CKO

Infobox_Defunct_Company
company_name = CKO
company_
fate = shut down by Cogeco
country = CAN
foundation = 1977
defunct = 1989
key_people = David Ruskin, president and CEO
location = Toronto, Ontario
num_employees =
industry = Media
products = radio news network

CKO was a Canadian radio news network which operated from 1977 to 1989. The CKO call sign was shared by twelve network-owned stations, as listed below.

The network was owned by "Canada All-News Radio Ltd." AGRA Industries was originally a 45 per cent partner in the network, but by 1988 it was the sole owner. David Ruskin was the network's founding president.

History

On July 12, 1976, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved a licence for CKO to Canada All News Radio Limited. Twelve transmitters were required to be in place across the country and ready for broadcast by the Fall of 1979.

With a recorded message from Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to launch it, the CKO radio network started broadcasting on July 1, 1977 with stations in Ottawa and Toronto. Power problems delayed the start of the Ottawa station by an hour. Stories included much American content, plus two features about prostitutes. [cite news | last=(no byline) | pages=27 | title=Hangups and hookers mar All-News Radio debut | date=1977-07-02 | publisher=Globe and Mail] One announcer mispronounced Arkansas several times in one newscast and was reputedly dismissed. ["Dead air and technical errors greet network listeners", "Brandon Sun", July 6, 1977.]

Later that year, stations were added in Montreal (by acquisition of AM station CFOX), London, Vancouver and Calgary. The Vancouver station began with a news staff of ten, including news director Cam Scott, Gerry Gifford, Richard Dettman, Stan Crossley, Bill Rodger, Norm Bright and Joanna Piros. Scott was replaced in 1978 by Peter Ray, who had been transferred from the Calgary station. After Ray's departure that year, Tom Spear was hired from CHWK Chilliwack in December 1978 until most local programming was curtailed in August 1980.

The news network began live broadcasts of the Canadian government's Question Period in late 1977; for nearly all Canadians, it was the first regular, live access to House proceedings as it would be well over two years before CPAC's precedecessor began nationwide video distribution to most cable systems. [cite news | last=Kirby | first=Blaik | pages=16 | title=Wry restoration comedies bite through the usual pap (CKO story at end of article) | date=1977-11-11 | publisher=Globe and Mail]

In 1978, a station was added in Edmonton under station manager/news director Garfield Chesson. He made CKO Edmonton a key supplier of national news reportage in the era of the Trudeau government's National Energy Program. Edmonton journalists Cliff Oginski, Ian Kinsey, Karen Brown and Bob Unger balanced a perceived Toronto slant to national issues.

CKO closed the London studio that year due to poor ad sales.

After its first anniversary, the network faced low ratings and higher financial losses than expected. However, it was hoped that a planned advertising campaign would help boost awareness of the station. The Toronto transmitter power was also to be increased to 100 000 watts in by the end of 1978. [cite news | last=Keddy | first=Barbara | pages=B5 | title=Adage about half-full, half-empty cup appropriate to position of CKO radio | date=1978-09-09 | publisher=Globe and Mail]

CKO began live sports broadcasts for Toronto Maple Leafs hockey and National Football League football in late 1978. CKFH previously carried the Maple Leafs games and attempted to have the CRTC stop CKO's hockey broadcasts. The CRTC rejected CKFH's complaint, on the rationale that sports broadcasts were within CKO's programming commitments. [cite news | last=(no byline) | pages=39 | title=CRTC favors CKO-FM on sports | date=1979-01-13 | publisher=Globe and Mail]

In 1985, CKO added a station in Halifax.

Maclean-Hunter sold its Newsradio broadcast syndication division to CKO in August 1987. [cite news | last=(no byline) | pages=B13 | title=Newsradio news service sold by Maclean Hunter to CKO radio network | date=1987-08-11 | publisher=Globe and Mail]

In 1988, CKO filed an application with the CRTC to trade frequencies with Toronto AM station CKEY. The transaction would have included a payment of $4 million to CKO which the network would have used to launch three more stations (Regina, Saint John and St. John's) for which it already held licences, but had not been financially able to establish. However, the CRTC denied the application on 25 April 1988. [ [http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/1988/DB88-294.HTM Decision CRTC 88-294] Key Radio Limited Toronto, Ontario/The CKO Radio Partnership Toronto, Ontario 25 April 1988] Later the same year, AGRA transferred its 99% ownership in CKO to its majority-owned media division, Cybermedix. [cite news | last=Globe and Mail | pages=B12 | title=Agra Industries sells CKO radio network | date=1988-11-09 | publisher=Globe and Mail] In March 1989, the network under its restructured ownership declared to the CRTC that it would no longer have financial losses by 1993. [cite news | first=John | last=Partridge | pages=B8 | title=CKO will break even in 1993, president says | date=1989-03-16 | publisher=Globe and Mail]

Later that year, CKO established a station in Winnipeg, which became the network's final new station before its closure.

