CFZM

Last updated

CFZM
CFZM ZoomerRadio.svg
Broadcast area Greater Toronto Area–Southern Ontario
Frequency 740 kHz
BrandingZoomer Radio
Programming
Format Oldies – Adult Standards
Ownership
Owner
CFMO-FM, CFMX-FM, CFMZ-FM
History
First air date
November 17, 1956
(67 years ago) (1956-11-17)
Former call signs
CHWO (1956–2008)
Former frequencies
1250 kHz (1956–2001)
Call sign meaning
Zoomer Media (owner) or Znaimer, Moses (owner)
Technical information
Licensing authority
 CRTC
Class A
Power 50,000 watts
Transmitter coordinates
 43°34′30″N79°49′2″W / 43.57500°N 79.81722°W / 43.57500; -79.81722
Repeater(s)
  • 96.7 CFZM-1-FM (Toronto)
  • 96.3  CFMZ-HD2 (Toronto)
Links
Webcast Listen Live
Website zoomerradio.ca

CFZM (740 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is owned by ZoomerMedia, headed by Canadian broadcaster Moses Znaimer. It airs an oldies and adult standards radio format, branded as Zoomer Radio, with the slogan "The Original Greatest Hits". The studios and offices are on Jefferson Avenue in the Liberty Village neighbourhood.

Contents

CFZM is a Class A, clear channel station. It is powered around the clock at 50,000 watts, the maximum for Canadian AM stations. It uses a non-directional antenna, with its transmitter on Auburn Road in Milton, near the 401 Freeway. [1] Programming is also heard on a low power FM repeater in downtown Toronto at 96.7 MHz. [2]

Due to its transmitter power and southern Ontario's flat land, CFZM has an unusually large daytime coverage area, equivalent to that of a full-power FM station. Its city-grade signal covers all of Southern Ontario, much of upstate New York (including Buffalo, Rochester and Watertown), northwestern Pennsylvania (including Erie), and slivers of Michigan and Ohio. Its grade B signal reaches as far east as Utica, New York, as far south as Pittsburgh and as far west as Lansing, Michigan. At night, with a good radio, it can be heard around most of the eastern half of North America, including three-fourths of Canada.

History

CHWO 1250

The station was originally launched in 1956 on 1250 AM in Oakville, with the call sign CHWO. Its license was held by what is now known as Whiteoaks Communications Group, a company owned by broadcaster Howard Caine and a number of minority investors. In 1967, shortly before Caine's death, his wife Jean was appointed to the board of directors and took over the station's management. In 1974, CHWO added a sister station, CJMR in Mississauga which was not included in the 2008 sale of CHWO.

Move to 740 AM

AM 740 Prime time Radio logo CHWO-AM 740 radio logo.png
AM 740 Prime time Radio logo

In 2000, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's CBL gave up its longtime home on 740 and moved to FM. CBL had been plagued by radio frequency interference that made it hard to listen in downtown Toronto. Despite this shortfall, the prized clear channel frequency became hotly contested by new and existing stations in the area. CHWO applied for the frequency, citing that it could provide a stronger service to the region's older adult population. Concurrently, the Caine family also applied for a new station on the old 1250 frequency, to air a Christian music format.

The applications were granted, and CHWO moved to the 740 frequency on 8 January 2001, leasing CBL's former transmitter in Hornby from the CBC. CHWO originally applied for the new call sign CFPT, but when this was denied by Industry Canada because the call sign was already in use, the station chose to retain its heritage "CHWO" calls. CHWO's replacement at 1250, CJYE, launched on 5 February. [3]

Sale to Moses Znaimer

On 18 September 2007, Prime Time Radio announced a deal to sell the station to Moses Znaimer. AM 740 would become a sister station to Toronto's classical music station, CFMZ. The deal was approved by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) on 31 March 2008. [4] Znaimer moved the station's studios and city of licence to Toronto, and changed the station's call sign to CFZM on 22 July 2008. [5] The station began a format of Adult Standards and Oldies, although over time, the number of standards played on the station was reduced.

