LONDON, ONT. — As reported by Cartt.ca last week, Bell Media Radio officially announced Tuesday it is shutting down London’s CKSL-AM Funny 1410. The radio station will sign off the air at midnight on Sunday, August 14.
Bell Media said in a news release, before CKSL-AM Funny 1410 goes off the airwaves, it plans to honour the history of the station, which has provided music, news, sports and entertainment to listeners in London and the surrounding area for nearly 60 years.
“We’d like to thank listeners and advertisers for their loyalty to CKSL-AM over many successful years, and for allowing us to play an integral role in the community,” Don Mumford, Bell Media vice-president and general manager for radio and local TV, said in the news release.
Local news/talk station 1290 CJBK London will air special tribute programming celebrating the legacy of CKSL-AM throughout the day on Thursday, August 10 and Friday, August 11. Tributes will include a lineup of CKSL’s legendary on-air personalities, including Peter Garland, Rich Greven, Elaine Sawyer, Derek Botten, “Ambassador of Funny” Mike Nabuurs, and more. On Friday evening, CTV News at Six in London will broadcast a special report from videographer Nick Paparella.
CKSL-AM commenced broadcasting on June 24, 1956, becoming London’s second radio station. Founded by London Broadcasters Ltd., the station was eventually sold to a succession of owners starting in 1989. Over the years, CKSL-AM adopted numerous formats, ranging from contemporary hits to nostalgia, news/talk and entertainment. Most recently, CKSL-AM aired comedy programming 24/7 under the Funny 1410 brand.
At times leading the market in share of tuning, CKSL-AM introduced numerous on-air personalities who became household names: Bob MacAdorey was the station’s first “morning man”, followed by Pete James, Bill Brady, Peter Garland, Rich Greven, Jim Craig, Mitch O’Connor, Derek Botten, Jim Chapman, and current morning show host on Today’s Country BX93, Dave Collins, who co-hosted mornings on CKSL-AM with Jackie Gauthier.
Other notable members of the CKSL legacy listed in Bell Media Radio’s news release are news directors Tom Dalby, Al Gibson and George Gordon, as well as former vice-president and general manager Gord Hume, who is best known in the local community for his years as a sitting London city councillor and member of the Board of Control.
Bell Media Radio encourages local listeners to turn to its Funny 820 AM station in Hamilton, Ont., for a continued dose of all-comedy programming.
