It has only been days since News 1130 was taken off the radio airwaves in Vancouver, leading to much shock from residents and professionals in the industry.
News 1130 had been broadcasting for over 30 years, but CKWX has been active in the region for over 100 years, having been established in 1923.
Not only did the News 1130 closure, thanks to Rogers, lead to many radio professionals being let go, but it also meant the death of Vancouver’s only 24-hour all-news station.
News 1130 wasn’t the only casualty. Vancouver’s last bastion for sports radio, Sportsnet 650, another station that Rogers pulled off the air, has also bit the dust.
Moving forward, what’s going to happen to 1130 on the AM dial?
We asked the CRTC for comment on the radio closures earlier this week, as some of the online reaction had wondered if the Canadian public authority shared some responsibility. In its response, it offered a glimpse into what would happen to the signal after explaining that it believed the companies behind station closures were the ones that were most responsible.
“The CRTC is an independent quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates the Canadian communications sector in the public interest. The CRTC holds public consultations on telecommunications and broadcasting matters and makes decisions based on the public record,” a CRTC spokesperson told Daily Hive.
“Like all Canadians, the CRTC is concerned about job losses and station closures. Companies are best placed to answer questions related to their business decisions,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson shared that Rogers had indicated to the CRTC that it plans to return the broadcasting licences to it.
“Once it does so, the CRTC would determine any processes related to the future use of these frequencies.”
Long story short, CKWX and the AM 1130 signal will be available for purchase once Rogers returns the broadcasting licences to the CRTC.
The legacy behind the Vancouver radio signal
A CKWX broadcast in the 1940s. (AM1184-S1-: CVA 1184-2378 | City of Vancouver Archives)
CKWX has a wild history, and the station offered a diverse range of programming over the course of its 100-year-plus history.
According to Broadcasting History, CKWX first broadcast in 1923 when the station was CFDC-AM. It broadcast on 430, not 1130. It was broadcast in Nanaimo and was owned by Sparks Co.
In 1954, the station began broadcasting BC Lions games.
In the late 1950s, CKWX became a family hit music station. CKWX moved to 1130 in 1957 and has remained on that AM frequency ever since.
Interestingly, in 1966, CKWX introduced a new kind of religious programming with a show called God Talk. It was an open-line show that allowed callers to call in and discuss religious topics.
In 1969, the CKWX slogan was, “CKWX Radio 1130 – Serving Vancouver – the SUPER market.”
On March 8, 1974, the station became “CKWX Supercountry.” Broadcasting History says that CKWX produced a big country music show during that time in support of a “Save the Orpheum” campaign in Vancouver.
In the late 1970s, CKWX became the first Canadian station to broadcast NFL events when it started broadcasting Seattle Seahawks games.
Broadcasting History lists an important milestone in 1981, when CKWX produced Focus on Racism, “an in-depth documentary series on the growing problems of racial discrimination in the community and across the nation, which involved the entire production staff of 22 people.”
It wasn’t till 1996 that CKWX switched from the country format to an all-news station, and that lasted until this week, over 30 years later.
In case of emergency…
The earthquakes caused soil failure on the Kelsey Bay Highway, north of Campbell River, B.C. (Earthquakes Canada)
Larry Gifford, the former program director at CKNW, which is under the Corus banner, recently posted an op-ed on his LinkedIn page, reflecting on the closure and what it means for media, journalism, radio, and Vancouver.
“The irony is that radio has never been more important. We live in an era of misinformation, artificial intelligence, and endless content competing for our attention. The need for trusted local journalism has only grown,” Gifford wrote.
He pointed out that if we were thrust into a catastrophic emergency, like the well overdue mega earthquake, the radio would be one of, if not the only, forms of communication. And having a 24-hour all-news station would’ve proved quite useful.
“My heart goes out to every journalist, producer, anchor, technician, salesperson, engineer, traffic reporter, and support staff member who devoted their careers to informing this city. They deserved better.”
He concluded, “So did Vancouver.”