CJBC (AM)

CJBC is a Canadian Class A clear-channel station, which broadcasts at AM 860 in Toronto, Ontario. It is the city's affiliate of the Ici Radio-Canada Première network. CJBC's studios are located at the Canadian Broadcasting Centre, while its transmitter is located in Hornby.

History

The station was originally launched in 1925 as AM 840 CKNC, owned by the Canadian National Carbon Company. In January 1927, the station moved to AM 690, returning to 840 kilohertz a month later. The station then moved to 580 kilohertz in 1928, and to 1030 kilohertz in 1931.

The station was leased and then acquired by the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission, the forerunner of the modern Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, in 1933 and became CRCY, before leaving the airwaves in 1935. The following year, it returned at AM 1420, as a signal booster for CRCT. The station's callsign was changed to CBY in 1938, and to CJBC in 1943.

In 1944, CJBC became the flagship of the CBC's Dominion Network. In 1948, its signal strength was boosted to 50,000 watts, up from its previous strength of 1,000 watts. As a Dominion Network affiliate, the station carried network programming in the evening, which included light entertainment fare and some American programming, and local programming during the day.