CIAO (AM)

Infobox Radio Station


name = CIAO
airdate = 1953
frequency = 530 kHz (AM)
area = Greater Toronto Area
city = Brampton, Ontario
format = multilingual
owner = Evanov Communications
branding = AM530
power = 1,000 watts day, 250 watts night
slogan =
former_callsigns = CFJB, CHIC, CKMW
website = [http://www.am530.ca AM530]
callsign_meaning = (Italian for "hello" and "goodbye")

CIAO is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 530 AM in Brampton, Ontario. The station, owned by Evanov Communications, broadcasts a multilingual programming format.

History

The station was launched in 1953 as AM 1290 CFJB, a daytimer owned by broadcaster Fen Job. Job was killed in a car crash in 1956, and the station was sold by his estate to CHIC Ltd. in 1959, adopting the new callsign CHIC the following year. In 1961, the owners also launched CHIC-FM on FM 102.1.

In 1964, CHIC became a full-time broadcaster, moving to AM 790. In 1977, CHIC-FM adopted the new callsign CFNY.

In 1979, the stations' owner went into receivership. The stations were subsequently acquired by Civitas Corp., the owner of CJMS in Montreal. Civitas became Mutual Communications in 1980, and CHIC adopted the new callsign CKMW. Mutual subsequently sold CKMW to Patrick Hurley, who incorporated as CKMW Radio Ltd., in 1983; CFNY was sold to Selkirk Communications.

As CKMW, the AM station adopted its current multilingual format, and ownership of CKMW Radio was transferred to Evanov in 1985.

The station adopted its current callsign in 1987, and moved to its current frequency in 1991 after CJFT in Fort Erie converted to the FM band. [ [http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/1991/DB91-331.HTM] ]

Programming

CIAO's programming is primarily South Asian (Hindi and Punjabi) with some Afghan, Bulgarian, Chinese, Croatian, Ethiopian, Filipino, German, Hungarian, Italian, Pakistani and Polish programming in the evenings and on weekends.

References

External links

* [http://www.am530.ca/ AM530]
* [http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/radio/histories.php?id=385&historyID=175 CIAO history at Canadian Communications Foundation]
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