Try this one instead.

turkeytop wrote:

I can't read the story because the link wouldn't give me access.

Didn't CJRT, at one time, get some of its funding from the Ontario government?

CJRT, when it was affiliated with Ryerson, used to air all kinds of "over the air" classes on a variety of educational subjects and was supported by, among others, the Government of Ontario. These subsidies began to dry up when the station reduced its educational content and then disappeared entirely under the Harris administration back in the mid-late 90s.

As a casual jazz fan, I've sampled JazzFM at various times over the past several years, particularly when I was working and had to endure commutes of two hours or more each day. From a music perspective, I always found the hosts were jazz fans first and radio professionals second. This meant their commentary was always too "inside baseball" for my tastes ("The horn solo on that latest track by Zez Hoover was not nearly as vibrant as the 1948 version by Desi 'Plonge Mouth' Smith..."). For several years, the station also had its own news readers and their story choices were often bizzare. I know that management made a conscious decision to avoid the "cops and robbers" coverage of many Toronto stations, but some of the material that aired was just so far off the beaten track that it couldn't even be classed as "news you can use." 

That said, JazzFM has long served a niche in the Toronto radio market that deserves to be filled. It's not my thing, but I might be prepared to toss a few bucks their way to keep it on the air. I hope others will do the same.
 

Forward Power wrote:

BowmanvilleBob wrote:

CJRT, when it was affiliated with Ryerson, used to air all kinds of "over the air" classes on a variety of educational subjects and was supported by, among others, the Government of Ontario. These subsidies began to dry up when the station reduced its educational content and then disappeared entirely under the Harris administration back in the mid-late 90s. 

I believe it was known as "Open College", and I remember hearing mentions of it as late as the early 2000s, still in the Harris/Eves years... cable FM way out in eastern Ontario carried CJRT, and I think Cogeco here in the Ottawa Valley still carries the station and a few other Toronto outlets on digital channels.

Sorry, should have clarified that the subsidies paid by the Ontario government disappeared under the Harris regime, rather than the educational programming itself. I remember the station's CEO, Chuck Camroux, sending out a urgent fundraising bulletin about the loss of funding at the time.

BowmanvilleBob wrote:

Forward Power wrote:

BowmanvilleBob wrote:

CJRT, when it was affiliated with Ryerson, used to air all kinds of "over the air" classes on a variety of educational subjects and was supported by, among others, the Government of Ontario. These subsidies began to dry up when the station reduced its educational content and then disappeared entirely under the Harris administration back in the mid-late 90s. 

I believe it was known as "Open College", and I remember hearing mentions of it as late as the early 2000s, still in the Harris/Eves years... cable FM way out in eastern Ontario carried CJRT, and I think Cogeco here in the Ottawa Valley still carries the station and a few other Toronto outlets on digital channels.

Sorry, should have clarified that the subsidies paid by the Ontario government disappeared under the Harris regime, rather than the educational programming itself. I remember the station's CEO, Chuck Camroux, sending out a urgent fundraising bulletin about the loss of funding at the time.

I believe CJRT switched to All Jazz after they lost their public funding for their programs.
 

paterson1 wrote:

mace wrote:

The Star article says that CJRT is the second oldest FM station in Canada. Anyone know the oldest? I always thought CHFI was the oldest. Perhaps CHFI is the oldest commercial FM station.

I know CKFM (then CFRB FM) began broadcasting in 1947 at 99.9. It had been around since the late 30's as an experimental FM station and closed down during the war.  CFPL-FM (FM 96) began broadcasting in 1948 and wiki call it Canada's 3rd oldest FM station. CKPR-FM in Thunder Bay also started broadcasting in October of 1948 but as a simulcast of the AM. 

CHFI came on in 1957 and was Toronto's first commercial FM station to broadcast it's own programming.  Others up until this point were simulcasting their AM signal.   Also I have heard that CHFI was Canada's first stereo FM radio station which is what the HF in call letters stand for, hi-fidelity.  Not sure if they were stereo from day one however. 

According to the History of Canadian Broadcasting site, CHFI began stereo broadcasting in October 1961. The first Canadian FM station to do so,

An update on Jazz FM's fundraising. 

JAZZ.FM91 ‘closing the gap’ following urgent fundraising appeal

Nope, I believe you’re mistaken.  ZoomerMedia does not own the building which is several blocks away from Vision TV, CFZM and CFMZ.   In fact ZoomerMedia does not “own” the building where its studios and offices are located.  The building was sold many years ago.   To my knowledge, Moses Znaimer in his personal capacity never owned the building where CJRT is located.  

The Toronto Star reported this week that the landlord IS WTF.  Read Edward Brown's article in the Toronto Star published on Saturday August 10h.  I know for a fact that WTF owned 550 Queen Street East, where Martin Rosenthal's CFMX was located.   When MZ Media purchased CFMX (now CFMZ) in the early 2000's the company's landlord at 550 Queen was WTF.  I know that for a fact - because I dealt with WTF - and WTF was and is not owned by Moses Znaimer.  If Moses Znaimer had owned or had a stake in WTF, I can assure you that CFMZ and its management would not have had the problems with the premises, at 550 Queen Street that they experienced.  Here's a link to WTF's corporate profile.
https://www.datanyze.com/companies/wtf-group/56541509

On a lighter note....my daughter worked at MZ Media at one time at 550 Queen, and she had a longer version of W - T - F - which I will not print here.   I also had offices in the same Building - at 550 Queen Street - for a few years around 2005.   Not a good experience.When the air conditioning failed for several weeks in the summer of 2006 or 2007, we had to abandon our offices and work elsewhere for several weeks, because there was no air flow, or windows that opened.  CFMZ was similarly affected.   I dealt with WTF's owners.  And they certainly weren't Moses.  We sure as hell didn't get a rent abatement from WTF for our problems in that building.   WTF seem to be rather benevolent to CJRT.

...at our first opportunity we got the "F" out of that building and purchased our own building a few blocks away and never looked back.  We did everything "right" in our new building - that WTF did "wrong".   Two heat pumps - one for each floor, windows that opened for fresh air, and we owned our own parking spaces (dealing with WTF for parking at 550 Queen was also a nightmare).  

When we terminated our lease with WTF at 550 Queen,  Moses' finance group and admin group took over our space...So I know the "whole story" about WTF - which is CJRT's landlord.


But 67Greenrambler...you seem to be an expert...did you actually lease space from WTF?  I did.
Guess I'll defer to your vast "insider" knowledge.


 

Last edited by tvguy (August 11, 2024 7:19 am)

WTF?

Don't get CJRT here in London. Travelling the 401 to Toronto, I have to wait until I'm east of Woodstock. So I've only donated once. I was in Toronto on business for a few days during their pledge drive. So I gave a small donation, about $20.

The station's potential audience is "aging out" -- of which I am one.  They need to find the next incarnation of CJRT before it's too late. What might that be?

About a couple of years ago they asked the CRTC if they could air more commercials. The CRTC turned them down. I thought at the time as I do now that it was a bad decision
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