Composite: CKLW-FM 94 Windsor Ont. | 1993
Here’s another one we have to make an educated guess as to the year. This was the short-lived recreation of the Big 8 - on FM! Judging from my trip to Detroit in the early 90s, I remember this station and it really DID sound good.
One of the very few Oldies stations to effectively recreate the original sound of their AM (KFRC 99.7 TRIED, we’ll give them credit), CKLW brought just about everything back except all the old jocks. Imagine, trying to make new jocks sound like they did at 800 on the dial in 1974. Well, they did it here. Listen for CKLW 20/20 News - one can almost expect Byron McGregor to be anchor!
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I enjoyed the aircheck of CKLW FM however the only thing that I noticed was that some segues between songs were heard without jingles or jocks talking up and hitting the post. The original CKLW was not known for this.
I realize that may sound to critical. Overall it is one of the better recreations of the original sound and yes, it does sound like the unforgettable 20/20 news.
Interesting aircheck. Live reads were rare to nonexistent in 1993. Does anyone know how long this lasted? And what were the ratings like? I’m surprised they got away with this on FM. for those who don’t know, the CRTC does not allow oldies on FM. Any song prior to 1980 is referred to as a “hit”, and anything after 1980 a “non-hit”. I only heard one non-hit (Toto’s “Africa”). No way this could legally work unless 50% of the music was post-1980. Either that, or else this was a dayparted format.
Back in 1984, CHR on FM was against CRTC regulations (maybe someone with more knowledge can explain). At that time, CKLW-FM attempted to run CHR as “94 Fox FM”. Problem is, they could only run it four hours a day!
The reproduced Drake id is lame. The jock sounds tired, not just laid back. A little more of the old CKLW energy might have saved this station but it sounds like a lame attempt by an easy listening station to recreate top 40 radio.
i grew up on the big 8 listened to 93 those were good days. motown was king, as it switched to 93 they did a great job. im 45 and if they station came back in any format close i would listen. the big 8 was gone, no need to be so critical they came close and it was a good run.
Donovan:
CKLW-FM actually made two attempts at Oldies with the classic “Big 8″ sound. The first lasted from around 1986 to 1988 or 89. The second was the era you hear here, which lasted from about 1991 to 93.
In between, the station had the calls CKMR with an Oldies/Gold AC format as “More 94,” and also made a VERY short attempt at R&B/Soul Oldies under the name “I-94.”
Being born in 1980, this was the only taste of the “Big 8″ style that I got to hear firsthand and not through airchecks. It may not be 100% like the original, but it’s close enough and I would welcome it back on the air today.
As for ratings, although the station sounded good, I can’t imagine the ratings were very high. Listeners who wanted oldies were probably getting it from either WOMC or Honey Radio WHND-AM at this point. Plus the CHUM Group has never done a particularly good job of promoting 93.9 FM.
Incidentally, CKLW-FM’s first try at Oldies in the ’80s included a lot of ’80s music. The Big 8 tribute website has an aircheck of the format which includes “You Should Hear How She Talks About You” by Melissa Manchester, from 1982, which was probably only four or five years old at that point. Of course, in the golden days of AM Top 40, a song became an Oldie as soon as it fell off the current charts.
First time I listened to CKLW-FM with this format was in October, 1988. I was pleasantly surprised to hear this station then, and I love this aircheck now.
I would like to know what i have to do to win tickets to the Gwen Stefani concert in London. My nephew who is 8 told me that you were giving away tickets and he is the biggest fan of Gwen. I would really like to surprise him with the tickets and take him to the concert. Please get back to me with the details. It would mean alot Thank-You very much.
Hmm some of my own thoughts.
CKLW-FM should try to sound like a HIT MUSIC Station of the era we’re in right now….as if the BIG 8 just kept going and switched to FM.
94 C-K-L-W
Why try to re-create days gone by - except for a nostalgic weekend here and there.
I would drop the FM reference except for the odd Official sounding ID.
Also get some JAM jingles. Nothing says radio better. LOL.
I would prefer to hear the classic “Big-8″ on satellite radio if possible. Trying to resurrect the old CKLW doesn’t work these days. 20/20 News on CKLW FM was lame back in the early 1990’s, and there would be no way the station could use their classic tabloid-style “Blood and Guts” 20/20 news today that gave them their high ratings back in the ’70’s. The CRTC would shut them down in a second.
On April 30 I won a three day two night trip to Vegas while listening to the Dr Joy Brown show. Also included were two tickets to a comedy show. I was told that I would receive a package in the mail within seven days which has not happened. Could you please tell me who to contact about this?