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CKPC (AM)

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CKPC
Defunct
Broadcast areaCounty of Brant
Frequency1380 kHz (AM)
BrandingArise Christian Radio AM 1380
Programming
FormatChristian
Ownership
OwnerEvanov Communications
CKPC-FM, CFWC-FM
History
First air date
December 1923
Last air date
August 4, 2023
Former frequencies
1210 kHz (1923–1930)
1010 kHz (1930–1931)
880 kHz (1931–1934)
930 kHz (1934–1947)
Call sign meaning
CK Preston, Canada (original city of licence)
Technical information
ClassB
Power25,000 watts
Transmitter coordinates
43°03′20.2″N 80°18′54″W / 43.055611°N 80.31500°W / 43.055611; -80.31500
Repeater(s)92.1 CKPC-FM-HD3
Links
Websitearise1380.com

CKPC (1380 kHz) was a commercial AM radio station in Brantford, Ontario. Owned by Evanov Communications, the station was first established in 1923 in Preston, Ontario, as one of Canada's earliest radio stations.

The station broadcast various formats, ranging from full service, to adult contemporary and oldies formats. From 2020 to its closure in 2023, the station operated under a Christian radio format, which it had assumed from sister station CFWC-FM in exchange for its country music format.

History

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In December 1923, CKPC signed on the air. The original city of licence was Preston (now part of the city of Cambridge). The station first started out as an amateur radio station, but founder Wallace Russ quickly applied for a broadcast licence after a few trial transmissions.[1][2] His licence was granted, and he started broadcasting from his home in Preston at a power of just 5 watts. Its power increased to 25 watts in 1927. It moved to 1010 kilocycles at 50 watts in 1930, and then to 880 kHz.

In 1933, Russ's friend Cyrus Dolph purchased the station, which was soon moved from Preston to Brantford.[3] Russ still remained active with the station, and watched it grow throughout its early years.[4][1] In 1934, the station moved to 930 kHz. In 1947, it moved to its current location on the band, 1380 AM.

The company added an FM station in 1949, CKPC-FM, operating at 250 watts and simulcasting the AM signal. The AM and FM stations continued to mostly air the same programming until 1976, when the FM station's power increased to 50,000 watts.[5]

In 1951, Florence Buchanan assumed full control of Telephone City Broadcast Limited, including CKPC-FM and CKPC, from her father Cyrus. The AM station then had a 1,000-watt signal. She became the first woman in Canada to own and operate a radio station.[2][1] In 1959, CKPC built a new transmitter and increased power to 10,000 watts. In 1972, Florence's son Richard Buchanan assumed control of Telephone City Broadcast Ltd.[1]

CKPC was an affiliate of CBC Radio's Dominion Network until 1962 when the station became an independent outlet.

In 1980, during a live appearance on a CKPC talk show, Prime Minister Joe Clark revealed that the Canadian government had assisted in the rescue of six American diplomats during the Iran hostage crisis.[6][2]

On March 15, 1999, Telephone City Broadcast Ltd. was denied an application to add an FM translator at Simcoe to operate on 98.9 MHz with an effective radiated power of 1,090 watts. The proposed rebroadcasting transmitter was intended to correct coverage inadequacies in CKPC's AM signal to the Simcoe, Port Dover and Delhi area.[7]

On June 1, 2004, CKPC switched formats from adult contemporary to oldies. Its power increased from 10,000 watts to 25,000 watts in 2007.[8][9] Richard Buchanan died in July 2008.[10] Telephone City Broadcast was held by Buchanan's estate until July 2009, when an agreement was reached to sell the stations to Evanov Communications, pending CRTC approval.[1] The transaction was approved on August 28, 2009.[11]

On June 24, 2010, the station flipped to a country format.

In February 2020, the CRTC approved a request by Evanov to move sister station CFWC-FM's Christian format to CKPC. Evanov felt that the country format would be more profitable on an FM signal.[12] The switch took effect on-air on September 4, 2020, with Arise moving to 1380, and CFWC flipping to country as Hot Country 93.9.[13]

Shortly after midnight on August 4, 2023, the station signed off and shut down after nearly 100 years of broadcasting. Evanov cited "local market conditions, and changes to the radio industry" as reasoning, prioritizing the company's FM stations in the market.[2][14] Its license was returned to the CRTC on December 4, 2023.[15]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Media, Sun (10 July 2009). "CKPC radio stations sold". Simcoe Reformer. Simcoe, Ontario. Archived from the original on 27 February 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d Ruby, Michelle (August 4, 2023). "CKPC AM 1380 signs off the air". Brantford Expositor. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  3. ^ "CKPC Brantford". Broadcasting History. Bill Dulmage & Mike Tennant. February 2014. Archived from the original on 2019-08-21. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  4. ^ "CKPC". Hammond Museum of Radio. Hammond Museum of Radio. 10 February 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2017. CKPC first went on the air in 1923 in the town of Preston when Mr. Wallace Russ and two of his radio "ham" friends, Tom Mead of and Charles Bonner of Galt were experimenting with a low-powered radio transmitter. Suddenly the phone rang. It was a neighbour reporting that he could hear the three men talking through his radio receiver. The experimenters were unaware that their voices were being transmitted on the broadcast band, and so CKPC hit the airwaves for the first time, in an unscheduled entrance.
  5. ^ "CKPC Brantford". Broadcasting History. Bill Dulmage & Mike Tennant. February 2014. Archived from the original on 2019-08-21. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  6. ^ Best, John (August 3, 2023). "Sign of the times –another AM radio station bites the dust CKPC Brantford to close after 90 years". The Bay Observer. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  7. ^ Decision CRTC 99-64
  8. ^ Decisions CRTC 90-811
  9. ^ "ARCHIVED - CKPC Brantford - Technical change". 10 July 2006.
  10. ^ Ibbotson, Heather (30 July 2008). "CKPC owner had 'radio in his blood'". Simcoe Reformer. Simcoe, Ontario. Archived from the original on 27 February 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  11. ^ "Broadcasting Information Bulletin CRTC 2009-634". CRTC. 2009-10-08. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  12. ^ "CFWC-FM Brantford and CKPC Brantford – Technical changes and licence amendments". CRTC. 2020-02-17. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  13. ^ Thiessen, Connie (2020-08-31). "Evanov's Brantford country station gets FM relaunch this week". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  14. ^ "CKPC-A (Arise Christian Radio AM 1380)/Brantford, ON Shuts Down". All Access. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  15. ^ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2023-402, CKPC Brantford – Revocation of licence, CRTC, December 4, 2023
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