CHFI-FM
Encyclopedia
CHFI-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts an adult contemporary format at 98.1 on the FM dial in Toronto, Ontario. Like most Toronto radio and TV channels, it broadcasts atop the CN Tower
with and ERP of 44 kW and has a sizeable amount of American listeners. It is the most-listened to radio station in Canada
and the most listened to station in Toronto according to the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement
(BBM) ratings (occasionally sharing the top spot with Bell Media Radio-owned Hot AC station CHUM-FM
).
-like background music service for offices and retail outlets in the city.
The station was acquired in 1960 by Aldred-Rogers Broadcasting Ltd., the company now known as Rogers Radio
. In 1962, an AM counterpart, CHFI, which later became highly successful Top 40 music station CFTR
, was added.
CHFI-FM pioneered the "beautiful music" format. The main programming heard from dawn until midnight was traditional easy listening fare. Music director Michael Compeau created a number of the station's much-imitated programs. The most famous was the popular and long running "Candlelight and Wine" heard evenings from 6 to 11 pm. The program, hosted by Don Parish, mixed soothing instrumentals, soft vocals and occasional light classical pieces in "pop" arrangements. The program spun off a series of best-selling record albums, many of which are now highly prized collectors' items.
Compeau also created the popular "Classics 'til Dawn" - an overnight program of popular classical music. (In 1984 Compeau would become program director of CFMX-FM and use this same format for their overnight program.)
Another of Compeau's innovations was "Front Row Centre" - heard Sunday afternoons at 2 PM. This one-hour program featured full original cast recordings of popular Broadway musicals, with host Don Parish explaining the story between the songs.
In the 1970s, Todd Russell began hosting a late evening program called "Reminiscing" featuring modern recordings of popular songs from the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. In 1973, Compeau decided to add some spice to the program by sprinkling in a few original period recordings. Since very few had been reissued on Lp at this time, a call went out to collectors who loaned their original 78-rpm records to the radio station. The records were cleaned, repaired and brushed with distilled water before being transcribed to tape. Dubbed the "new library of old 78's" these antique rarities were showcased each weeknight. (In 1974 host Todd Russell died and was replaced by Sandy Hoyt.) CHFI soon amassed a collection of over 3,500 period recordings and the reminiscing program became one of the station's biggest successes. As time went on the modern recordings were phased out and the program featured mainly the period recordings.
A format change in the late 1970s led to the elimination of these programs, and CHFI began moving towards a soft-rock/adult contemporary sound, making this one of the longest-running English-language adult contemporary stations in Canada
.
Its current logo was unveiled in 2000
, when Rogers changed to its current logo, rebranding the station from CHFI FM98 and the Toronto's Perfect Music Mix slogan, to 98.1 CHFI, moving away from soft adult contemporary to mainstream adult contemporary under the Toronto's Soft Rock slogan.
In 2003
, CHFI, competing closely with fellow Toronto adult contemporary station CJEZ-FM (now adult hits
CHBM-FM), attempted to popularize a younger morning show. Firing longtime CHFI morning show personality Erin Davis
and moving her on-air partner Bob Magee
to afternoons, the station named Mad Dog and Billie, later known as Jay and Billie, to host the morning show. These younger broadcasters had hosted mornings on co-owned Toronto station KISS 92 FM
when it previously broadcast a contemporary hit
, then Hip-hop
and R&B
format. The station began IDing as 98-1 CHFI (no point) instead, and unveiled the Today's Lite Music slogan.
Bringing Jay and Billie on for mornings backfired on CHFI, as the station's ratings fell nearly out of the Top 10. Shortly after being fired from CHFI, Erin Davis
was hired by CJEZ as a fill-in co-host, working alongside Mike Cooper
. This brought CJEZ's ratings up dramatically, beating CHFI in several books. In 2005, CHFI management fired Jay and Billie, rehired Davis for mornings, and also hired Mike Cooper as her co-host on October 26 after his contract with CJEZ expired. At the same time, the station returned to using the point on the station's ID, and returned to their old soft AC sounds and switched to the current "Toronto's Lite Favourites" slogan. This turned around CHFI's ratings, as the station claimed the top spot in the ratings (as well as becoming the most listened-to station in Canada), while CJEZ's ratings fell, prompting that station to flip to adult hits in December 2009.
