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May 20, 2024 6:23 am  #1


The CKEY Top 40 Era

Just curious. Does anyone know how long CKEY battled CHUM in the late 50's early 60's top 40 wars? and did they have any success ratings wise? I know CKEY did switch to top 40 sometime in 1957. I have seen some of their charts online from November of that year. As for the end, I am guessing maybe February 1965. The March 8 CHUM  Chart boasted "1050 CHUM: Toronto's only Hit Parade Station. Toronto's only Hit Parade Chart"

 

May 20, 2024 6:47 am  #2


Re: The CKEY Top 40 Era

They gave up the fight with CHUM in 1965, to go after CFRB. I was a loyal CHUM listener back then and one of my big regrets is never giving 590 (580 back then) a shot. I wish there were more airchecks from those days.

I went hunting for any sign of their rock history when I worked at 'EY in 1977. There was absolutely nothing, and like so many radio stations, they simply discarded most of their past. Which is a real shame.

By the way, May 5th would have marked the station's 99th birthday - it first signed on in 1925.



 

May 20, 2024 6:56 am  #3


Re: The CKEY Top 40 Era

This article is dated Jan. 21, 1965, which should give you an idea of when they made the switch away from rock. It tries to explains why CKEY shifted formats, with the main reason being they constantly trailed CHUM and weren't making enough money from advertisers. 

Apparently they had something of a hybrid format right before the change - a CFRB-style format during the day and Top 40 tunes at night. That kind of mix almost never works and it didn't in this case, either. 



 

 

May 20, 2024 5:35 pm  #4


Re: The CKEY Top 40 Era

Thanks RA. Very interesting and informative article about early 60's CKEY. I had no idea the station had so many format changes over a three year period.

     Thread Starter
 

May 20, 2024 7:17 pm  #5


Re: The CKEY Top 40 Era

The writer of the top article didn't do his research very well. He states that CHUM went into a tightly formatted Top 40 in June 1956.
That CHUM Top 40 format didn't happen until almost a year later on May 27, 1957.

 

May 20, 2024 9:02 pm  #6


Re: The CKEY Top 40 Era

I lived in Kitchener through the 1960's. We (mostly my dad) would listen to CHUM and CKEY.

CHUM had a much better daytime signal than CKEY.

Not sure if this made much difference in the Toronto suburbs though.

At the time I believe both stations ran 10 kilowatts.

 

May 20, 2024 9:03 pm  #7


Re: The CKEY Top 40 Era

There were three reasons why CKEY didn't do better against CHUM in the long run. Their names were Allen Waters, Allan Slaight and Allen Farrell. Nobody had more tenacity and determination in those days than those three. At one point, when Jack Kent Cooke still owned the station, CHUM spread a (false) rumour that CHUM was switching from Top 40 to the 'Sweet Swinging Sound'. CHUM even had jingles cut for it and aired them. Cooke took the bait and switched CKEY almost overnight. CHUM never switched or had any intention of switching.

Last edited by Doug Thompson (May 21, 2024 12:33 pm)

 

May 20, 2024 9:19 pm  #8


Re: The CKEY Top 40 Era

That reminds me of what the old 640 CHOG did in 1993. They made it sound like they were switching to All News. CFTR was the one to do it, and 640 played music for another two years.

 

May 20, 2024 9:25 pm  #9


Re: The CKEY Top 40 Era

June 1993:

 

May 21, 2024 1:05 am  #10


Re: The CKEY Top 40 Era

Marc1178 wrote:

That reminds me of what the old 640 CHOG did in 1993. They made it sound like they were switching to All News. CFTR was the one to do it, and 640 played music for another two years.




 


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May 21, 2024 9:38 am  #11


Re: The CKEY Top 40 Era

Doug Thompson wrote:

The writer of the top article didn't do his research very well. He states that CHUM went into a tightly formatted Top 40 in June 1956.
That CHUM Top 40 format didn't happen until almost a year later on May 27, 1957.

The writer also says that CKEY was "easily" the number one station in the Toronto market in the 50's.  They were beating CFRB?  Never heard that before.  Also that CKEY out chummed CHUM after 1050 moved to top 40 and stopped them in their tracks.  Really?  I always heard that CKEY was about two steps behind CHUM, for music, personalities and promotions, even news.

 

May 21, 2024 12:31 pm  #12


Re: The CKEY Top 40 Era

At least in 1957, CKEY was beating CFRB.

 

May 21, 2024 2:48 pm  #13


Re: The CKEY Top 40 Era

 Very interesting Doug, never have seen that  graphic before.  Makes you wonder why CKEY would change format when they had been beating CFRB.  Neat the card mentions for full particulars call Al Waters.  He was a hands on owner and brought in Hit Parade Rock and Roll full time in Toronto.

 

May 22, 2024 9:50 am  #14


Re: The CKEY Top 40 Era

I guess CBC radio and some out of towners like CHML and CKOC made up the remaining 23% of Toronto radio listening in July 1957.