CFRN (AM) explained

CFRN
Above:Defunct
Frequency:1260 kHz
Last Airdate:
Area:Edmonton Metropolitan Region
City:Edmonton, Alberta
Country:CA
Owner:Bell Media
Licensee:Bell Media Radio
Power:50,000 watts
Class:A (Regional)
Coordinates:53.4523°N -113.6813°W
Callsign Meaning:G.R.A. Rice and H.F. Nielson, partners who bought the station in 1934
Sister Stations:CFBR-FM, CFMG-FM, CFRN-DT

CFRN was a Class A, 50,000-watt (directional at night) radio station in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. CFRN was unusual in that it was a Class A (protected nighttime skywave) AM station on a regional frequency.[1] Owned by Bell Media and broadcasting on 1260 AM, the station last aired a sports format, branded as TSN 1260 Edmonton. The station's studios were located at 18520 Stony Plain Road in Edmonton, where it shared studio space with its sister station, CFRN-DT.

As of February 28, 2021, CFRN was the 17th-most-listened-to radio station in the Edmonton market according to a PPM data report released by Numeris.[2]

History

Early history

In 1927, the Christian and Missionary Alliance launched the original station as CHMA at 580 kHz. The station operated experimentally for two months before using its full power of 250 watts beginning in June.[3] In March 1934, CHMA became CFTP after Taylor & Pearson Ltd. took over the station, which moved to 1260 kHz; its debut broadcasts featured the Edmonton Athletic Club in the Abbott Cup and Memorial Cup.[4] Studios were located in the Birks Building in Edmonton.[5]

At the end of October 1934, Taylor & Pearson announced it would lease CJCA from the Edmonton Journal. Simultaneously, the manager of CJCA, G. R. A. "Dick" Rice, acquired CFTP from Taylor & Pearson.[6] On November 3, Rice immediately changed the call letters to CFRN,[7] representing Rice and his business partner, H. F. Nielson of Coalspur.[8] The two formed the Sunwapta Broadcasting Company, named for Sunwapta Falls in Jasper National Park.[9]

On September 13, 1936, the station moved to 960 kHz,[10] where it remained until March 29, 1941, when it returned to 1260 (as part of NARBA) and boosted power from 100 to 1,000 watts.[11] It was one of the charter stations of the CBC Radio-owned Dominion Network from its launch in January 1944;[12] the CBC would not have its own station on its main network in Edmonton until 1964, when CBR launched in Calgary, and CBX became Edmonton's exclusive CBC station.[13]

FM simulcast began in 1951 on CFRN-FM 100.3, which lasted until 1964, when the FM station began offering separate stereo programming.[14] [15] CFRN-FM became fully separate from CFRN in 1979 and changed its call sign to CKXM-FM.[16] [17] Sunwapta brought television to Edmonton in 1954 when CFRN-TV signed on.[18]

According to the 1976 B.B.M. Weekly Reach survey, CFRN was the 4th-most-listened-to radio station in Edmonton.[19]

The CFRN stations were sold in 1988 to Kitchener, Ontario-based Electrohome Limited for $51.2 million;[20] a 91-year-old Rice rejected offers from several western groups and selected Electrohome as the purchaser.[21] Electrohome sold off the radio properties to Standard Broadcasting in 1991 to concentrate on the television station.[22]

On July 1, 1998, CFRN flipped from adult standards to oldies, debuting Standard Radio's new oldies network, with CISL in Vancouver, delivered via Anik satellite. The new oldies network replaced the former Satellite Radio Network service.

Switch to sports radio

In June 2002, CFRN flipped to sports radio as The Team 1260, as an affiliate of CHUM Radio's The Team network. However, the network folded shortly afterwards. CFRN would maintain its branding as The Team as a locally programmed format, while adding syndicated programs such as Prime Time Sports and The Jim Rome Show. In 2007, Standard Radio was acquired by Astral Media. In turn, Astral Media was acquired by Bell Media on July 5, 2013; the acquisition reunited CFRN with its television sister, and with The Team's former owned-and-operated stations.[23] [24]

On September 30, 2013, CFRN was re-branded as a part of Bell's TSN Radio network, as TSN Radio 1260, introducing a new lineup of local afternoon programming.[25]

On June 14, 2023, as part of a mass corporate restructuring at Bell Media, the company shut down six of their AM radio stations nationwide, including CFRN. The station ended regular programming at 9 a.m. that day, airing a looped message about the impending shutdown, which lasted until the completion of the signoff. The shutdown came with such little warning that shortly before 9 a.m., the station went to a commercial break from which it never returned.[26] [27]

The CRTC approved Bell Media's application to revoke CFRN's licence on April 10, 2024. [28]

Former shows and games

Live sports

CFRN was the flagship station for the following teams' radio broadcasts:

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: AM Broadcast Station Classes; Clear, Regional, and Local Channels | FCC.gov . October 1, 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120430090244/http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/am-broadcast-station-classes-clear-regional-and-local-channels . April 30, 2012 .
  2. Web site: Winter 2021 PPM Data . April 17, 2021 . April 17, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210417163145/https://www.radiowest.ca/forum/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=37458 . live .
  3. News: Radio Station CHMA Gives Test Program. July 12, 1927. 3. The Edmonton Bulletin. Newspapers.com. June 14, 2023.
  4. News: Broadcast of Hockey Games Makes Big Hit: New CFTP Station Had Large Following In Final Series. April 7, 1934. 17. The Edmonton Bulletin. Newspapers.com. June 14, 2023.
  5. News: New Broadcasting Station of Taylor & Pearson Makes Official Debut. April 30, 1934. 6. Edmonton Journal. Newspapers.com. June 14, 2023.
  6. News: 2 City Radio Stations Now Change Hands: Taylor and Pearson Lease CJCA—Rice Purchases Station CFTP. October 31, 1934. 13. The Edmonton Bulletin. Newspapers.com. June 14, 2023.
  7. News: Veteran Radioman Operates CFRN: Call Letters of Station Are Changed By Commission. November 3, 1934. 17. Edmonton Journal. Newspapers.com. June 14, 2023.
  8. News: To Hold Official Opening Of CFRN Radio Station In New Quarters Monday. February 23, 1935. 2. Edmonton Journal. Newspapers.com. June 14, 2023.
  9. News: History, Romance Combined In Name City Radio Station. February 23, 1935. 2. Edmonton Journal. Newspapers.com. June 14, 2023.
  10. News: Radio Station CFRN Changes Frequency To 960 k.c.. September 12, 1936. 9. Edmonton Journal. Newspapers.com. June 14, 2023.
  11. News: Radio Station CFRN Grows To Powerful Unit: Broadcast Depot Gets Boost to 1,000 Watts: Moves to 1260. March 29, 1941. 17, 20. The Edmonton Bulletin. Newspapers.com. June 14, 2023.
  12. News: CKWX on New CBC Network. December 23, 1943. 13. The Vancouver Sun. Newspapers.com. June 14, 2023.
  13. News: CBC Chief Inaugurates New Radio Facilities. November 7, 1964. 24. Edmonton Journal. Newspapers.com. June 14, 2023.
  14. News: On the Air. June 12, 1951. 9. Edmonton Journal. Newspapers.com. June 14, 2023.
  15. News: High Quality Keynote Of Music Planned For Stereo Programs. July 11, 1964. 25. Edmonton Journal. Newspapers.com. June 14, 2023.
  16. News: James Adams on television and radio. November 29, 1978. E7. Edmonton Journal. Newspapers.com. June 14, 2023.
  17. Web site: CFRN-AM History of Canadian Broadcasting. April 17, 2021. www.broadcasting-history.ca. April 17, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210417200040/https://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listing_and_histories/radio/cfrn-am. live.
  18. News: Thousands View Initial Telecasts. 21. The Edmonton Journal. October 18, 1954. October 30, 2021. October 30, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211030061535/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88021027/thousands-view-initial-telecasts/. live.
  19. Web site: Kens Radio Scrapbook - BBM Survey of Radio Stations in Edmonton Alberta 1975 - 630 CHED 1976-1978. April 17, 2021. www.discoverthepeacecountry.com. April 17, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210417184656/https://www.discoverthepeacecountry.com/kens-radio-scrapbook/ched-edmonton/ched-bbm-survey.html. live.
  20. News: Electrohome looks for payoff at Sunwapta as CFRN hits No. 1. Rick. Pedersen. D1. The Edmonton Journal. June 2, 1990. October 30, 2021. October 30, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211030061529/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88021913/electrohome-looks-for-payoff-at/. live.
  21. News: CFRN empire sold to Ontario firm. October 24, 1987. A1. The Edmonton Journal. October 30, 2021. October 30, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211030061539/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88021751/cfrn-empire-sold-to-ontario-firm/. live.
  22. News: Toronto-based firm to buy two city radio stations. B2. The Edmonton Journal. October 31, 1991. October 30, 2021. October 30, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211030061542/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88021963/toronto-based-firm-to-buy-two-city/. live.
  23. News: CRTC approves Bell/Astral deal with conditions. Toronto Star. July 5, 2013. June 27, 2013. June 30, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130630192000/http://www.thestar.com/business/tech_news/2013/06/27/crtc_approves_bellastral_deal_with_conditions.html. live.
  24. News: CRTC approves Bell-Astral merger. CBC. July 5, 2013. August 27, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130827073723/http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2013/06/27/business-bell-astral-crtc-decision.html. live.
  25. Web site: TSN Radio hits the air in Ottawa and Edmonton. TSN.ca. Bell Media. September 30, 2013. October 29, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131029202548/http://www.tsn.ca/story/?id=433113. live.
  26. News: Bell Media Shuts 6 AMs, to Sell 3 Others, as Part of Companywide Cuts. Lance. Venta. RadioInsight. June 14, 2023. June 14, 2023.
  27. News: Bell cutting 1,300 positions, closing or selling 9 radio stations. Canadian Press. Financial Post. June 14, 2023. Sammy. Hudes.
  28. https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2024/2024-79.htm Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2024-79

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