As of 2009
, the station would return to mainstream AC, but retained the Toronto's Lite Favourites slogan and decimal point from the station ID. In addition, newer jingles were unveiled, along with an opening bumper for newer music. As well, harder-edged content is largely reappearing on the station, which is mostly upbeat, rhythmic material, such as The Black Eyed Peas
' I Gotta Feeling
. At the same time, artists such as Michael Bolton
, Air Supply
and Jewel
were largely dropped from the station's playlist. On December 26, 2009, long-time competitor CJEZ-FM
switched from an adult contemporary format to an adult hits
format, leaving CHFI as the only adult contemporary station in the Toronto radio market, although rimshot stations CKDX-FM
in Newmarket
, CKLH-FM
in Hamilton
and CHRE-FM
in St. Catharines
are de facto Toronto radio stations due to the stations' stronger signals.
Most recently, as of 2010
, the station is beginning to sound more like CHQM-FM
in Vancouver
, although CHQM is owned by CTVglobemedia
and is also the only AC station in that market. However, CHFI's newer songs (which are tagged under the banner of "A CHFI Fresh Favourite") are more limited than CHQM since CHFI plays more classic hits than CHQM, and CHFI usually adds songs much later than most AC stations in Canada
. However, Torontonians can also hear newer adult contemporary music on Hamilton's
CKLH-FM
(102.9 K-Lite FM), owned by Astral Media
, but K-Lite tends to play more newer music than CHFI.
With the tweak in CHFI's format, Rogers
owned AC stations CHYM-FM
in Kitchener
, CKY-FM
in Winnipeg
, CFLT-FM in Halifax, and CHFM-FM
in Calgary started following this pattern beginning in mid-to-late 2010. However, most of the 1970s
songs were retained by CHFI, while the other stations dropped them entirely.
Today, CHFI competes with Hot AC station CHUM-FM
, older-skewing AC CKDX-FM
, CKLH-FM
, and CHRE-FM
, as well as, to a lesser extent, Buffalo
-based WJYE
and WTSS
.
Other personalities
CN Tower
The CN Tower is a communications and observation tower in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Standing tall, it was completed in 1976, becoming the world's tallest free-standing structure and world's tallest tower at the time. It held both records for 34 years until the completion of the Burj...
with and ERP of 44 kW and has a sizeable amount of American listeners. It is the most-listened to radio station in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the most listened to station in Toronto according to the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement
Bureau of Broadcast Measurement
BBM Canada, also known as BBM, is an audience measurement organization for Canadian television and radio broadcasting.BBM was established on May 11, 1944 as a division of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters. The organization was originally known as the "Bureau of Broadcast Measurement", and...
(BBM) ratings (occasionally sharing the top spot with Bell Media Radio-owned Hot AC station CHUM-FM
CHUM-FM
CHUM-FM is a Canadian radio station licensed to Toronto, Ontario and operated by Bell Media. It broadcasts at 104.5 MHz with a hot adult contemporary format that leans towards rhythmic adult contemporary...
).
Station History
The station was launched in 1957, and was the first FM outlet in Toronto to provide its own distinct programming rather than simulcasting an AM station. CHFI also initially provided a special muzakMuzak
Muzak Holdings LLC is a company based in metro Fort Mill, South Carolina, United States, just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in 1934, Muzak Holdings is best known for distribution of background music to retail stores and other companies....
-like background music service for offices and retail outlets in the city.
The station was acquired in 1960 by Aldred-Rogers Broadcasting Ltd., the company now known as Rogers Radio
Rogers Radio
Rogers Radio is a subdivision of Rogers Communications, specializing in the radio broadcasting industry. Rogers Radio is Canada's third-largest radio broadcaster....
. In 1962, an AM counterpart, CHFI, which later became highly successful Top 40 music station CFTR
CFTR (AM)
CFTR, broadcasting under the brand 680News, is an all-news radio station based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which broadcasts live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 680 kHz on the AM dial...
, was added.
CHFI-FM pioneered the "beautiful music" format. The main programming heard from dawn until midnight was traditional easy listening fare. Music director Michael Compeau created a number of the station's much-imitated programs. The most famous was the popular and long running "Candlelight and Wine" heard evenings from 6 to 11 pm. The program, hosted by Don Parish, mixed soothing instrumentals, soft vocals and occasional light classical pieces in "pop" arrangements. The program spun off a series of best-selling record albums, many of which are now highly prized collectors' items.
