Editing CFRB (section)

== History ==
=== Early years ===
CFRB first [[sign-on|signed on]] the air on February 19, 1927. It is not [[CFCA (AM)|Toronto's very first radio station]], but it is the city's oldest English-language broadcaster still operating today. ([[CJBC (AM)|CJBC]], which now operates in French, was founded in 1925.) It was founded by the [[Rogers Vacuum Tube Company]]. The station was used to promote [[Edward S. Rogers Sr.]]'s invention of a [[batteryless radio]] receiver that could be operated using [[alternating current]] and therefore did not need the cumbersome battery that had previously been required. The station itself was a demonstration of Rogers' application of his invention to radio transmitters as well as receivers, a development that allowed for a signal that reproduced voices and music more clearly. The new type of transmitter also made CFRB the world's first all-electric radio station.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canadianheritage.org/enterprises/rogers/index.htm|title=Rogers – Canadian Enterprises|publisher=Canadian Heritage Gallery|date=January 1, 1960|access-date=February 1, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100409060351/http://www.canadianheritage.org/enterprises/rogers/index.htm|archive-date=April 9, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> The letters "RB" in the station's callsign stand for "Rogers' Batteryless".

The station began transmitting on an experimental basis in January 1927 as 9RB, before being converted to commercial operation a few weeks later, as CFRB. Those [[call sign|call letters]] have been used continuously since then. On February 19, the inaugural broadcast was a live [[Orchestra|symphony orchestra]] concert conducted by Jack Arthur.<ref>{{cite web|author=Paul Cassel VE3SY|url=http://www.hammondmuseumofradio.org/cfrb.html|title=Toronto Radio Station 9RB – CFRB|publisher=Hammond Museum of Radio|date=February 10, 2004|access-date=February 1, 2010}}</ref> During its first years, CFRB leased time to two [[Phantom radio station|phantom stations]]: CNRX, owned by [[Canadian National Railway]]s and providing programs of [[CNR Radio|Canada's first radio network]], and CPRY, owned by the CNR's rival, the [[Canadian Pacific Railway#Radio|Canadian Pacific Railway]]. The CNR's network was discontinued in 1933, with many of its assets eventually passing to the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] (CBC), and the CPR's radio service was discontinued in 1935.<ref name=rogers>{{cite web|url=https://broadcasting-history.ca/radio/radio-stations/ontario/ontario-city-of-toronto/cfrb-am/|title=CFRB-AM|website=Canadian Communications Foundation – Fondation Des Communications Canadiennes |publisher=Broadcasting-history.ca|access-date=March 11, 2024}}</ref>

CFRB's first studios were in a mansion on [[Jarvis Street]] north of Wellesley Street, built by the family of [[Hart Massey]]. In 1929, the station moved to purpose-built studios at 37 [[Bloor Street]] West. In the same year, the station became a [[network affiliate]] of the [[CBS|Columbia Broadcasting System]].<ref name=rogers />

In 1932, CFRB began airing the ''General Motors Hockey Broadcast'', which had originated on the CNR's network. This program eventually became ''[[Hockey Night in Canada]]'', and continued to be aired by CFRB for many years, despite also airing on the CBC's [[flagship (broadcasting)|flagship station]] [[CBLA-FM|CBL]], and continues to this day on [[CBC Television]] and [[Rogers Sportsnet]].<ref name=rogers />

From the 1930s to the 1950s, CFRB was the radio broadcaster for the [[Toronto Santa Claus Parade]].

In 1937, CFRB began to [[simulcast]] on [[Shortwave radio|shortwave]] station [[CFRX]] at 6070&nbsp;kHz.<ref name=rogers />

Following the sudden death of Edward S. Rogers Sr. in 1939, Rogers Majestic Corporation Limited was sold in 1941 and became Standard Radio Limited. In turn, the company was acquired by [[Argus Corporation]] in 1946.<ref name=rogers />

On November 1, 1946, [[Wally Crouter]] joined CFRB. He eventually became its morning [[drive time]] host, a position he would hold until his retirement on November 1, 1996, after exactly fifty years at the station.<ref name=rogers />

=== Changing frequencies and studios ===
CFRB and [[CJBC (AM)|CJBC]], owned by the CBC, made a frequency switch on September 1, 1948. CFRB moved to 1010 while CJBC took over the [[List of North American broadcast station classes|Class I-A]] clear-channel frequency at 860, previously used by CFRB.<ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1948/1948-08-23-BC.pdf Broadcasting Magazine August 23, 1948, p. 32. Retrieved 14-3-2018]</ref> The CBC wanted its stations in major cities to be on Class I-A frequencies. But CFRB, which had been running at 20,000 watts, was boosted to 50,000 [[watt]]s, giving it wide coverage over [[Southern Ontario]].

