105.9 SEASIDE-FM - Wednesday, December 5th 2012 marked the 50th Anniversary of the sign on of then AM radio CFDR, (Easy Listening) Dartmouth. It was a sunup to sun down schedule at the outset. Broadcaster, Clary Flemming was on air the first day with morning man Dick Bordeaux. Clary Flemming shared his memories of CFDR, with former CFDR broadcaster herself, Gail Rice. Also sharing some memories of former CFDR broadcaster, Paul Marr and the son of broadcaster Cy lynch, Michael Lynch. Some intereating facts of CFDR, as submitted by Clary Flemming - Original station owners were Jack Cruickshank, Arnie Patterson and Vince Currie.
The station started as a dawn to dusk operation. Signing on at about 7 a.m. and signing off between 5 and 5:30 p.m. the first month of operation.
The first voice heard on air was that of legendary broadcaster Cy
Lynch (Chimes of Christmas host) with a taped message welcoming listeners to the new radio voice of Dartmouth, the Sound of Quality, CFDR. Following his message the first song ever played was Consider Yourself' by the Harry Simeone Chorale. 'Consider Yourself at home, consider yourself one of the family'. The easy listening format was adopted to differentiate from the two Halifax stations CJCH and CHNS who were programming a fair amount of rock n roll appealing to the younger audience of the day.
The morning on air host that first day was an import form Leamington, Ontario Dick Bordeau who remained with the station for only six months.. Ben Dalfen, the news director reported the news and Clary Flemming, Sport Director, the sports news.
Former CJCH Radio copy chief Syd Pilkington was station manager while another CJCH staffer, Lorna Burlock was traffic manager. Jack of all trades, Scotland native Jack Hutchinson was chief engineer, Nan Murray station accountant and sales representatives Bill Patterson and Gerry Mulcahey.
On air voices that first day included Vince Gallant, Cy Lynch and
Jesse Coade, mother of CBC meteorologist Peter Coade. The most requested song of the day was 'Somewhere My Love' by the Ray Conniff singers. Other artists played that first day were Roger Williams, Perry Como, Doris Day, Bert Kaempfert, Patti Page, Andy Williams etc. The station's signal could not be heard on the peninsula of Halifax because of a technical requirement but could be heard in Scandinavian countries because of the signal's bounce across the Atlantic. CFDR's phone number in 1962 was 469-9231. and Seaside FM's current admin phone number in 2012 is 469-9231.