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The end of an era, the birth of a legend - THE COMMENTARY

By Joseph Planta

VANCOUVER -- CKLG, known to most Vancouverites who grew up in the ‘80s as LG73 will cease to exist in a week or so. The AM 730 station which was known to play ‘Vancouver’s Best Music Mix’ falls victim to the erosion of ratings via the music domination of Z95 and that outfit that calls themselves xFM, whose dial position I do not know. It’s parent company Corus Entertainment, (whose own parent company Shaw, happens to control cable distribution in all of the Lower Mainland,) has announced the restructuring of CKLG into CJNW. CJNW will be an all-news radio station in the same vain as CKWX News 1130. However, CJNW will have the legacy of CKNW’s (AM 980) legendary news division. (To the uninitiated, CKNW is also owned by Corus.)

So, CKNW’s news division will birth a whole new station. It seems a large task for a part of one station, but that’s the magic of CKNW. With ratings and talent, CKNW has made radio thrive through both the TV and Internet age. Gord MacDonald, News Director at ‘NW informs me the new NW2 will be the same in format, “but better,” than CKWX he hopes. Hoping to capitalise on their on-air talent currently at NW, NW2 will have the task of unseating CKWX and rendering that station obsolete. With CKNW’s resources it can surely do that.

Look for NW personalities like John Ashbridge (who is the voice of the Canucks at home games), Trevor Pancoust and Pat Pancoust to anchor the news, while Dr. Art Hister host of CKNW’s medical show will do medical spots, Shell Bussey will feature household improvement tips and Michael Campbell will do business editorials. Rick Forchuk will do movie reviews and you may hear personalities like the blustery Neil Macrae and weather boys Phil Reimer and Mark Madryga. John Conners will help fill out NW2’s sports coverage, as Conners is also a regular on Don Taylor’s Sports Grill on CKNW. Al Murdoch will be heard on NW2, as will traffic girls, Amy Bell and Michelle McDermott. Warren Barker, former CKNW News Director and recipient of the Bruce Hutchison award, will also be featured doing editorials.

This is a most exciting project, as I and thousands of Vancouverites have followed CKNW for years. CJNW, NW2 will sign on the air February 1, 2001, 730 on your AM dial. It’s worth a listen.


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