The station was originally owned by Znaimer's privately held MZ Media Inc. As part of a reorganization of Znaimer's media assets, the station was transferred to the publicly traded ZoomerMedia in 2010. [6]

FM Rebroadcaster

In 2012, Zoomer Media was one of 27 applicants for an FM station at 88.1 MHz, for the purpose of simulcasting CFZM in the city of Toronto, where the AM signal is often difficult to hear. The bid was unsuccessful and the CRTC awarded the frequency to CIND-FM. [7] [8]

On 27 April 2015, MZ Media received CRTC approval to operate a nested FM transmitter in downtown Toronto to rebroadcast CFZM at 96.7 MHz with an average effective radiated power (ERP) of 22.4 watts (maximum 82 watts) with a height above average terrain (HAAT) of 280.1 metres (919'). The transmitter is atop First Canadian Place. The repeater, CFZM-1-FM, enables CFZM 740 to overcome the deficiencies of the AM signal in the downtown core. That was the same problems that led CBL to leave the AM band 15 years earlier. The repeater, however, is a first-adjacent signal to CKHC-FM 96.9, a college radio station at Humber College that serves an area in the northwestern part of the city. CFZM-1-FM also faces co-channel interference with CHYM in Kitchener and CJWV in Peterborough. [9] The repeater went on the air that July. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moses Znaimer</span> Canadian media executive

Moses Znaimer is a Tajik-born Canadian media executive of Jewish descent. He is the co-founder and former head of Citytv, the first independent television station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and the current head of ZoomerMedia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CHNU-DT</span> Religious independent TV station in Fraser Valley, British Columbia

CHNU-DT is a religious independent television station serving southwestern British Columbia, Canada, including Greater Vancouver, Victoria, the Fraser Valley and surrounding areas. Licensed to the Fraser Valley Regional District, the station is owned by ZoomerMedia and is branded on air as Joytv. CHNU-DT's studios are located on 192 Street/Highway 10 in Surrey, and its transmitter is located on Mount Seymour.

CBLA-FM is a non-commercial radio station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Owned and operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the station is the flagship station of the CBC Radio One network, broadcasting a mix of news and talk. In addition to the Toronto market, CBLA also reaches much of Central Ontario with a network of twelve rebroadcasters. The studios are in the Canadian Broadcasting Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CBO-FM</span> CBC Radio One station in Ottawa

CBO-FM is a Canadian radio station. It is the CBC Radio One station in Ottawa, Ontario, airing at 91.5 FM, and serves much of Eastern Ontario through a network of relay transmitters. CBO's Ottawa-area transmitter is located in Camp Fortune, Quebec, while its studios are located in the CBC Ottawa Broadcast Centre on Queen Street in Downtown Ottawa.

CBOF-FM is a non-commercial radio station located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It airs a French language news/talk format, much of which comes from the Ici Radio-Canada Première network. The studios and offices are located at the CBC Ottawa Broadcast Centre on Queen Street in Downtown Ottawa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CBN (AM)</span> CBC Radio One station in St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador

CBN is a public AM radio station in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It carries a news, talk and information format and is the local Radio One station of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CBR (AM)</span> CBC Radio One station in Calgary

CBR is a Canadian non-commercial public radio station in Calgary, Alberta. It broadcasts the programming of the CBC Radio One network, both on 1010 kHz on the AM dial and 99.1 MHz on the FM dial as CBR-FM-1. The studios are in the Parkdale neighbourhood of northwest Calgary.

CBEF is a non-commercial AM radio station in Windsor, Ontario. It airs the programming of Radio-Canada's Première network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CKSB-10-FM</span> Ici Radio-Canada Première station in Winnipeg

CKSB-10-FM is a Canadian public radio station serving the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region in Manitoba. It is owned by the Société Radio-Canada (CBC) and airs the Ici Radio-Canada Première network, concentrating on news and talk in French. It had been licensed to Saint Boniface, which was a separate city until it was annexed by Winnipeg in 1971. Even though the call sign includes a number, usually indicating the station is a rebroadcaster, CKSB-10-FM originates some of its own local programming and contributes to the Ici Radio-Canada Première network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CHOK</span> Radio station in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada

CHOK is a Canadian radio station, licensed to Sarnia, Ontario, and owned by Blackburn Radio. The station broadcasts a country format with local news, talk and sports. CHOK also has an FM translator, CHOK-1-FM, broadcasting at 103.9 MHz. The station is the radio home of the Toronto Blue Jays, as well as the Sarnia Sting. During Blue Jays games, CHOK's regular country music programming airs exclusively on the CHOK website.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CBU (AM)</span> CBC Radio One station in Vancouver

CBU is a Canadian non-commercial public radio station, in Vancouver, British Columbia. It carries the programming of the CBC Radio One network. The station broadcasts on 690 AM and on 88.1 FM as CBU-2-FM. CBU's newscasts and local shows are also heard on a chain of CBC stations around the Lower Mainland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CBX (AM)</span> CBC Radio One station in Edmonton

