CBON-FM

CBON-FM
Broadcast areaNorthern Ontario
Frequency98.1 MHz (FM)
BrandingIci Radio-Canada Première
Programming
FormatNews/Talk
Ownership
OwnerCanadian Broadcasting Corporation
CBBS-FM, CBBX-FM, CBCS-FM
History
First air date
July 21, 1978
Call sign meaning
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Ontario Nord; call sign is pronounced as c'est bon ("it's good").
Technical information
ClassB
ERP50 kW
HAAT120.9 meters (397 ft)
Links
WebsiteIci Radio-Canada Première

CBON-FM is a Canadian radio station. It broadcasts the Société Radio-Canada's Ici Radio-Canada Première network at 98.1 FM in Sudbury, Ontario. The station also serves much of Northern Ontario through a network of relay transmitters.

History

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On July 28, 1975, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation received approval from the CRTC to operate a new french-language FM station at Sudbury, Ontario on the frequency 98.1 MHz.[1]

Prior to the station's launch in 1978, Radio-Canada programming was carried on private affiliate CFBR.[2] The CRTC decision authorizing the launch of CBON-FM in fact encouraged, but did not direct, Radio-Canada to retain an AM frequency for its talk radio network, and to reserve CBON-FM for its music network.[3] However, the station launched in 1978 as an affiliate of the talk network after the CBC was unable to negotiate an agreement with F. Baxter Ricard to directly acquire CFBR. Prior to CBON-FM's sign-on, CJBC Toronto simulcasted on most of the rebroadcast transmitters across northern Ontario.

Radio-Canada's music network was not available in the city until the launch of CBBX-FM in 2001, although from 1984 to 1991 the CBC held an unused license to launch that station.[4]

Programming

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The station's regional morning program is Le matin du Nord, weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., and its regional afternoon program is Jonction 11-17, weekdays from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. On Saturday mornings, the station airs the provincewide morning program À échelle humaine. The provincewide programs airs on CBON and CJBC, as well as CBEF in Windsor.

On all public holidays, either Pas comme d'habitude from CJBC in Toronto is heard provincewide (except Ottawa) from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. On some holidays, Y'a pas deux matins pareils from CJBC or Le matin du Nord from CBON airs on both stations, but on some others holidays, both stations air their local shows as usual or both stations air Matins sans frontières from CBEF Windsor.

Denis St-Jules was a longtime host of local programming on the station from its inception in 1978 until his retirement in 2008.[5]

Transmitters

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Rebroadcasters of CBON-FM
City of license Identifier Frequency Power Class RECNet CRTC Decision
Blind River CBON-FM-6 98.5 FM 136 watts A1 Query 2017-245
Chapleau CBON-FM-28 91.9 FM 345 watts A Query 86-733
Dubreuilville CBON-FM-11 97.9 FM 50 watts LP Query 89-763
Elliot Lake CBON-FM-5 101.7 FM 2640 watts B Query 88-641
Espanola CBON-FM-7 94.9 FM 520 watts A Query 88-643
Geraldton CBON-FM-22 93.7 FM 6400 watts B Query
Gogama CBON-FM-21 104.9 FM 6900 watts B Query
Hearst CBON-FM-26 90.3 FM 8,340 [6] watts B1 Query 85-1279
Kapuskasing CBON-FM-24 90.7 FM 43900 watts B Query
Kirkland Lake CBON-FM-1 93.7 FM 2650 watts A Query 96-780
Manitouwadge CBON-FM-23 96.9 FM 143 watts A Query
Marathon[7] CBON-FM-29 102.3 FM 2023 watts B Query 2007-390
Mattawa[8] CBON-12 1090 AM 40 watts LP Query
Nipigon CBON-FM-19 97.3 FM 2000 watts B Query
North Bay CBON-FM-17 95.1 FM 100000 watts C Query
Sault Ste. Marie CBON-FM-18 88.1 FM 3590 watts B Query
Temiskaming Shores CBON-FM-2 99.7 FM 780 watts A Query 96-781
Thunder Bay CBON-FM-20 89.3 FM 27400 watts B Query
Timmins CBON-FM-25 97.1 FM 44800 watts B Query
Wawa CBON-FM-27 90.7 FM 890 watts A Query 85-1278

AM to FM and technical information

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On February 28, 2017, the CBC submitted an application to convert CBON-6 1010 to 98.5 MHz. The callsign CBON-FM-6 was chosen for the new FM transmitter. The CRTC approved the CBC's application to move CBON-6 to 98.5 MHz on July 11, 2017.[9]

In 2017, the CBC surrendered its licence for the low-power AM rebroadcaster CBON-10 1110 Matachewan.[10] This makes CBON-12 Mattawa one of the last remaining low-power AM transmitters to rebroadcast CBON-FM Sudbury. No plans have been announced to either convert the Mattawa transmitter to the FM band or shutdown completely.

On August 19, 2021, the CRTC approved the CBC's application to increase the average effective radiated power (ERP) for CBON-FM-5 at 101.7 MHz Elliot Lake from 1,000 to 7,245 watts (maximum ERP from 2,640 to 17,622 watts), increasing the effective height of the antenna above average terrain from 141.0 to 165.3 metres.[11]

References

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  1. ^ Decision CRTC 75-329, Original CRTC Decision to operate a new CBC FM radio station at Sudbury, Ontario, CRTC, page 130, July 28, 1975
  2. ^ CHYC-FM at The History of Canadian Broadcasting by the Canadian Communications Foundation
  3. ^ CBON-FM at The History of Canadian Broadcasting by the Canadian Communications Foundation
  4. ^ CRTC Decision 84-905
  5. ^ Alan Freeman, "Broadcaster was a champion of franco-Ontarian culture". The Globe and Mail, March 8, 2024.
  6. ^ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2013-404 Archived 2013-10-03 at the Wayback Machine, CBON-FM Sudbury and its transmitter CBON-FM-26 Hearst - Technical change, CRTC, August 14, 2013
  7. ^ CBON-FM 102.3 Marathon was previously a community rebroadcaster under the call sign CFMN-FM. (CRTC 2001-25 - See: Appendix 5 Coverage of la Première Chaîne - Ontario) (See also: 1994-12 #8)
  8. ^ CBON-12 was a former repeater of CBOF-FM Ottawa, as CBOF-5. Ottawa Journal from Ottawa, · Page 2 September 23, 1977
  9. ^ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2017-245, CBON-FM Sudbury – New transmitter in Blind River, CRTC, July 11, 2017
  10. ^ Canadian Radio News recap for October 2017, Facebook, November 2, 2017
  11. ^ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2021-293, CBON-FM Sudbury and its transmitter CBON-FM-5 Elliot Lake – Technical changes, CRTC, August 19, 2021
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46°30′14″N 80°58′03″W / 46.50389°N 80.96750°W / 46.50389; -80.96750