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{{short description|Radio station in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada}} {{other uses}} {{Infobox radio station | name = CFRA | city = [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]] | area = [[National Capital Region (Canada)|National Capital Region]]<br />[[Eastern Ontario]]<br />Western [[Quebec]] | logo = | logo_size = 250px | branding = 580 CFRA | airdate = May 3, [[1947 in radio|1947]] | frequency = 580 [[Hertz|kHz]] ([[AM broadcasting|AM]]) | format = [[All-news radio|News]]/[[Talk radio|Talk]] | licensing_authority = [[Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission|CRTC]] | power = 50,000 [[watt]]s day<br />30,000 watts night | class = B | callsign_meaning = '''C F'''rank '''R'''y'''A'''n (founder) | former_frequencies = 560 kHz (1947–1962) | owner = [[Bell Media]] | licensee = [[Bell Media Radio]] | sister_stations = [[CFGO]], [[CJMJ-FM]], [[CKKL-FM]], [[CJOH-DT]], [[CHRO-TV]] | webcast = [https://www.iheartradio.ca/580-cfra/ Listen Live] | website = [https://www.iheartradio.ca/580-cfra/ iheartradio.ca/580-cfra] }} {{Conservatism in Canada|Media}} '''CFRA''' is a [[all-news radio|news]]/[[talk radio|talk]] formatted radio station in [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]], Canada, owned by [[Bell Media]]. The station broadcasts on the assigned frequency of 580 [[Hertz|kHz]]. CFRA's studios are located in the Bell Media Building on George Street in [[Downtown Ottawa]]'s [[ByWard Market]], while its 4-tower transmitter array is located near [[Manotick, Ontario|Manotick]]. ==History== Frank Ryan founded the station, which began broadcasting with a 1,000-watt transmitter at 560 kHz on May 3, 1947. The first studios were located at the [[Ottawa Auditorium]] on O'Connor Street, where the station spent its first ten years. In 1962, the station moved to its current frequency of 580 kHz and increased its daytime power to 50 kW, and nighttime power to 10 kW. After Ryan's death in 1965, ownership of the station passed to his wife Kathleen, who subsequently sold CFRA and sister station [[CKKL-FM|CFMO-FM]] to [[CHUM Limited]] in 1968. Between 1980 and 1984, on Saturday afternoons from 2 to 5pm, CFRA aired an [[oldies]] show hosted by American announcer and comedian [[Gary Owens]], formerly of the ''[[Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In]]'' TV show. it was entitled Soundtrack Of The Sixties, where song requests were offered by postcard to the station as an entry towards the yearly-end prize. CFRA played [[pop music]] until the mid-1980s as Ottawa's leading [[Top 40]] music station, known in the late '70s and early '80s for its hugely popular and controversial evening host [[Mark Elliot (radio host)|Mark Elliot]]. So popular was Elliot at his peak that he was tapped to be a presenter at the [[Juno Awards]] in 1985. Much of Elliot's wildness on the air could be attributed to the fact that he was suffering from drug and alcohol addictions at the time. One of Elliot's most eyebrow-raising behaviors came in 1986 when he quit on the air <ref>{{cite web|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/475300511.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+18,+1986&author=CP&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Ottawa+deejay+quits+job+on+the+air&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107191319/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/475300511.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+18,+1986&author=CP&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Ottawa+deejay+quits+job+on+the+air&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 7, 2012|title=archives|website=thestar.com|access-date=20 April 2018}}</ref> after a switch to an oldies-based format (see below) was announced. After a short time at competitor [[CFGO]] (where his addictions and erratic behaviour cost him his job), Elliot went into rehab and managed to kick his addictions; he later became the host of a talk show for people recovering from addictions on Toronto radio. On August 18, 1986, CFRA changed formats to "Favourites of Yesterday and Today," describing itself as a gold-based [[adult contemporary]] station (and mirroring a similar change from [[Top 40]] to gold-based [[adult contemporary|AC]] that same year at sister station [[CHUM (AM)|CHUM]] in Toronto). In 1991, CFRA changed the format again to an all-[[oldies]] station, before changing to the current [[all-news radio|news]]/[[talk radio|talk]] format in June 1993. Many believe that [[CJMJ-FM]]'s launch in 1991 (co-owned with CFRA since [[1999 in radio|1999]]) led to the demise of CFRA's adult contemporary format. In 2002, CFRA's slogan became "left on the dial, right on the issues", as a tribute to its [[conservative talk radio|conservative talk]] political leanings. The current studios have been located at CHUM's downtown Market Media Mall since 2000. In 2007, CFRA, along with the other CHUM stations, were sold to [[CTVglobemedia]]. In January 2012, Bell Media applied to increase nighttime power to 30 kW noting that co-channel stations in [[Antigonish, Nova Scotia|Antigonish]] ([[CJFX-FM]]), [[Baie-Comeau]] ([[CHLC-FM]]) and [[Thunder Bay]] ([[CKPR-FM]]) have all switched to FM.