NORTHWEST BROADCASTERS

Tribute to LG73 (CKLG AM 730 Vancouver)

I've just been listening to LG73 for the last few weeks and feeling really bummed out. Even though CKLG is now just a ghost of it's former glory, I just wish the folks at Corus thought of a better farewell to such a historic radio station. Not to mention the very last of the big AM hit music stations - that alone as well as it's longevity deserves some special note. I'll be listening in the morning and hoping for some kind of goodbye.

I know it was inevitable sooner or later the station would change - at least the hotshots in the industry said so, but like George Burns, you thought it would live forever and you'd always hear new music on the AM band. But more than anything else, LG73 was a reminder of when AM radio was young and innocent, when DJs were happy to spin your favorite song and it made you feel good - before the shock jocks, the right wing lunatics, and tired oldies became the norm. In about 27 hours, all that will be left is a sad void on the AM dial, but a lot of precious memories.

R.I.P. LG73, you were the end of an era.

At 12 midnight, the music died. One of the last Top 40 Greats expired. LG73, officially known as CKLG AM 730 Vancouver was no more. Over the last few years LG73 slowly ran into the ground.

CKLG originally signed on February 2, 1955 at 1070 khz with a 1,000 watt transmitter at Blair Range in North Vancouver. The "LG" in the call letters stood for Lions Gate, with the owner Lions Gate Broadcasters. The night time interference from 50 kilowatt KNX Los Angeles on the same frequency necessitated a frequency change to 730 on August 18, 1958. The Top 40 era began at CKLG on August 22, 1964, when the station took on the other Vancouver Top 40 station, CFUN AM 1410. The two ran head to head (except for a brief time when CFUN was All News CKVN) until the mid eighties when CFUN turned to soft rock and then to talk.

LG73 was home to some of the greats:

Bob Allen 69-70, Paul Arthur 65, Bud Bolton news 60s; Bob Boving 1970, John Buchanan 86-88, Timothy M. Burge 70s, Daryl B Burlingham 67-69, Donny Burns 76-77, Frank Callaghan 60-75, Pat Cardinal 88-92, Raccoon Carney 78-83, Howie The Hitman Cogan eve/PMD 88-93, Cal Coleman news 60s, Merv Connelly news 80s-90s, Kate Corman 90s, Erin Davis 90s, Wayne Deschover, Debra Donohue news 96-98, Jesse Dylan 90s, Stirling Faux 74-75, Humble Howard Glassman 80, Dave Gordon 74, Steve Little Stevie Wonder Grossman 60s, Kirk Hansen 70, Doc Harris AMD 75-83, Graham Hatch 80s-90s, Jim Hault 68, Roy Hennessy eve/AMD 64-74, Dean Hill AMD 88-95, Sam Holman 64-65, Rick Honey 70-73, Samantha Howe 88-98, Russell James 92-93, Stu Jeffries AMD 96-2000, Gordon Johnson 80s; David Kaye 90-94, Des Kearney 60s, Freeway Frank Kelly 93, Roger Kelly 81-82, Trevor Kidd, Darren The Skywalker Lamb 89-90; Glen Uncle Angus Lamont 88, Jerry Landa 65-66, Fred Latremouille 65-67, Mick Luvzit 80s, Nails Mahoney 90-93, Frank Emperor Malone 64, Jack Marion news 78-85, Kerry Marshall news 80s-90s; Stu McAllister news 74-00, Mike McCoy 79-83, Jay McPhail 78-79, Ched Miller 80s, Dave Mitchell, Tank Montana 90-93, Ronald J. Morey 70, Charlee Morgan 86-90, Michael Morgan 74-78, Bob Morris 69-74, John Moxin, Terry David Mulligan early 70s & AMD 83-84, Al Murdoch 91-97, Ellie O'Day 78, Gerry O’Day 82-87, Dennis O’Neill 89-90, David Palmer 65-71 news 71-72, Brad Phillips 87-90, Stone Phillips news 88-90, Jeff Rechner eve/PMD 85-89, Terry Reid 76-85, Bill Reiter late 60s, Kevin Ribble 86-90, Don Richards 67-68, Gord Robson 74-84, Gary Russell 72, Cam Scott news late 60s, J.B. Shayne 67-68, Russ Simpson PMD 63-66 & mid mornings 71-72, Tamara Stanners early 90s, Peter Starr mid 60s, Don Stevens 70-82, Kat Stewart late 80s, Ingrid Tammen 91-94, John Tanner 67-70, Bob Taylor mid 60s, Randy Taylor news 78, Phil Toombs 69-72, Jim Van Horn, Calvin Jay Walker 80-83, Casey White 78-81, Bruce Williams, Dan Williamson 74-77, Mike Woodman, Rita Woodman 84, and others still to be uncovered. This list is in alphabetical order and will be continuously updated.

When LG73 died, there was no fanfare, just an appropriate final song, "I Will Remember You" by Sarah McLachan. (CHUM AM 1050 Toronto, which had a similar lengthy run, evolving into an oldies station, went out later in 2001 in a blaze of glory and nostalia, with a tribute befitting of the station.) 

LG73, many years down the road, I will remember you.

On February 1, 2001 LG73's owner, Corus Communications changed it to All News CJNW or NW2 in an attempt to capture listeners from existing News 1130 CKWX.

About 15 months later, at 5 a.m. on May 28, 2002 All News programming ended and the station switched to automated rock, but continued carrying Stanley Cup Playoff games. On June 14, NW2 went off the air for transmitter and tower upgrades. It returned July 19th with a continuation of its rock stunting. At 6 a.m. on August 6th CJNW AM 730 Vancouver officially launched as MOJO Radio, an offshoot of its Toronto all-guy format, followed by a call letter change to CHMJ.

In early February 2004, MOJO moved to an All Sports format. On May 30, 2006 CHMJ AM 730 stopped its sports/ talk programming and relaunched at 7:30 a.m. on June 5 with drive-time traffic, live sports and delayed CKNW talk shows. In early October 2006 it moved to a Continuous Drive Time Traffic format to include Continuous All Day Traffic. Coinciding with one of the most severe snow storms in several years, CHMJ moved on November 26, 2006 from Continuous All Day Traffic to All Traffic All the Time.

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