Broadcast History - January 2

[jon]

In 1934, the man who would inspire the late Don Imus (d. Dec. 27, 2019) to get into Radio was born in Yonkers, New York. Don MacKinnon died on June 24, 1965, at 32 years of age, when his car went over a cliff in Malibu, following a personal appearance for KFWB. Previously, he had been on KLAC Los Angeles, KEWB Oakland, KABC Los Angeles, KROY Sacramento, KDEO San Diego and KIOA Des Moines.



In 1944, the CBC Dominion Network was formed. The existing network was then named the Trans-Canada Network.

In 1949, CKNW New Westminster moved from 1230 to 1320 KHz and increased power to 1000 watts. The station had been broadcasting 24 hours a day, a first in British Columbia, since 1947.

In 1967, CKFH Toronto went full-time Top 40, having run the format evenings since Autumn. The FH in the call letters stood for owner Foster Hewitt, legendary play-by-play announcer for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The station signed on February 21, 1951, running 24 hours a day, despite only having 250 watts on Graveyard Frequency 1400 KHz. CKFH moved to 1430 KHz with 5000 watts in July 29, 1959, in a three way switch, that saw CHEX Peterborough move to 980 KHz, and CKPT Peterborough to be licensed to 1420 KHz. During CKFH's Top 40 years, the station gave CHUM a run for its money, but switched to Country in 1975. With a power increase in 1967, to 10,000 watts full-time, CKFH could be heard in Vancouver after midnight most winter Sunday nights, when they played a mix of album cuts. Foster Hewitt sold the station in 1980 because of failing health and 1978's loss of the Maple Leafs broadcast rights to CKO-FM. The Leafs were the station's major money maker.