Don Shafer

On-air announcer KQV & WEEP Pittsburgh, US Armed Forces Radio, KNAC-FM, KPPC-FM, KLOS-FM KUSC-FM Los Angeles, CHOM-FM Montreal, & CHUM-FM Toronto 1964-1976;

Program Director CKLG-FM/CFOX-FM Vancouver 1976-85;

PD CFMI-FM Vancouver 1985-87; President & GM CILQ-FM/CFGM/CHOG Toronto 1987-92;

Senior VP Radio, Pelmorex Communications Inc. Toronto 1992-June 1997; VP/GM Torstar Media Group Television Toronto June 1997-2003; VP & GM Standard Broadcasting BC Interior Group 2003-current.  Member Canadian Association of Broadcasters Quarter Century Club 2002

Early last summer, CFOX program director Don Shafer jumped ship. After 10 years with CFOX, Shafer accepted an offer from CFMI, the FM arm of CKNW.

There was a clause in his CFOX contract binding him not to work for another station in the same market for 90 days if he left CFOX. CFOX management verbally waived the clause but Moffat Broadcasting, which owns CFOX, went to court to enforce the clause. Three high-voltage Vancouver law firms were fully involved. Citing a point of law called balance of convenience, Justice J.H. Spencer ruled for Moffat and granted a 90-day injunction against Shafer joining CFMI.

It looked like a long time on ice for Shafer but Moffat, having proved a point and validated its contract content, let Shafer off the hook after one idle month.

Shafer then made format and personality changes right across CFMI's broadcast board and the winter book numbers say they are beginning to work. CFOX is still well ahead of CFMI in total audience (even seven-year-olds with the attention span of fruit-flies are counted as listeners). CFMI also owns the 18-and-over audience. But in the 25-49 age group, which ad agencies say is the most commercially viable, CFMI now has a boastable lead over CFOX.

The Sun. Vancouver, B.C. Mar 17, 1987 - Denny Boyd

BC Radio History