Beginning in 1948, through until the early 1970s, CFRB made several unsuccessful bids for a licence to operate a television station in Toronto.

In 1965, CFRB moved its studios from 37 Bloor Street West to 2 St. Clair Avenue West (at Yonge Street). At around the same time, Standard Radio Limited was renamed Standard Broadcasting.<ref name=rogers />

A long-lasting show, ''Calling All Britons'' featuring news, sports scores and music from Britain, began in 1965. It was hosted by [[Ray Sonin]] until his death in 1991.
[[File:Building Of Newstalk 1010 CFRB, CHBM-FM (Boom 97-3) & CKFM-FM (99-9 Virgin Radio).jpg|thumb|right|The station's former [[downtown Toronto]] studios, shared with CHBM-FM (now owned by [[Newcap Radio|Newcap]]) and CKFM-FM.]]

=== New ownership ===
In 1978, Argus Corporation was acquired by [[Conrad Black]] and his brother Montegu, thus also giving them ownership of Standard Broadcasting. In November 1985, [[Slaight Communications|Slaight Broadcasting]] acquired Standard from the Blacks.<ref name=rogers /> In October 2007, Slaight sold Standard to [[Astral Media]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/41497/astral-media-announces-signature-of-letter-of-intent-to-acquire-standard-radio|title=Astral Media announces signature of letter of intent to acquire Standard Radio|publisher=CNW|access-date=July 30, 2013|archive-date=June 23, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130623182838/http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/41497/astral-media-announces-signature-of-letter-of-intent-to-acquire-standard-radio|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Ted Rogers, the communications mogul and son of CFRB's founder, had vowed to re-acquire the station that his family had lost after his father's death, and considered his failure to do so his greatest disappointment. Reports indicate that he continued to attempt to re-acquire CFRB right up until his death in December 2008.<ref>Pitts, Gordon [http://business.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081202.wrogersobit1202/BNStory/Business/home Ted Rogers dies at 75] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514034015/http://business.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081202.wrogersobit1202/BNStory/Business/home |date=May 14, 2009 }}, ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', December 2, 2008</ref>

In July 2013, with a buyout of Astral Media, CFRB was acquired by [[Bell Media]], a subsidiary of [[Bell Canada]] which already owns the [[CTV Television Network]] and rival competitor to [[Rogers Communications]] founded by Ted Rogers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/crtc-approves-bell-astral-merger-1.1367433 |title=CRTC approves Bell-Astral merger|publisher=[[CBC News]]|access-date=July 30, 2013}}</ref> Shortly after the purchase, Bell announced that it would move the studios and offices of CFRB and sister station [[CKFM-FM]] from their long-time location at [[St. Clair Avenue]] and [[Yonge Street]], to [[250 Richmond Street West]] at Richmond and Duncan (which already houses the operations of sister radio stations, [[CHUM (AM)|CHUM]] and [[CHUM-FM]]).  The building is adjacent to [[299 Queen Street West]] located at [[Queen Street (Toronto)|Queen Street]] and [[John Street (Toronto)|John Street]] (which already houses the operations of several Bell Media specialty television channels including [[CP24]] and [[Much (TV channel)|MuchMusic]]).<ref>{{cite news|title=CFRB to leave landmark St. Clair offices for Queen West|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2013/07/30/cfrb_to_leave_landmark_st_clair_offices_for_queen_west.html|access-date=July 30, 2013|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=July 30, 2013}}</ref> The move took place on May 10, 2014.<ref>[http://www.newstalk1010.com/news/2014/05/09/listen-its-our-last-day-at-yonge-st-clair LISTEN: It's our last day at Yonge & St. Clair!] newstalk1010.com, published May 9, 2014</ref>