Jim Wright has been actively associated with CJBQ longer than just about anyone, except of course the Morton Family who owns Quinte Broadcasting.

Jim's passion for music and radio goes back to his youth. There was something magical about radio in Jim's mind. How did the sound originating in a studio somehow end up in your home, or barn, vehicle or at the beach? His first step inside the radio door came as a result of the Moira Secondary School radio club and their once-a-week 15 minute school-based program. Jim was in grade nine at the time but the following year, in 1962, after bugging and bothering so many people at CJBQ, he landed a part-time job as a summer student.

Jim's days at CJBQ go back to the days when Quinte Broadcasting was located at 11 Victoria Avenue. It may have been an old and somewhat decrepit building but it was absolute paradise to Jim.

The photo to the right offers a rare view of the original CJBQ studio and shows how a studio looked in those days.

It wasn't long before Jim was doing various jobs at the station, from filing vinyl records, writing commercials and producing taped and live programs (old-timers will remember the likes of Jimmy Corradi at the keyboard) to live on-air deejaying. Regular on-air staffers at the station around this time were Tom Hookings, Phil Flagler, Lee Jourard, Jack Devine, Ted Snider, Dave Charles, Dick Lovering, John Ferguson and many others who came and left.

Jim loved the music and groups of the 60's and had one heck of a good time emceeing many, many live remote broadcasts and CJBQ sponsored dances and concerts in the community. In the mid-60's, it was a sad yet exciting time when CJBQ moved to new studios at the corner of Bridge and Front streets. It was state of the art back then. And boy, everyone thought they were pretty "hot stuff".

It was also a sad but exciting time when it came time for Jim to leave Belleville. He had finished grade thirteen and university was calling. Jim's work at CJBQ didn't stop though as every weekend he returned to Belleville to work with his CJBQ radio family doing whatever weekend assignments came his way. Back then, university was much less expensive than now, but it was still a lot of money and it was Jim's CJBQ work that paid for his university education... no student loans to pay off!

Jim was in Arts '70 at Queen's University and when he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree he was stumped as to what to do next. There were no full-time jobs available at CJBQ but the CJBQ manager at the time encouraged Jim to apply at CKWS in Kingston where they did have an opening. He said getting more and different experiences at other workplaces would always provide a person with a more rounded view of the radio industry and life in general. Such wise words.

Well, it all worked out and for a couple of years Jim was on staff at Frontenac Broadcasting. He had radio shows on CKWS AM (now off the air) and CKWS FM (now FM 96), he did CKWS Television news and became assistant to the Program Director.

But then there was a grand turn of events. It was a major riot at Kingston Penitentiary in the early 70's that took Jim in an entirely different direction. While covering the story, he met many police who were investigating murders that had occurred during the riots. One senior OPP officer suggested that Jim's interest in policing might warrant applying to the OPP Auxiliary program (a separate OPP volunteer force), just to get a taste of policing life. Well Jim did and he loved it. In fact, less than three months after applying to become a regular OPP constable, he was attending the OPP College on Sherborne Street in Toronto, then the Ontario Police College in Aylmer, Ontario (near London).

What a ride! Jim always believed in helping citizens and victims of crime, protecting people's property and he had a strong desire to catch and punish "the bad guys". So it was an OPP career for Jim. He started on the road and learned the ropes at Peterborough detachment. The job, although so much different from radio, was absolutely fascinating.

Jim jumped through the ranks from Corporal to Sergeant, to Staff Sergeant to Inspector and then acting Superintendent. Jim retired as the OPP Director of Human Resource Services for the Province of Ontario. Jim has so many memories, some fond, some atrocious, of his policing experiences and the people he worked with, that he has often contemplated writing a book and that is still not out of the question.

Although Jim retired from policing when the Province of Ontario offered an early retirement incentive to senior members, he wasn't about to retire from life and living. Within three months of leaving the OPP and following a chance meeting with former Quinte Broadcasting Program Director Peter Thompson, Jim was back on the air with Quinte Broadcasting.

Everything had come full circle. Jim first worked Sunday mornings at CJTN (now also known as Rock 107) and then in a few months he was back to CJBQ where he first became host of Classic Country Sunday (6:00am to Noon) and then Classic Country Saturday (6:00am to 10:00am). Jim worked hard finding, researching and playing the old hits people hadn't heard in years. It paid off as both shows eventually became the number one rated programs for both AM and FM stations in the entire Quinte area radio market. Then came the internet and broadcasting via the CJBQ website to the world. Jim now has listeners and has received requests, from places as far afield as Scotland, Switzerland, England, Florida, California and Tennessee. There is also an active listening audience just across Lake Ontario in Northern New York State.

Jim loves his job and tries to please his listeners and sponsors. He thanks each and every one of them for their loyalty and in many cases their words of appreciation and expressions of a radio love. Saturday and Sunday mornings are "one big happy family listening to the oldies together," Jim is often heard to say. Jim is coming up on 50 years of association with Quinte Broadcasting.

On July 5th, 2010, Jim's career took an unexpected turn. He became a weekday announcer. The Jim Wright Show is on the air Monday through Friday from 12:30pm to 3pm and features oldies but goodies of all kinds. It's for listeners of all ages who have a simple love for favourite old songs. Jim will continue Classic Country Sundays from 9am to 12 noon. He would be honoured to have you as a listener any day.

Jim loves hearing from his listeners and may be reached:

by fax at 613-969-8122 or
via email at jim@cjbq.com or
by regular mail by writing to Jim Wright, CJBQ Radio, 10 South Front Street, Belleville K8N 2Y3