). Lakeshore Broadcasting was owned by Gord Sinclair Jr.(pictured), Gerald Duffy, Danniel Dooner, Jame O’Connor, Russell McKeogh, and Gaston Parent. Gord Sinclair was the son of the famous CFRB Toronto broadcaster, Gordon Sinclair. The senior Sinclair was also known 

Keith Dancy joined the new station as general manager. He had been manager at CKSL in London, Ontario. Bernard Greeley was the technical man that put CFOX on the air. Before joining CFOX, he had spent several years with CFCF-AM-FM-TV (Montreal). Ron 

Bertrand was program director. John Wood was sports director.

1962

CFOX-AM launched CFOX-JA Radio, Canada’s first Junior Achievement radio station in November with CFOX Program Director Roger Wiltshire and Sales Manager Rod Campbell as advisors. CFOX-JA had a staff of sixteen young people, aged 16-19.

1963

In February, CFOX increased power to 10,000 watts day and 5,000 watts night, using three towers at the existing transmitter site.

Undated

Keith Dancy acquired an 11% interest in CFOX.

1965

Gord Sinclair was president of Lakeshore Broadcasting Ltd. and CFOX’s morning man. Keith J. Dancy was manager, commercial manager and sports director. Stu Morrison was production and program manager. Russ Griffith was chief announcer. Dave Knapp was news director. The station was an independent and had no network affiliation.

1966

CFOX adopted a contemporary music format in September.

1967

On June 30, Danny Dooner and Keith Dancy sold their interest in CFOX 1470 to Gord Sinclair’s Sinclair Broadcast Management Limited. At the time, Dooner was also sales manager at CFCF Television. Dancy had been vice president and a director. He had also held about 19% of CFOX’s shares. Bernard Greeley was chief engineer. The C-FOX on-air line-up: Dean Hagopian (The Dean of Montreal) 6-9:30, Bob Ansell (Big Daddy) 9:30-noon, Ric Shaw (aka Bill Anderson) noon-3, Charles P. Rodney Chandler 3-6, Roger Scott 6-midnight and Bill Lowell midnight-6. Jim Sward was appointed sales manager. He started in radio at CKOY Ottawa in 1962. For the past two years he had been sales manager at CHSJ-AM Saint John.

1968

Roger Scott was on-air. Retail sales manager Norman H. Haines left for CHYM in Kitchener.  G.D. (Doug) Ackhurst was assistant general manager of CFOX. He described English Montreal radio as follows: CKGM was talk. CJAD was up-tempo Middle of the Road. CFMB was multilingual. CFCF was sports-news-MOR-Country-Rock. CFOX was contemporary pop. Ackhurst said that between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m., the station programmed from the CFOX pop survey, supplemented with flashbacks which appealed to adults. After 3 p.m., the music progressed in tempo and appeal to 7 p.m. when the sound became more heavily youth oriented. CFOX president and general manager Gord Sinclair, in a recent editorial, said, “We are a contemporary station, in every sense of the word. We are part of today. We are part of what is happening now, in the way we talk, the music we play, the things that interest us, and the way we serve our real bosses – our listeners”.

1969

Ralph Lockwood was doing mornings (6-9). He was followed by Bob Gibbons (9-1), Ron Legge (1-5), Charles P. Chandler (5-9), Roger Scott (9-1) and Bill Lowell (1-6). CFOX was affiliated with CHUM Limited’s new Canadian Contemporary News System.  Slogan: In Montreal…CFOX is everybody’s bag!

1970

A few changes to the line-up: Ralph Lockwood (6-9:30), Bob Gibbons (9:30-2), Dean Hagopian (2-6), Roger Scott (6-9), tom McLean (9-1) and Bill Lowell (overnights). Slogans: CFOX 1470 – we work like we’re number one. / Charlie Fox has arrived! Eat your hearts out Rin-Tin-Tin fans!

1971

On July 27, the CRTC denied the application to transfer 9.3% of Lakeshore Broadcasting Ltd from Gordon Sinclair, Jr., James O’Connor, H.L. Mussells, Gaston Parent, The Estate of J. Milne, J.M. Hobbs, and Gerald Duffy to Sinclair Management Ltd. The further application by CHUM Ltd. to acquire 74% of Lakeshore was also denied. The CRTC did not want to see CFOX Pointe Claire become a Montreal station. Bob Gibbons was now doing the morning show. Gary Kines followed in mid-days. Gord Robson handled PM Drive. He was followed by Rob Christie in the evening shift. Dennis Bell did weekends. The news team included Brian D. Thomas (news director) and Herb Marshall.

1972

On Jul 13, the sale of 9.3% of Lakeshore Broadcasting Ltd. by Gordon Sinclair, Jr., James O’Connor, H.L. Mussells, Gaston Parent, the Estate of J. Milne, J.M. Hobbs, and Gerald Duffy to Sinclair Broadcast Management Ltd. was approved. The further application by J. Allan Slaight to acquire 80% of Lakeshore from Sinclair was also approved. CFOX changed format to “new country music” on July 24 so that it would operate similarly to CFGM Richmond Hill – also owned by Slaight.

1973

On May 22, Slaight Broadcasting Ltd. and IWC Communications Ltd. were given federal approval to merge. Salight controlled CFGM Broadcasting Ltd. and Radio CFOX Inc. IWC controlled Sarnia Broadcasting (1964) Ltd. The merger took place July 1.

1976

Mike Williams was morning host. Andy Neill and Joe Evans (joined from CJBK in London) did middays. Dan McLean was on at night.

1977

Joe Evans left for CJFM-FM. Canada All-News Radio (Quebec) Ltd. purchased CFOX-AM Montreal from Allan Slaight’s IWC Communications Ltd. The call letters changed to CKO-AM. The station broadcast at 1470 kHz with 10,000 watts day and 5,000 watts night, using three 180 foot towers at Chateauguay. Studios were in Pointe Claire, at 203 Hymus Boulevard. Canada All-News Radio Ltd. (parent company) had licences to operate a network of FM all-news radio stations across the country. To date, transmitters were on the air in Toronto and Ottawa. The London station would launch in October. CKO Canada All-News Radio Ltd. was founded by David Ruskin, and Agra Industries of Saskatoon held a 45% interest. CKO 1470 replaced CFOX on September 19. The old CFOX studios were renovated for all-news operations.

2002

Gord Sinclair passed away on July 12 at the age of 74. He was one of the founders of the old 1470 C-FOX).

2011

Long-time Montreal broadcaster Ted Tevan passed away. He was 78. Tevan joined CFOX in 1972 to host “Sports Rap”. He went on to work at number of other Montreal stations over the years. ((See CKO-FM Toronto for that station’s history))

The story continues elsewhere…
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