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://services.crtc.gc.ca/pub/DocWebBroker/OpenDocument.aspx?AppNo=201200146 | title=The Runtime Service cannot communicate with Entitlements Service }}</ref> On September 26, 2012, Bell Media's application received CRTC approval to increase CFRA's night-time power from 10 to 30 kW and by modifying its antenna pattern (improving reception towards [[Montreal]]), resulting in changes to its authorized contours. All other technical parameters would remain unchanged. CFRA would remain on 580 kHz.<ref>[http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2012/2012-518.htm Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2012-518], CFRA Ottawa – Technical change, ''CRTC'', September 26, 2012</ref> ==Programming== Notable personalities include [[Bill Carroll (broadcaster)|Bill Carroll]] and The Morning Rush producer Katherine Colbert who also does the popular What’s Trending segment. Newsroom staff is made up of anchors/producers, Ted Raymond, Zach McGibbon, Dylan Dyson, and Sara Cimetta. Most weekday newscasts are read by CTV's [[Graham Richardson (journalist)|Graham Richardson]], Trisha Owens, and Matt Skube. CFRA also broadcasts [[Broadcast syndication|syndicated]] talk radio shows such as Viewpoints with Todd van der Heyden overnight and on weekends. Since April 2012, the audio feed of [[CTV Television Network|CTV]] affiliate and sister television station [[CJOH-DT]]'s 6 PM newscast is [[simulcast]] on CFRA. ==Lowell Green CBSC complaints== A complaint against Lowell Green was launched in 2008 after a provocative show on December 4, 2008 about the Muslim faith. The topic began with Green speaking about a school which had named a [[teddy bear]] [[Sudanese teddy bear blasphemy case|Muhammad]]. Green then led a discussion on whether the Muslim faith was radical and violent. Lowell himself took the view that it was radical and violent at its core. The complaint to the [[Canadian Broadcast Standards Council]] (CBSC) was launched in December 2008. The CBSC responded that no standards had been broken and there was no obligation for Green to be uncritical of the topic at hand.<ref name="cbsc.ca">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsc.ca/english/decisions/2009/090206a.php|title=CBSC Decision - CFRA-AM re an episode of the Lowell Green Show (Islam)|work=cbsc.ca|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101121203806/http://www.cbsc.ca/english/decisions/2009/090206a.php|archive-date=2010-11-21}}</ref> The Ontario Regional Panel of the CBSC reviewed the case again after the complainant reiterated his points and did not accept the original decision. Then CBSC then decided that the December 4th Lowell Green show had violated clause 2 ([[Human Rights]]) and clause 6 (Full, Fair and Proper Presentation) of the CBSC [[code of ethics]]. A previous complaint had been made to the CBSC in 2006 after a May 18 episode in which Green spoke about the Muslim faith and the [[Qur'an]].<ref name="cbsc.ca"/> Both complaints resulted in CFRA not being obligated to agree with the complainant but to respond to the complainant in a timely and thorough manner. A response was written by the [[news director]] but ultimately, the complainant was not satisfied with the result. The complaint was then sent to the adjudicating panel of the CBSC but no further action was required.<ref name="cbsc.ca"/> ==Notable staff== * [[Ernie Calcutt]] (1961 to 1984), [[Ottawa Rough Riders]] commentator and news director<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listing_and_histories/radio/cfra-am|title=CFRA-AM|website=History of Canadian Broadcasting|access-date=December 29, 2020|archive-date=March 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301195313/https://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listing_and_histories/radio/cfra-am|url-status=dead}}</ref> * [[Les Lye]] (1948 to 1960s) announcer and morning host<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/a-special-send-off-for-barth-and-floyd-1.420164 | title=A special send-off for Barth and Floyd | date=26 July 2009 }}</ref> * [[Rich Little]] (late 1950s to early 1960s) relief announcer, disc jockey, appeared in comedy sketches on Les Lye's morning show.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://canadiancomedyhall.com/rich-little/ | title=» Rich Little }}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [https://www.iheartradio.ca/580-cfra/ 580 CFRA] * [http://cfra.com/60th/home/index.php CFRA's 60th Anniversary website] 1947-2007 * [https://broadcasting-history.ca/radio/radio-stations/ontario/ontario-ottawa-valley/CFRA-AM CFRA-AM] at The History of Canadian Broadcasting by the [[Canadian Communications Foundation]] * {{RecnetCanada|CFRA}} {{Ottawa Radio}} {{Bell Media}} {{Coord|45|25|39.1|N|75|41|28.2|W|type:landmark|display=title|name=CFRA's broadcast location}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Cfra}} [[Category:Conservative media in Canada|Fra]] [[Category:Radio stations in Ottawa–Gatineau|Fra]] [[Category:Bell Media radio stations|Fra]] [[Category:News and talk radio stations in Canada|Fra]] [[Category:Radio stations established in 1947]] [[Category:1947 establishments in Ontario]]
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