CFRA celebrating 75th anniversary with special programming
On Saturday, May 3, 1947 at 8:05 p.m., CFRA officially signed on the air from its first home in the Ottawa Auditorium on O’Connor Street.
Seventy-five years later, after making an indelible mark on Ottawa and the surrounding community, Newstalk 580 CFRA will be celebrating the milestone anniversary with special programming on Tuesday.
“First and foremost, we want to thank our dedicated listeners, who continuously tune in to CFRA,” said Peter Angione, director of news and information programming at Bell Media Ottawa. “We would not be here today without those loyal listeners, and we look forward to celebrating this milestone with them.”
Tuesday’s programming will include interviews with on-air legends such as Steve Madely, Lowell Green and Ken ‘The General’ Grant. It will also feature archival audio, highlighting the station’s deep-rooted history, and messages from listeners.
CFRA originally operated from 6:30 a.m. to 1:15 a.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 1:15 a.m. on Sundays. The ‘FR’ in CFRA represented Frank Ryan, the Ottawa entrepreneur who applied for the licence to operate the station.
Through the years, renowned hosts on CFRA have included Gord Atkinson, Hal Anthony and Ernie Calcutt. Today, the station continues that tradition with veteran hosts Bill Carroll, Leslie Roberts, Evan Solomon and Kristy Cameron.
“For so many people, CFRA is Ottawa and Ottawa is CFRA,” said Carroll, who hosts The Morning Rush. “I was already aware of the great history I was joining when I came to work for CFRA six years ago, and it continues to be an honour to wake up with a new generation of Ottawa listeners.”
CFRA listeners can share their favourite messages of the station through a special ‘Listener Line’ at 613-562-6700. Select messages will air as part of the anniversary programming on Tuesday.
CTV News Ottawa and Newstalk 580 CFRA will also have full digital coverage of the anniversary on our websites.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Questlove was not happy with Drake and Kendrick Lamar's beef: 'Nobody won the war'
While some may have been excited and/or amused by the diss-track feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, the man many consider to be an elder statesman of hip-hop appears less than enthused about it.
Trump heading to Jersey Shore to rally 'mega crowd' in weekend break from hush money trial
After a long week in court, Donald Trump is heading to the Jersey Shore. And his campaign says he'll be joined by "tens of thousands" of his friends.
For moms-to-be, it's possible to take maternity leave without breaking the bank
Pregnancy is often an exciting and anxious time for parents-to-be. And while painting the nursery and choosing a stroller are typically on the agenda, experts say preparing financially for a maternity leave can help reduce stress later on as well.
Fine dining, at a new high. A Michelin-starred chef will take his cuisine to our upper atmosphere
Six guests are set to ascend aboard Spaceship Neptune to the stratosphere, where they will enjoy an immersive dining experience served up by Danish Michelin-starred chef Rasmus Munk.
Israel orders new evacuations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah as it prepares to expand operations
Israel ordered new evacuations in Gaza's southern city of Rafah on Saturday, forcing tens of thousands more people to move as it prepares to expand its operation and adding that it is also moving into an area in northern Gaza where Hamas has regrouped.