News/Talk Radio Winnipeg: CJOB

Canadians have been listening to news/talk stations in Canada for almost 91 years. Canada’s oldest news/talk radio station was the station that originally donned the call letters XWA which was based out of Montreal, Quebec. The station later changed its letters to CFCF (“Canada’s First: Canada’s Finest”) and is most recently known as CINW 940AM’s Greatest Hits. The station stopped programming on January 29, 2010. (1)

This station belonged to Corus Entertainment and in a prepared statement the vice-president of secondary Corus Quebec, Mario Cecchini said that day; (1) “We put tremendous effort into trying to find the right format and content to grow our audience base and operate profitably, but after years of effort it is clear these AM stations are not viable.”

Why do station that have been around for decades, some approaching a century, feel the need to re-brand or cease programming? Is it relied solely upon audience base? Moreover, what are the key attributes to success for the stations that are still on-air today?

In Canada today there are approximately 700 radio stations. (2) Fewer of which stations are predominantly news/talk radio. A well-known, long-time running, local news/talk radio station in Winnipeg is CJOB belonging to Corus Entertainment located at

930 Portage Avenue

.

CJOB has been running since Monday March 11, 1946. (3) The 250-watt station at 1340 kHz was owned by John Oliver Blick. J.O. (Jack) Blick was a commercial writer at Edmonton's CJCA and when he was interrupted by the war, he spent four and a half years in the air-force. When Blick left the war he wanted to have his own radio station and chose Winnipeg as the location. (6) The acronym for Blicks name became the call sign ‘JOB”.

The attributed success of CJOB’s programming can be associated with the fact the content comes from the local community. There is a national broadcast that comes from the CJOB studio as well. Adler On Line is an afternoon politically based talk show hosted by Charles Adler. (4)

The station also broadcasts local sports updates and commentary. Local sports teams such as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Manitoba Moose are featured. On Mondays at 6:00 pm the bomber head coach, Paul LaPolice does the bomber head coach show. Bomber defensive lineman Doug Brown has a show every second Thursday at 6:00 pm called the Doug Brown Power Hour. (4)

Other personalities previously associated with the station are Red Alix, George McCloy, Bob Washington, Irv "Doc" Stein, Wee Ray Isley, Hedi Lewis and more notable personalities like Peter Warren, Dick Vincent, and John Wells. (5)

In March 2006, CJOB had its 60th anniversary.  A celebration was held at the Hotel Fort Garry. Host of the morning show Larry Updike and Brian Barkley were in attendance to help celebrate. The station then invited the loyal to the CJOB studios on March 10, 2006 for cake and coffee with veteran CJOB announcer Donn Kirton. (6)

CJOB is one tried, tested and true example of a news/talk radio station that was built with a vision and has been carried through the years.

With keeping the contents of its programming local, current and significant to the public, the loyalty from the listeners is sure to continue. The station has clearly evaluated the personalities of the program carefully to ensure a succinct and tight flow. Next March, 2011 will mark the 65 anniversary.

SOURCES

(1) sistersagesmusings.ca/canadas-oldest-radio-station-has-gone-off-the-air-is- new-technology-taking-over-commercial-radio-as-we-know-it

(2)http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20031204.wxftwkapi04/BNStory/Front/

(3) "Mayor Garnet Coulter Opens Winnipeg's New Radio Station". Winnipeg Tribune. March 11, 1946. pp. 12.

(4) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CJOB

(5) http://www.worldlingo.com/ma/enwiki/en/CJOB_(AM)

(6) http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/index3.html?url=http%3A//www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/radio/histories.php%3Fid%3D213%26historyID%3D74