CBN is a radio station broadcasting at 640 kHz (AM radio from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Canada and is the local CBC Radio One station of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

History

The station was founded in 1932 as VONF broadcasting on 1195 kHz in the AM band, and was owned and operated by the Dominion Broadcasting Company, a subsidiary of the Avalon Telephone Company (now part of Aliant . In 1934, it merged with a former competitor, VOGY 840, which had also launched in 1932. The VONF call sign was retained. On March 13, 1939, the Dominion Broadcasting Company was absorbed by the Broadcasting Corporation of Newfoundland the pre-Canadian Confederation public broadcasting as its first radio station. The frequency was eventually changed to its current position at 640 AM. BCN was absorbed by the CBC on March 31, 1949 when Newfoundland joined Canada. The call sign was then changed to CBN. CBN used to operate a 10,000 watt rebroadcaster CBNM in Marystown, Newfoundland and Labrador on AM 740 (and previously on 570), but this station was converted to FM in the 1980s. Until April 27, 2007, CBC Radios operations in St. Johns were located on 342 Duckworth Street. Those operations are currently located on 95 University Avenue, where the television operations are also based.

Shortwave relay

By 1940, VONF operated a shortwave relay for remote areas of Newfoundland using the call sign VONG and operating on a frequency of 9470 kHz (and later 9480, both in the 31m band). A second frequency of 5980 kHz (and later 5970, both in the 49m band) was launched using the call sign VONH Eventually, VONG left the air and only VONH 5970 remained. The call sign changed to CBNX in 1949 when the AM station became CBN. The frequency was changed to 6160 kHz in 1963. In 1965, the call sign was changed to CKZN recognizing the fact that technically, the CBcall sign prefix was assigned to Chile on an international basis. In 1989, the shortwave relay began to rebroadcast CFGB-FM Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador Labrador part-time as well as CBN. Eventually in 1994, the station no longer relayed CBN, and became a full-time rebroadcaster of CFGB. Most of Newfoundland had reliable AM or FM reception by this time, so the relays main use was now limited to the remote areas of Labrador.

Local programming

Local programming currently includes * The (St. Johns) Morning Show with Jeff Gilhooly – weekdays, 6:00 - 9:00 a.m. * [[Radio Noon]]with Ramona Dearing – weekdays, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. * Deep Rootswith Tom Power – Fridays, 3:30 - 4:00 p.m. (from 2009 onwards) * On the Gowith Ted Blades – weekdays, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. and 6:00 - 6:30 p.m. (the final half-hour is pre-empted on certain Thursdays; see next program below) * [[The Fisheries Broadcast]]with John Furlong – weekdays, 5:30 - 6:00 p.m.; to 6:30 p.m. on certain Thursdays when there is a phone-in; claims to be the longest continuously-running radio program in North America * Weekend Arts Magazine(abbreviated Weekend AMor WAM with Angela Antle – weekends, 6:00 - 9:30 a.m. * The Performance Hourwith Jamie Fitzpatrick – Saturday, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. * Musicraftwith Francesca Swann – Sunday, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. For all intents and purposes, most of the provinces Radio One stations are semi-satellites of CBN, carrying most of CBNs local programming (other than the morning show on weekdays) during Radio Ones local programming blocks. One of the stations most popular shows in the 1930s and 1940s was [[The Barrelman]]hosted by Joey Smallwood

Rebroadcasters

CBN has the following rebroadcasters: CIBB-FM Burgeo rebroadcasts programming of CBC Radio One, although it is owned by the Burgeo Broadcasting System. http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/1989/DB89-423.HTM Decision CRTC 89-423]

References

External links

* http://www.cbc.ca/nl/ CBC Newfoundland and Labrador] * http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/radio/histories.php?id707&historyID270 CBN-AM history] at Canadian Communications Foundation * Category:Radio stations in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Category:CBC Radio One stations