CKWX Gallery

1923: April 1: The same day CKWX known as CFDC in Nanaimo went on the air with 10 watts of power. Power was increased to 50 watts later in the year. CKWX history. More information about the early years of CFDC Nanaimo/CKWX Vancouver click here.

1927: CFDC Nanaimo shuts down when there is no money to run the station. A new licence and call letters were granted and the 100 watt transmitter moved to Vancouver to become CKWX. CKWX officially signs on the air in Vancouver Aug. 1 at 6 pm.

1928: CKWX 730 shared airtime with CKCD and CFCQ. CKWX moved its studios to the top floor of the Hotel Georgia. Power was 100 watts.

1933: CKWX moves to AM 1010 with 100 watts.

1938: June 25: CKWX 1010 moves to AM 950 and increases its power to 1000 watts.

1941:March 29: CKWX 950 moves to AM 980.

1948: CKWX 980 increases its power to 5000 watts and joins the Mutual Network.

1954: Jan. 1 12:30 am: CKWX begins 24-hour a day broadcasting with a program called "Concert Under the Stars" hosted by Bob Gillies.

1957:
Aug. 15: CKWX 980 moves to AM 1130 and became the first Vancouver radio station to broadcast at 50,000 watts.

1973:
March 7 3 pm: CKWX 1130 drops its adult contemporary music and becomes a country music station. The talk shows between 8:30 am and 3 pm weekdays would continue for another 2 years.

1996: Feb. 8: CKWX 1130 drops it’s country music format after 23 years just before 8 am with the country classic Ray Price’s “For the Good Times.” At 8 am CKWX NEWS 1130 brings a 24-hour all news format to Vancouver with a tight 30-minute wheel of news every half hour. This change would make the CKWX newsroom the largest radio newsroom in Western Canada.

CKWX:

Photo 1: CKWX's teen-age king, Red Robinson demonstrates his brand of rock n roll in competition with the Tahitian version at the station's PNE exhibit.

Photo 2: Two teams of weirdly costumed CKWX teenagers parading Vancouver's downtown section with sandwich boards fanfaring the station's power boost.

Photo 3: This is what happens when Red Robinson holds a beach party at Kitsilano Pool. Park officials estimate that crowd reached a total of 8000 during the recent 2-hour broadcast.

Photo 4: CKWX helped with the opening of the new Philips Industries Ltd Building. It made arrangements which included this on-the-spot broadcast. Here, Attorney-General Robert Bonner declares the building officially open. With him is Mr. Al Lucas, Philips regional supervisor.

Photo 5: Rehearsal time for "Our Neighbour Nina" finds WX staffer Nina Anthony and Cal George in the CKWX kitchen. Their project: pre-test a recipe for their daily afternoon show, from 2:05-3 pm. Recipes form only part of "Our Neighbour Nina." Nina and Cal tell where to shop for best buys, give household hints, and discuss personalities of the entertainment world. A cheery show enjoyed by B.C.'s womenfolk.

Photo 6: CKWX Sports Director Bill Stephenson broadcasts Western Hockey League games direct from Vancouver's Exhibition Forum. Stephenson relays all the speed and excitement of Canada's fastest sport right into listeners' living rooms! His "Sports Desk" airs 4 times daily over CKWX at 6:55 and 8:10 am; 6:15 & 11:05 pm.

Photo 7: Billboard from late 1952: "Look to the Leader" CKWX, then at 980.

Photo 8: CKWX promoting its move to 50,000 watts which happened in August, 1957.

Photo 9: CKWX news cruiser 1957.

Photo 10: CKWX chopper 1957.

Photo 11: CKWX on location 1957.

Photo 12: CKWX boat 1957.

Photo 13: CKWX on location 1957.

Photo 14: The new CKWX building on Burrard St. Dec. 1956.

Photo 15: The Rhythm Pals rehearse for their daily half-hour show. Dec. 1956.

Photo 16: The new control room designed by the CKWX engineer. Dec. 1956.

Photo 17: The new CKWX newsroom. Dec. 1956.

Photo 18: Fun-filled CKWX Outdoor Party, held from a special studio in the heart of the PNE grounds.

Photo 19: Product sampling at the 1956 PNE, where three times as many products were sampled than in 1955.

Photo 20: Coast residents who couldn't see the bigger-than-ever PNE Parade, could hear it live on CKWX. Yes, a parade on radio!!

Photo 21: During the 1956 PNE, CKWX gave out more than 12,500 shopping bags and 40,000 fans labelled "I'M a CKWX FAN."

Photo 22: In this picture, near the end of a 100-hour marathon, Bob Davis, Bob McGavin & Red Robinson kick-off the 1958 BC Centennial celebrations at the beginning of January, 1958. In that time they were visited by over 62,000 people.