Montreal-based Ted Tevan briefly hosted a weekday sports talk show on the network. But CKO's Montreal station did not have a suitable studio for the program, therefore Tevan was required to commute to Toronto. Tevan quit CKO after the network rejected his offer to set up a studio in his home city. [cite news | first=Paul | last=Patton | pages=C4 | title=Tevan ends CKO show | date=1989-03-27 | publisher=Globe and Mail]

In 1989, AGRA sold Cybermedix to Cogeco. However, the CKO network had always struggled to turn a profit, and on November 10 of that year, suddenly terminated all broadcasting during the newscast at noon (Eastern time). Cogeco only wanted Cybermedix's cable properties, and the network lost a reported $55 million during its existence. The broadcast licences were surrendered to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) which formally revoked these on 15 August 1990. [ [http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/1990/DB90-745.HTM Decision CRTC 90-745] Revocation of the licences for the radio broadcasting transmitting undertakings in various cities across Canada issued to the CKO Radio Partnership. 15 August 1990]

Anchors and reporters

Anchors and reporters associated with the network included:
* Barry Aldrich - former Sports Director followed by the co-host of Good Morning Canada with Marianne Summers. Current whereabouts are unknown.
* Bruce Barker - former afternoon sports anchor and reporter. Now resides in Calgary.
* Squire Barnes - now a Global BC sportscaster
* Jim Bennie - Vancouver bureau chief/production manager, now afternoon host at CKWX News1130.
* Pat Burns - deceased
* Gene Costain - News anchor, now Professor at University of Central Florida, wrote MA thesis (1996) on CKO at York University
* Gerry Dobson - former CFTO-TV sports director, now a Rogers Sportsnet soccer commentator
* Don Gauthier - host of Time to Talk
* John Gilbert (1930-1998) [ [http://rockradioscrapbook.ca/heaveng.html Rock Radio Heaven] ] - talk show host, Toronto/Vancouver
* Angus Gillespie (aka James Gillespie) - reporter, sports anchor/writer (1987-89) now News Director at 1220 CHSC in Niagara and Executive Editor of Canadian Sports Magazine.
* Glenn Gingerich - followed Barry Aldrich as Sports Director – now runs Fantasy Sports in Toronto for corporate clients including the Toronto Star and Chicago Tribune.
* Elwood Glover - host, The News In Perspective, died 14 November 1990
* Lynne Gordon - entertainment reporter, now a keynote speaker
* Patrick Hynan - head newswriter, died 3 February 1988 [cite news | first=The | last=Globe and Mail | pages=A16 | title= Patrick Hynan - Produced show on Hemingway (obituary) | date=1988-02-04 | publisher=Globe and Mail]
* Paul Johnson - Winnipeg bureau, wrote Journal of Radio Studies (1995) article on CKO
* Walter Kanitz - travel correspondent, died 7 February 1986 [cite news | last=Globe and Mail | first=The | pages=A22 | title=Walter Kanitz - Veteran radio broadcaster (obituary) | date=1986-02-08 | publisher=Globe and Mail]
* Steve Kee - now Director, Corporate Communications with TSX Group Inc.
* Roger Millions - now a Calgary Flames play-by-play announcer on Rogers Sportsnet
* Stan Mulholoch - CKO's morning host.
* David Onley - a Citytv and CablePulse 24 journalist, Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario since 2007
* Taylor "Hap" Parnaby, once CKO's President - now Chief Correspondent for CFRB 1010 Toronto
* Andrew Sharp - wine programme host
* Glen Stone - science editor, now Public Affairs Manager at the Toronto Board of Trade
* Ted Tevan - sports-themed talk show in 1989
* Peter Varley [cite news | first=Massey | last=Beveridge | pages=6 | title=Letters to the Editor: The wrong Mr. Varley | date=1987-01-01 | publisher=Globe and Mail] - now Vice-President of Public Affairs at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario
* Larry Wachtel - business commentator
* David Windsor - now an actor

Programs

* Herbert W. Armstrong, weekdays and Sundays 9:30 p.m. [cite news | last=(no byline) | pages=20 | title=Advertisement from Herbert W. Armstrong | date=1981-02-16 | publisher=Globe and Mail]
* "Bookshelf", book review show hosted by Dawn Draper.
* "The John Gilbert Show" [cite news | last=(no byline) | pages=4 | title=CKO Advertisement | date=1984-09-25 | publisher=Globe and Mail]
* "Hotline", hosted by Pat Burns
* "Nighttalk With Bill Williams", national talk-show from Vancouver, replacing The John Gilbert Show
* "Open Portfolio", Ottawa-based capital affairs programme hosted by Noel Norenius, Saturdays at 1:07 p.m. ET.
* "People Probe", national person-in-the-street show hosted by Earl Sky (Earl Pludwinski), Saturdays at 12:07 p.m. ET.
* "Science File", hosted by Glen Stone
* "Soccer Report", Edmonton based pre-NASL open line show created and hosted by Ian Kinsey in 1978 and '79. Canada's first soccer call-in and feature program
* "Spacewatch", hosted by David Onley
* "Time to Talk", national open line show hosted by Don Gauthier from 1985 [cite news | first=Mike | last=Tansey | pages=A6 | title=Letters to the Editor: National open line | date=1986-03-17 | publisher=Globe and Mail]
* Toronto Maple Leafs hockey games
* "Alberta soccer league", games play-by-play host Ian Kinsey
* "Wall Street Report", hosted by Larry Wachtel
* "Wineview", hosted by Andrew Sharp

Transmitters

† The stations in Regina, Saint John and St. John's were licensed by the CRTC but had not been launched by the network before its shutdown.

References

External links

* [http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/radio/histories.php?id=817&historyID=516 Canadian Communications Foundation article on CKO]
* [http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/news/growth_years-3.html Canadian Communications Foundation article on news radio]