Compeau also created the popular "Classics 'til Dawn" - an overnight program of popular classical music. (In 1984 Compeau would become program director of CFMX-FM and use this same format for their overnight program.)
Another of Compeau's innovations was "Front Row Centre" - heard Sunday afternoons at 2 PM. This one-hour program featured full original cast recordings of popular Broadway musicals, with host Don Parish explaining the story between the songs.
In the 1970s, Todd Russell began hosting a late evening program called "Reminiscing" featuring modern recordings of popular songs from the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. In 1973, Compeau decided to add some spice to the program by sprinkling in a few original period recordings. Since very few had been reissued on Lp at this time, a call went out to collectors who loaned their original 78-rpm records to the radio station. The records were cleaned, repaired and brushed with distilled water before being transcribed to tape. Dubbed the "new library of old 78's" these antique rarities were showcased each weeknight. (In 1974 host Todd Russell died and was replaced by Sandy Hoyt.) CHFI soon amassed a collection of over 3,500 period recordings and the reminiscing program became one of the station's biggest successes. As time went on the modern recordings were phased out and the program featured mainly the period recordings.
A format change in the late 1970s led to the elimination of these programs, and CHFI began moving towards a soft-rock/adult contemporary sound, making this one of the longest-running English-language adult contemporary stations in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Its current logo was unveiled in 2000
2000 in radio
The year 2000 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*The Real Radio & Century Radio networks become active on - air, through the United Kingdom....
, when Rogers changed to its current logo, rebranding the station from CHFI FM98 and the Toronto's Perfect Music Mix slogan, to 98.1 CHFI, moving away from soft adult contemporary to mainstream adult contemporary under the Toronto's Soft Rock slogan.
In 2003
2003 in radio
The year 2003 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:* October 10 - Facing an investigation surrounding allegations of illegal drug use, American right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh publicly admits that he is addicted to prescription pain killers, and will seek treatment.-Debuts:*March...
, CHFI, competing closely with fellow Toronto adult contemporary station CJEZ-FM (now adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
CHBM-FM), attempted to popularize a younger morning show. Firing longtime CHFI morning show personality Erin Davis
Erin Davis
Erin Davis is a popular media figure in Toronto, Ontario. At present she is a co-host of 98.1 CHFI's Morning Show along with Mike Cooper. She also appears regularly as an MC or keynote speaker for many local organizations and events in Toronto.- Early life :...
and moving her on-air partner Bob Magee
Bob Magee
Bob Magee is the professional name of Denny O'Neil, a Canadian radio personality. Formerly, he was co-host of the morning show on CING-FM in Toronto. Previously to that, he hosted the afternoon drive time show on Toronto's CHFI-FM from 2003 until 2009...
to afternoons, the station named Mad Dog and Billie, later known as Jay and Billie, to host the morning show. These younger broadcasters had hosted mornings on co-owned Toronto station KISS 92 FM
CKIS-FM
CJAQ-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 96.9 FM in Calgary, Alberta. The station uses the on-air brand name Jack FM. It is the second Jack FM station in Canada and the world, after its sister CKLG-FM in Vancouver.-History:...
when it previously broadcast a contemporary hit
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
, then Hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
format. The station began IDing as 98-1 CHFI (no point) instead, and unveiled the Today's Lite Music slogan.
Bringing Jay and Billie on for mornings backfired on CHFI, as the station's ratings fell nearly out of the Top 10. Shortly after being fired from CHFI, Erin Davis
Erin Davis
Erin Davis is a popular media figure in Toronto, Ontario. At present she is a co-host of 98.1 CHFI's Morning Show along with Mike Cooper. She also appears regularly as an MC or keynote speaker for many local organizations and events in Toronto.- Early life :...
was hired by CJEZ as a fill-in co-host, working alongside Mike Cooper
Mike Cooper (broadcaster)
Mike S. Cooper is a Canadian radio personality in Toronto, Canada, co-hosting the 98.1 CHFI morning show with Erin Davis. Cooper was born in Hamilton, Ontario.-Career:* Announcer at 1050 CHUM in Toronto...
