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Question on CFRB

xmradiopro

xmradiopro

Star Participant
Just wondering was CFRB ever play music ? If so what format and what years were they a music format ?
 
It was the home to a phantom station for the CNR Radio network for a time, which carried music programming for passengers on the railways, and there's been some music programming in the past (especially in the 30's and 40's). From what I gather, though, it's mostly been a full service station, transitioning into news/talk as time went by.
 
Wally Crouter played music in the morning for many years right into the early 90's when the station went strictly News/talk.
There was also a late night "easy sounds" format in the 80's.
 
CFRB was an MOR station in the 80's. Even during drive time, you'd still hear some music, some of which was quite recent. It was on the lighter side but you'd hear some songs that top forty radio was also playing.
 
I recall reading CFRB was the first radio station in North America to play a Beatles record. That would be "Love Me Do" in December 1962. They had a Saturday afternoon show for expatriate Brits called "Calling All Britons" or something close to that. A listener had been to the U.K. and brought a single back and mailed it to the station. That record first charted on the British charts in Oct. 1962 on the Parlophone label and peaked at #17. Capitol Records in the U.S. passed on it so Tollie Records picked it up and it hit #1 on the Billboard Charts in May, 1964.
 
That's how I remember the station when I'd listen to it on shortwave (CFRX), a chatty MOR station, more talk than music. It always put a nice signal into New England in the daytime.
 
When I was growing up in Toronto my parents listened to CFRB exclusively. I remember their "AC"-like format. Although in those days I was a WABC fan! Actually, one song that stands out in my memory of CFRB, was Acker Bilk's "Stranger on the Shore". Another thing I distinctly remember about CFRB in the morning...was a bugle call that would be played at the beginning of the news...probably at 7 or 8 AM. I'd hear it every morning coming from my parents' bedroom as I was waking up. It was annoying.

The only music left on the CFRB schedule now is at Christmas. In past years they've gone wall-to-wall music on Christmas eve and Christmas day. Unless that changes this year.
 
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CFRB is a very good talk station, as is CFMJ. I think CFRB is 24/7 live and local. I've been discovering a lot of Canadian talk stations through my Internet radio. From Noon to 3 you get a variety of local talk across the country, unlike the U.S. where 75 percent of talk stations are carrying Rush. Besides the CBC national programming are there any syndicated hosts like Rush,Sean and Savage? CFMJ and quite a few Canadian talkers carry George Noory.
 
RBW said:
The only music left on the CFRB schedule now is at Christmas. In past years they've gone wall-to-wall music on Christmas eve and Christmas day. Unless that changes this year.
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Go back in time a bunch of years. (I think it was late 90's/early 00's) There was live talk radio Christmas day instead of music. The talk show was all about connecting long distance calls together for free to wish people in far off places a Merry Christmas or Happy whatever...It was done every Christmas day for many many years.

They might even still do that today, but in a much shorter time slot. (if at all...)
If they don't, then how ironic that it's the phone company (Bell media) that owns the place these days! lol
 
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music on cfrb

MusicRadioUSA said:
Just wondering was CFRB ever play music ? If so what format and what years were they a music format ?
Click to expand...


cfrb used to play easy listening and soft adult contemporary music in am stereo in the '80's. the sound quality was stunning.
 
CFRB was my radio station growing up in Toronto. It was a mostly middle of the road music station with legendary broadcaster Wally Crouter as the morning man. Over the last 20 years or so it ditched the music and became a news/talk station. It's actually no longer even known as CFRB but News Talk 1010
 
CBCRadiofan said:
It's actually no longer even known as CFRB but News Talk 1010
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Legally speaking, station id is still CFRB. The call letters have not changed. They do mention them once an hour, (or so) as required by CRTC regulation.
They might race through the letters, but that's okay. CRTC regs only say the letters have to be mentioned on air...never at what speed.
 
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