Possible revival of AM 900 and back in Victoria!

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Courtesy of Dan Sys and

May 17, 2016

 

While going through the many documents associated with the CRTC hearing currently being held in Vancouver regarding the 8 applications for Ethnic stations in Surrey and Vancouver one particular intervention stood out.

Channel Zero of Toronto is opposing the proposal by Spice Media to launch a 10,000 watt station on 900 AM in Surrey, primarily because the Industry Canada allocation for the unused frequency would be moved from Victoria to the Lower Mainland.

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It turns out that unbeknownst to most of us local radio fanatics Channel Zero purchased the old CJVI/CKMO transmitter site from Rogers several years ago and has since refurbished it. Channel Zero has plans to apply for a new 10,000 watt station on 900 in Victoria within the next 6 months.

Channel Zero owns several TV stations in Ontario and had applied for All Business radio stations in Toronto on 88.1 FM and in Vancouver on 600 AM in the past. Both of those applications were denied.

The intervention can be read via this link (click on Intervention 672.46 KB):
https://services.crtc.gc.ca/…/ListeInterven…/Documents.aspx…

20 COMMENTS

  1. I grew up in Richmond and always had fond memories of dialing in CJVI and CKDA during the late ’60s/early ’70s from across the water. Between them, they played an eclectic mix of pop songs that were often ignored by CKLG. So I was able to hear Jesus Christ Superstar by Murray Head a good year before the concept album caught on. You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere, the Byrds catchy interpretation of the Dylan original, also got plenty of island airplay.

    It seems to me Camosun College took over the signal after VI disappeared. It was kind of a Co-op format called (I think) Village Radio. The signal went silent after Village moved to the Web.

    I now live in Victoria. But reviving the 900 signal would be great for DXers as it’s a strong one.
    Good luck to the new folks.

  2. I can’t begin to tell you the names I remember who were on CJVI during the late 60’s, beginning with the late Joe Easingwood who was a very with it PD during that time, having hired the likes of Bob Boving, who later went on to be the main voice of CBC Television for many a year… there were many others, such as Neil MacRae, yes the sportguy who won the day at CKNW after the late Al Davidson… Don Ramsden, Dave Geddes, Clint Nickerson, Lorne Cunningham, the late Dave Abbott before he made his way to CKNW. Joe hired Tom Walters who is now the CTV guy reporting from south of the border…
    I also remember Mighty Mike Easton, now of PSR fame…. CJVI was ‘doing their thing’ as the Pepper-Tanner jingle went…. CJVI was a great sounding radio station in those days

  3. Love to have Lisa and Michael back on air in Victoria. They were mistreated at Ocean along with Pat Thomas. Their replacements try hard but don’t have the chemistry. I am listening to the Q now in the morning however it’s a little young for me. Lisa and Michael would have me flipping the dial and locking in

  4. Memory, don’t fail me now. I’m pretty sure VI was a CBC affiliate and aired a repeat of either World At Six or a condensed version of As It Happens at 10 pm. The station then went from the high minded to the overblown: a paid program called The World Tomorrow, hosted by a then youngish Garner Ted Armstrong. The scandals, the feud with his father Herbert W Armstrong were well in the future. Back then, Garner Ted made Biblical prophecy very entertaining.

    Again, may fortune shine for those aiming to revive AM 900.

  5. Rich, I was at CJVI 1979-1983. We were a CBC affil with World and 6 and 10 and As It Happens. Easingwood left in 82 — replaced by Walt Rutherford. We also had Herbert W Armstrong and the World Tomorrow. Henry Bessier, Tom Walter, Carol Thorbes, Bruce McArthur, Hal Lowther, John Calladine, Sandy Brown, Chris Hebb, Jim Leith, John Bray , Judy Kay Stembridge, Rob Duffus Rick Dennis and many more. Helen Moulton was the MD. Peter Salmon mid days…..

  6. Man, just seeing those names takes me back.
    Back in the day, CJVI was all things to all people, especially at night. Yeah, they ran the World at Six (live), As it Happens, and good old Garner Ted… but they also had the Times Good Music Hour (classical), Remember When (old radio shows), a gardening show with Jack and Hilda Bestall, and even a numerology show.
    It seems like a mess of odd programming and maybe it was, but this was before the consultants swooped in to ruin the party. It was lively and interesting and far more fun to listen to than what’s mostly on the air now.

    And since we’re tossing out names, let me add a few like Paul Carson, Sandy Bell, Dave Courier, Rob Wilson, Jake Jacobs, Bob Glover, David Kirk,Kate Corcoran, Connie Watson, and the two guys who kept it all going, chief engineers Cliff Smedley and Mike Doyle.

  7. you’re talking Block programming JC, and I think that’s great. I love the idea with the new Surrey radio station with music in an with top hosts like Terry R and Jack Marion doing news, then the station goes to talk with Kash Heed from 9 to 11, then back to personality radio and music… its not that I like the Pulse music, I don’t. Its not my demo….

  8. Wow AM900 back on air would be fantastic. It was where I and many others got their start, pushing buttons for the Roxk and Roll oldies show Saturday nights and all the CBC shows on Sunday nights. Those were great times and fantastic learning opportunities.

  9. John C

    The same John C that was in the newsroom when I was there??? We gotta talk about old times.. I am on FB and Twitter….

  10. Forbes and Marshal should forget all about radio. Use that name recognition in the Victoria area and become Real Estate Agents. Start a career with some job security and good $

  11. Smartest thing Forbes and Marshall can do is get into real estate…NOW! On another note, does anyone know whereabouts of Hal Lowther? Worked with him at CJCA .

  12. Hey John C, Tim Black, Don L…..

    I’m retired now and still kicking around Victoria. Lots of memories from the dying days of AM music/news radio. I bumped into or talked to many of the old crew over the past few years including Peter Salmon, Jeff Knight, Jack Luis, Rick Green, Mike McNeney, Craig Marlow, Terri Theodore, Steve Ireland, Hayden Thomas, Linda Plunkett, Bob Kendrick, Marty Olivier to name a few. I started at CJVI just after Don (golden throat) L. left so I have seen a lot of broadcasters come and go including Barry Bowman, Howie Siegel, Fraser McAlpine, Jim Leith, Sandy Bell, Henry Bessier, John Ansell, Bob Glover, Kate Korcoran, Bruce McArthur, Cliff Smedley, Rick Dennis and the late Brian Currie and David Kirk among many others. Tim – I guess you are still in Japan and John C, Del Philips told me you were working over on the mainland. Hope everyone is doing well!

    Jake

  13. Hey Jake…. and all the other names I remember so fondly from my 1983-88 tour at CJVI! Had to say hello, and yes, I’m still in Japan!!

    Peter

  14. Jake!

    My wife and I have recently moved back to Victoria and are building our retirement home here. I would love to get together and talk about those days in the 80’s. You mentioned so many people who I worked with too. I would love to catch up. Please contact me.

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