. This brought CJEZ's ratings up dramatically, beating CHFI in several books. In 2005, CHFI management fired Jay and Billie, rehired Davis for mornings, and also hired Mike Cooper as her co-host on October 26 after his contract with CJEZ expired. At the same time, the station returned to using the point on the station's ID, and returned to their old soft AC sounds and switched to the current "Toronto's Lite Favourites" slogan. This turned around CHFI's ratings, as the station claimed the top spot in the ratings (as well as becoming the most listened-to station in Canada), while CJEZ's ratings fell, prompting that station to flip to adult hits in December 2009.
As of 2009
2009 in radio
The following events occurred in radio in 2009.- Events :* January 1: Kurdish TV starts broadcasting in Turkey.* January: Michael Smerconish, morning host at talk radio WPHT Philadelphia, begins syndication of his morning show to WHFS in Washington and WOR in New York City.* January 17: Two well...
, the station would return to mainstream AC, but retained the Toronto's Lite Favourites slogan and decimal point from the station ID. In addition, newer jingles were unveiled, along with an opening bumper for newer music. As well, harder-edged content is largely reappearing on the station, which is mostly upbeat, rhythmic material, such as The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
' I Gotta Feeling
I Gotta Feeling
"I Gotta Feeling" is the second single from The Black Eyed Peas' fifth studio album The E.N.D., produced by the French DJ David Guetta. The song was released on May 21, 2009 and debuted at number two on the Canadian and Billboard Hot 100 on the week of June 27, 2009, behind the group's "Boom Boom...
. At the same time, artists such as Michael Bolton
Michael Bolton
Michael Bolton is an American singer and songwriter. Bolton originally performed in the hard rock and heavy metal genres from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s, both on his early solo albums and those recorded as the frontman of the band Blackjack...
, Air Supply
Air Supply
Air Supply is an Australian soft rock duo, consisting of Graham Russell as guitarist and singer-songwriter and Russell Hitchcock as lead vocalist. They had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight Top Ten hits in the United States, in the early 1980s...
and Jewel
Jewel (singer)
Jewel Kilcher , professionally known as Jewel, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress and poet...
were largely dropped from the station's playlist. On December 26, 2009, long-time competitor CJEZ-FM
CJEZ-FM
CHBM-FM is a radio station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada owned by Astral Media. It broadcasts an adult hits format at 97.3 FM and is branded as boom 97.3 - 70's, 80's, 90's, and is also the only adult hits station owned by Astral...
switched from an adult contemporary format to an adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
format, leaving CHFI as the only adult contemporary station in the Toronto radio market, although rimshot stations CKDX-FM
CKDX-FM
CKDX-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 88.5 FM in the Greater Toronto Area. Although officially licensed to Newmarket, the station's studios are located in Toronto...
in Newmarket
Newmarket, Ontario
Newmarket is a town in Southern Ontario located approximately 50 km north of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area and is connected to Toronto by freeway, and is served by three interchanges along Highway 404. It is also connected to Highway 400 via Highway 9...
, CKLH-FM
CKLH-FM
CKLH-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 102.9 FM in Hamilton, Ontario. The station broadcasts an adult contemporary format branded as 102.9 K-Lite FM....
in Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
and CHRE-FM
CHRE-FM
CHRE-FM is a radio station in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Airing at 105.7 FM, the station broadcasts an adult contemporary format for the Niagara region, especially for Buffalo, New York with the brand name 105.7 EZ Rock...
in St. Catharines
St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, Canada, with 97.11 square kilometres of land...
are de facto Toronto radio stations due to the stations' stronger signals.
Most recently, as of 2010
2010 in radio
The following events occurred in radio in 2010.-Events:*Date Unknown: CHOI/Quebec City flips from Alternative Rock to News/Talk.*January 4: KJCS/Lufkin, Texas goes silent....
, the station is beginning to sound more like CHQM-FM
CHQM-FM
CHQM-FM is a Canadian radio station in the Metro Vancouver region of British Columbia. It broadcasts at 103.5 megahertz on the FM band with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts from a transmitter on Mount Seymour and airs an adult contemporary format...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, although CHQM is owned by CTVglobemedia
CTVglobemedia
CTVglobemedia , was one of Canada's largest private media companies. Its operations include newspaper publishing , television broadcasting and production , radio broadcasting , and their respective Internet properties.Originally established by BCE and the Thomson family in 2001 combining CTV Inc.,...
and is also the only AC station in that market. However, CHFI's newer songs (which are tagged under the banner of "A CHFI Fresh Favourite") are more limited than CHQM since CHFI plays more classic hits than CHQM, and CHFI usually adds songs much later than most AC stations in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. However, Torontonians can also hear newer adult contemporary music on Hamilton's
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
CKLH-FM
CKLH-FM
CKLH-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 102.9 FM in Hamilton, Ontario. The station broadcasts an adult contemporary format branded as 102.9 K-Lite FM....
