CJBK (AM)

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CJBK 1290 - CJBK AM

Broadcast area	Primary: London, ON
Branding	"NewsTalk 1290 CJBK"
Slogan	"Get to Know London"
First air date	1967
Frequency	1290 (AM)
Format	News / Talk / Sports
ERP	N/A kW
Owner	Standard Broadcasting
Website	www.cjbk.com

CJBK is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting in London, Ontario at 1290 AM. The station, owned by Standard Broadcasting, has an effective radiated power of 10,000 watts, and airs a news, talk and sports format. The station broadcasts all home and away games of the London Knights hockey team.

Minor co-channel interference is common on CJBK at night from WHIO in Dayton, Ohio, which also broadcasts on 1290 kHz.

[edit] Hosts

Ryan Spence
Steve Garrison
Mike Stubbs
Dr. Joy Browne
Andy Oudman
Shauna Rae

[edit] History

CJBK went on the air January 25, 1967, as CJOE. "JOE" in the call letters stood for H.J. "Joe" McManus, the founder of the station (under the banner of Middlesex Broadcasters, Ltd.). The station originally featured a Beautiful Music format. Eventually CJOE began to supplement the easy listening music with soft rock and then Top 40 music during the evening hours, but the station remained unprofitable.

In 1972, McManus sold the station to Rick Richardson (two-thirds Baron Communications, Ltd. and one-third Bruce Communications, Ltd.). On September 6, 1972, Richardson took control of CJOE and changed the call letters to CJBK and the format to full-time Top 40 hit music. Richardson wanted a "CJ" call sign to distinguish the new AM 1290 from its competitors CFPL and CKSL, but it has also been suggested that the CJBK calls were a personal tribute to former Detroit Top 40 station WJBK-AM, which had been a favourite station of Richardson's while he lived and worked in Windsor. CJBK's main catchphrase in the 1970s was "Have a Good Day!" In 1980, CJBK added an FM sister with country-formatted CJBX-FM 92.7.

In 1987, CJBK and CJBX were acquired by Middlesex-Lambton Broadcasters Ltd., and CJBK shifted from its CHR format to Adult Contemporary in August of that year. The station began broadcasting in AM Stereo in 1989. In early 1992, the station changed format from AC to Oldies.

London Communications, Inc. acquired CJBK and CJBX in September 1993 and shifted CJBK from oldies to the current news/talk format on August 12, 1996. The stations were sold again in 1999, to Telemedia, which already owned AC CIQM-FM and would purchase CKSL-AM the following year. Standard Radio acquired Telemedia's London stations in 2002.