Tom told me that in late 1966 he was working three shifts at 'FH. From 10 a.m.-2 p.m., he spun Mantovani records, as per the regular format. Then from 4-6 p.m. he did a "teen show." He came back at 11 p.m. and did "The Whole Bag" until 1 a.m., and then took the streetcar home.

Here's a CKFH lineup from January 1967, the month they went to a rock format:

(Source: Toronto Star)
6-6:30 a.m. - RELIGION
6:30-10 a.m. - DON DAYNARD
10-11 a.m. - AROUND METRO
11 a.m.-3 p.m. - DON CAMERON
3-7 p.m. - TOM FULTON
7-10 p.m. - ECHOES OF ITALY
10-11 p.m. - RELIGION
11 p.m.-1 a.m. - THE WHOLE BAG with BIG G. WALTERS

Last edited by Dale Patterson (August 5, 2017 9:54 pm)

When did that change happen RadAc?  I 'think' I was off pursuing my own career by the time that finally occurred.  Pretty sure 'we' were dealing with Tom and also, subsequently, buying ads for our various shows on FH through most of 1970 and '71.  We also dealt with CHUM FM.

And when did 'FI' - AM become the competing top 30 force known as CFTR?  And then there was  Bobbo...moving out to Winnipeg and Duff coming back into the Big Smoke to take over 104.5?  THAT sure was a trade that seemed to work out well for all concerned.

It was tough to compete with 1050.  580 and then 590 CKEY gave up.  CKFH walked away even though it seemed they were making real inroads.  'EY tried again with the 'we only spin gold' thing 'til CHUM AM switched to their own oldies format and won because they were likely seen as being entirely more authentic.  But 680 hung in and swung in and sprung into the top spot with the young[er] target.  Sticktoitiveness?  A better signal?  A superior playlist?  Or did 1050 CHUM finally just end up beating itself... ... ...up?

These guys who suggest [here and elsewhere] that the tight, narrow, tunnel vision controlled playlists are the be-all and end-all depend way too much on re-written history and failed consulting theories compiled by way too many B.S. salesmen with next to no valid, long lasting, valid samples.  There weren't too many of 'em named George Davies.  The audience...the CORE audience...wants more.  They've consistently said so since the dawn of stereos.

But?  It never occurred to the powers that be that listening to the audience might encourage 'them' to continue listening in.  I guess maybe THAT was too simple a formula.  Instead consultant research and focus group sessions seemed to formulate questions which would tend to offer backup to whatever 'theory' they were expounding at any given moment.  Seems to me that there's plenty of evidence available from the history of music radio in Toronto to suggest that 'we' never really did know it all.  We just thought we did.  And people like Tom Fulton helped to point that out very clearly.

Old Codger wrote:

    guys who suggest [here and elsewhere] that the tight, narrow, tunnel vision controlled playlists are the be-all and end-all, depend way too much on re-written history 

 

Is Pet Sounds the best album ever?
 

Dale Patterson wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

I first "discovered" CKFH around the time of the Open Lid. By that time, CHUM had gone the Drake route and I had begun to really dislike what they were doing. 'FH was the anti-CHUM. Man, it was a great station. Maybe someone here can tell me if the story I've heard about why they abandoned Top 40 is true. 

I was told that when management saw the ratings going up, someone became alarmed, essentially saying, "Holy s**t, we're competing with CHUM!" Supposedly, the cost of keeping that up scared them so much they abandoned the format not long after.

I find it hard to believe, but that's the tale I was told about why "Number 2" radio came to an abrupt end. Anyone know if there's even the remotest bit of truth to that?

No. 'FH was never even close to CHUM in the ratings.

http://billdulmage.com:80/misc/bbm%20toronto1.html">https://web.archive.org/web/20040623092609/http://billdulmage.com:80/misc/bbm%20toronto1.html
 

Wow thank you for posting those ratings. They reiterate the point that targeting to the lowest common denominator is the winning strategy but some of the alternatives did gain mild success.

CHUM FM's success after they leaned AC stands out but CILQ also had some strong numbers.
 

Old Codger wrote:

Not sure that it was anywhere NEAR that simple Fitz.  In general FM radio began to overtake AM radio in the ratings right around the exact same time that LP sales began to outdistance 45 rpm sales at yonder record bar.  Baby boomers were maturing.  FM kept pace.  AM [at least top 40/30 AM] didn't.  And when they tried?  [Like the CHUM group AM stations going 3-4 cuts deep into new lps upon their release?]  It was too late...as was the case, as well, with AM stereo.  The quality signal on FM was the eventual winner.  That they now program many of the  music FM stations with low quality tunes can only mean one thing... ... ...eventual death to the medium.  It's certainly ailing now as folks look for something worth listening to.

I hear what you are OC but Toronto may have been slower to make the switch to FM if these ratings are to be believed. The album gained dominance  by 1968/69 but AM radio continued to dominate the ratings here until CHUM FM's switch away from album rock by 1985 and before that during the rock era the more commercialized CHUM FM became, the higher it's ratings. That's not to say that more creative programming did not achive mid level success. There's almost 20 years of data on that ratings link.

Last edited by Fitz (August 6, 2017 7:02 pm)