(102.9 K-Lite FM), owned by Astral Media
Astral Media
Astral Media Inc. is a Canadian media corporation. It is Canada's largest radio broadcaster with 83 radio stations in eight provinces, and is a major player in premium and specialty television in Canada, including The Movie Network, Super Écran, Family, Teletoon, Canal D, Canal Vie, VRAK.TV,...
, but K-Lite tends to play more newer music than CHFI.
With the tweak in CHFI's format, Rogers
Rogers Media
Rogers Media Inc is a subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc., which owns Canada's largest publishing company, Rogers Publishing Limited, which has more than 70 consumer and business publications. Rogers Media Inc...
owned AC stations CHYM-FM
CHYM-FM
CHYM-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 96.7 FM in Kitchener, Ontario. Owned by Rogers Radio, the station airs an adult contemporary format under the brand CHYM FM....
in Kitchener
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
, CKY-FM
CKY-FM
CKY-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts a adult contemporary format on 102.3 FM in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It is owned by Rogers Radio, and shares studios with sister station CITI-FM. CKY-FM competes with Hot 103 and Energy 106.-History:...
in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, CFLT-FM in Halifax, and CHFM-FM
CHFM-FM
CHFM-FM is a radio station in Calgary, Alberta, which broadcasts at 95.9 MHz FM with a repeater at Banff on 99.3 MHz. With the motto "Today's Best Music", CHFM features an adult contemporary format....
in Calgary started following this pattern beginning in mid-to-late 2010. However, most of the 1970s
1970s in music
For music from a year in the 1970s, go to 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79This article includes an overview of the major events and trends in popular music in the 1970s....
songs were retained by CHFI, while the other stations dropped them entirely.
Today, CHFI competes with Hot AC station CHUM-FM
CHUM-FM
CHUM-FM is a Canadian radio station licensed to Toronto, Ontario and operated by Bell Media. It broadcasts at 104.5 MHz with a hot adult contemporary format that leans towards rhythmic adult contemporary...
, older-skewing AC CKDX-FM
CKDX-FM
CKDX-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 88.5 FM in the Greater Toronto Area. Although officially licensed to Newmarket, the station's studios are located in Toronto...
, CKLH-FM
CKLH-FM
CKLH-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 102.9 FM in Hamilton, Ontario. The station broadcasts an adult contemporary format branded as 102.9 K-Lite FM....
, and CHRE-FM
CHRE-FM
CHRE-FM is a radio station in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Airing at 105.7 FM, the station broadcasts an adult contemporary format for the Niagara region, especially for Buffalo, New York with the brand name 105.7 EZ Rock...
, as well as, to a lesser extent, Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
-based WJYE
WJYE
WJYE is located in the Buffalo, New York area and broadcasts at 96.1 FM. Its transmitter is located in Buffalo.WJYE signed on in 1966 . It currently is owned by Townsquare Media. The station runs a soft rock/adult contemporary format and has had this format since 1988, having previously been a...
and WTSS
WTSS
-History:The station now known as WTSS actually began as early as 1934 as W8XH, an ultra-shortwave radio station operating as a sister outlet to The Buffalo Evening News and AM station WBEN and broadcasting at a wavelength of 5 meters , predating the country's first FM station by three years. The...
.
Morning show hosts
- Sandy HoytSandy HoytSandy Hoyt was a Toronto media and radio personality.He jokingly referred to the Beach Boys as the "Beach Gentlemen" when the band's average age neared 60....
– 1978–1985; deceased - Jay NelsonJay NelsonJay Nelson spent most of his career in radio, although he did a brief stint on television in the early 1960s. He was married twice and had four children. His son Kevin is one of the morning hosts on Majic 100 in Ottawa, Ontario.He started in radio at WRIT in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1955...
– 1986; deceased - Don DaynardDon DaynardDon Daynard, also billed as Dazzling Don, is a Canadian radio personality and a former television film critic.Daynard hosted CHFI-FM's morning drive time show from 1987 to 1999, for much of that time with co-host Erin Davis. Daynard continued to host Saturday Night Oldies for the station until his...