Photo 23: Open house in the new CKWX studio every night for two weeks, when 1,000 people dropped by every night. In this picture, the Rhythm Pals entertained the crowd.

Photo 24: On September 26, 1956 at 2:30 pm Canada's most modern radio station, equipped with the newest electronic wonders and costing over $500,000 was declared officially open. Hon. R.O. Campney, Minister of National Defense, performed the ceremony. In the phot are F.R. Tiny Elphicke, CKWX Vice-President and General Manager, receives congratulations and best wishes from Vancouver's mayor, Fred Hume.

Photo 25: The new CKWX board room where marketing strategies are being worked on.

Photo 26: 3 bus ads from 1955 for CKWX 980.

Photo 27: CKWX The Talk of BC ad from Nov. 1968.

Photo 28: A Great History of Broadcasting on the West Coast mentioning Amos n Andy, Fibber McGee & Molly, The Shadow and John Barton. From Jan. 1967.

Photo 29: Fred Bass was staff pianist and music director at CKWX for many years.

Photo 30: Announcer Don McKim and technicican Glen Robitaille marshal their energies for a broadcast from Vancouver's Athletic Park.

Photo 31: Children's programs emphasizing safety were popular in the 1930's and 1940's. Allan Klenman (standing) was the studio technician for this broadcast of "The Crime Safety Show" from CKWX's main studio ca. 1941.

Photo 32: Operator Jack Hughes in one of CKWX's control rooms, ca. 1941. The equipment shown is "state of the art" for the time. CKWX was among the first stations to separate the roles of announcer and operator for all programming. The announcer would speak from a separate booth while the operator played the records and controlled the volume.

Photo 33: Bill Tutte (left) and Ian Arrol at work in the CKWX newsroom, 1944.

Photo 34: A skit in rehearsal at CKWX during World War II. Left to right: Larry McCance, Peggy---, Fred Bass, Barney Potts and Bob Hutton.

Photo 35: "Our Neighbour Nina" ad from Jan. 1956.

Photo 36: Chief engineer Charlie Smith and WX Vice-President and General Manager Frank "Tiny" Elphicke with a picture of new ultra-modern WX transmitter building.

Photo 37: A poster ad from April, 1954 showcasing "All the Big Shows" including "Perry Mason", "Guiding Light" and "Red Skelton."

Photo 38: CKWX's programming Jan. 3, 1930.

Photo 39: CKWX president Arthur "Sparks" Holstead welcomes driver of trailer transportation $250,000 new transmiter from Texas to Vancouver. 1957.

Photo 40: "Wee Neil" and Queen's Piper had a heart to heart air discussion on a recent "Mang the Heather" program. Subject "Pibroch" or the classical music of the bagpipes. Pipe Major Robert Brown is gamekeeper and piper to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Wee Neil's "Mang the Heather" program is popular on CKWX on Thursday evenings in 1957.

Photo 41: WX Farm Director Norm Griffin interviews dairyman and farmers throughout BC on "Farm Fair" heard from 6-7 am daily.

Photo 42: Rhythm Pals, Mike, Marc and Jack with singing star Lorraine McAllister, electric guitarist Arnold Nelson and announcer-producer Ron Robinson. They had the distinction of being first WX artists on the air after the switchover to 50,000 watts at 1130 on the dial. 1957.

Photo 43: TUTS star Betty Oakes is interviewed by Ron Robinson.

Photo 44: Bill Stephenson in the Canucks dressing room. In 1957, CKWX covered the Vancouver Canucks WHL (minor-pro) Hockey team, the B.C. Lions and the Vancouver Mounties baseball games home and away with over 200 games per year. Jim Robson covered high school sports.

Photo 45: A description of 4 of CKWX programs that were on the air in 1957 including "Sam Ross Reports", "The World Tonight" with Roy Jacques, "Plain Talk" with Dorwin Baird and "Capital Commentary" with Ralph Pashley.

Photo 46: Neighbor Nina with Cal George and Barry Phillips were heard at 9:05 am when CKWX switched to 1130.

Photo 47: Teen-age fans follow Red Robinson wherever he goes in Vancouver. There are now 20,000 fans in the Red Robinson Fan Club, which is the largest fan club in B.C. His "Teen Canteen" is heard from 3:30-5 pm & 11:15 pm-1 am daily until 2 am on Saturday nights. 1957.

Photo 48: Annus Stukus "Sports Open Line ad" Oct. 67.

Article 49: A newspaper article from Jan. 21, 1941 focusing on CKWX's move to modern studios which will occupy the entire top floor of the Georgian Building.