CBX is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 740 kHz (AM) in Edmonton, Alberta. It broadcasts the programming of the CBC Radio One network. CBX is a Class B station broadcasting on a Canadian clear-channel frequency; the dominant station on 740 AM is CFZM in Toronto, Ontario. CBX's studios are located at Edmonton City Centre on 102nd Avenue Northwest in downtown Edmonton, while its transmitters are located near Beaumont.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CFMZ-FM</span> Classical music radio station in Toronto

CFMZ-FM is an FM radio station that is licensed to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Broadcasting on 96.3 MHz, the station is owned by ZoomerMedia and airs a classical music radio format. CFMZ's studios are located on Jefferson Avenue in Liberty Village, while its transmitter is located atop First Canadian Place in downtown Toronto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CIOC-FM</span> Radio station in Victoria, British Columbia

CIOC-FMOcean 98.5 is a commercial radio station in Victoria, British Columbia. It is owned by Rogers Radio, a division of Rogers Sports & Media. It broadcasts an adult contemporary format, switching to Christmas music for much of November and December. Its radio studios are located at 817 Fort Street in Downtown Victoria.

CIKX-FM is a Canadian radio station broadcasting in Grand Falls, New Brunswick at 93.5 MHz and 5,300 watts. CIKX was originally a repeater of CJCJ in Woodstock until the 2000s, when the station opened its studios.

CFMX-FM is a commercial radio station in Cobourg, Ontario, and serving the Peterborough area. It is owned by ZoomerMedia and airs a classical music format branded as Classical 103.1. It is a semi-satellite of Toronto's 96.3 CFMZ-FM. All music programming originates from Toronto, although 24 hours per week of locally oriented talk, news and spoken word programming broadcasts from radio studios in Cobourg. During the simulcast music shows, CFMX-FM inserts local commercials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CKCQ-FM</span> Radio station in Quesnel, British Columbia

CKCQ-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 100.3 FM in Quesnel, British Columbia. Owned by Vista Broadcast Group, the station has a country format and is branded as Cariboo Country. It also has a repeater in Williams Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CBLA-FM-2</span> CBC Radio One station in Paris, Ontario

CBLA-FM-2 is the CBC Radio One station licensed to Paris, Ontario, Canada but primarily serving the nearby Waterloo Region. It broadcasts on the FM band at 89.1 MHz.

ZoomerMedia Limited is a Canadian media company controlled by Moses Znaimer, the founder of the Citytv network. Originally focusing on properties targeting what the company calls "zoomers", or the 45+ demographic, in 2022, the company began expanding the company's target audience by acquiring youth-focused properties BlogTO and Daily Hive.

Whiteoaks Communications Group is a media company based in Oakville, Ontario that owns several radio stations in Ontario as well as Christian podcasting platform, Faith Strong Today Media. The company was founded in 1956 as CHWO Radio Limited by Howard and Jean Caine with the launch of CHWO radio in Oakville. After Howard Caine died in 1967, the company was run by his widow, Jean. Their son, Michael Caine (1949-2024) subsequently became company president. The current president is Michael Caine's son, Matthew Caine.

References

  1. ↑ "FCCdata.org - powered by REC". fccdata.org.
  2. ↑ "FCCdata.org - powered by REC". fccdata.org.
  3. ↑ Decision CRTC 2000-205
  4. ↑ Government of Canada, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) (31 March 2008). "ARCHIVED - CHWO Toronto - Acquisition of assets". crtc.gc.ca.
  5. ↑ History of the former CHWO AM at Canadian Communications Foundation
  6. ↑ Government of Canada, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) (30 March 2010). "ARCHIVED - Vision TV - Acquisition of assets - CHNU-TV Fraser Valley and CIIT-TV Winnipeg - Change in effective control - ONE: The Body, Mind and Spirit Channel - Change in effective control Classical Digital, CFZM, CFMZ-FM, CFMZ-DR-1 Toronto, and CFMX-FM Cobourg - Corporate reorganization". crtc.gc.ca.
  7. ↑ "Indie-rock station coming to Toronto". Toronto Star , 11 September 2012.
  8. ↑ Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2012-126. Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2 March 2012.
  9. ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2015-162, CFZM Toronto – New nested FM transmitter in Toronto, CRTC, 27 April 2015
  10. ↑ "Canadian Radio News recap for July, 2015". airchecker.ca. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.