– 1987–1999 and thereafter host of Saturday Night Oldies - Erin DavisErin DavisErin Davis is a popular media figure in Toronto, Ontario. At present she is a co-host of 98.1 CHFI's Morning Show along with Mike Cooper. She also appears regularly as an MC or keynote speaker for many local organizations and events in Toronto.- Early life :...
and Don DaynardDon DaynardDon Daynard, also billed as Dazzling Don, is a Canadian radio personality and a former television film critic.Daynard hosted CHFI-FM's morning drive time show from 1987 to 1999, for much of that time with co-host Erin Davis. Daynard continued to host Saturday Night Oldies for the station until his...
– 1988–1999 - Erin DavisErin DavisErin Davis is a popular media figure in Toronto, Ontario. At present she is a co-host of 98.1 CHFI's Morning Show along with Mike Cooper. She also appears regularly as an MC or keynote speaker for many local organizations and events in Toronto.- Early life :...
and Bob MageeBob MageeBob Magee is the professional name of Denny O'Neil, a Canadian radio personality. Formerly, he was co-host of the morning show on CING-FM in Toronto. Previously to that, he hosted the afternoon drive time show on Toronto's CHFI-FM from 2003 until 2009...
– 1999–2003 – Magee was host of the afternoon drive show and former CHUM AM host; now co-host of morning show on CING-FMCING-FMCING-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 95.3 FM in Hamilton, Ontario. The station airs a classic hits format branded as Vinyl 95.3.CING was launched in 1976 by Burlington Broadcasting, at 107.9 FM in Burlington, Ontario...
in Hamilton, OntarioHamilton, OntarioHamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe... - Mad Dog and BillieMad Dog and BillieCanadian broadcasters Jay "Mad Dog" Michaels and Billie Holiday hosted a succession of prominent morning drive time shows in the Toronto, Ontario radio market as Mad Dog and Billie, later Jay and Billie and then Mad Dog and Billie again.After CISS 92.5 FM Toronto, was acquired by Rogers...
– 2003–2005 - Erin Davis and Darren Osborne (fill–in host) 2005
- Erin DavisErin DavisErin Davis is a popular media figure in Toronto, Ontario. At present she is a co-host of 98.1 CHFI's Morning Show along with Mike Cooper. She also appears regularly as an MC or keynote speaker for many local organizations and events in Toronto.- Early life :...
and Mike CooperMike Cooper (broadcaster)Mike S. Cooper is a Canadian radio personality in Toronto, Canada, co-hosting the 98.1 CHFI morning show with Erin Davis. Cooper was born in Hamilton, Ontario.-Career:* Announcer at 1050 CHUM in Toronto...
(former CJEZ morning show host) 2005–
Other personalities
- Gene Taylor – late host of Taylor's Trivia from Detroit, MichiganDetroit, MichiganDetroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
; deceased - Don Jackson – host of Lovers and Other StrangersLovers and Other Strangers (radio program)Lovers and Other Strangers is a weekly radio program devoted to stories about love and other human emotions set against music. The show originates from Toronto radio station CHFI with host Don Jackson...
formerly on CHFI and now move to his own personal site - Ken ShawKen ShawKen Shaw, O.Ont is a Canadian news anchor for CTV Toronto. He is the co-anchor for CTV News at 6:00 p.m since April 2001, alongside Christine Bentley....
– 1970s and now with CFTO
British Columbia
Newfoundland and Labrador
See also
- CFTR (AM)CFTR (AM)CFTR, broadcasting under the brand 680News, is an all-news radio station based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which broadcasts live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 680 kHz on the AM dial...
, originally CHFI-AM - Toronto Santa Claus ParadeToronto Santa Claus ParadeThe Toronto Santa Claus Parade is a Santa Claus parade held annually in mid-November in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. More than a half million people attend the parade every year. The parade starts at 12:30pm and ends approximately 3:30pm...
- CHFI is the official radio broadcaster
External links
- 98.1 CHFI
- CHFI Morning Show
- CHFI history at Canadian Communications FoundationCanadian Communications FoundationThe Canadian Communications Foundation is a history of Canadian broadcasting for radio and television chronicles and documents. It also provides a history of radio and television stations, including networks, programs, broadcasters and many others....