rip bob laine

Sad news coming out of the Toronto radio scene this afternoon with the passing of CHUM original . Thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and the CHUM gang.

TORONTO - Broadcasting icon , who spent most of his career with CHUM Radio, has died in Toronto. His wife Sandi says Laine died at his home in Toronto late Wednesday night after what she says was a courageous battle with illness.

He was 72.

Laine began his radio career at CHNS in Simcoe, Ont., but quickly moved to CHUM Toronto, signing on as the all-night DJ in May 1958.


He stayed there, with his signature opening, “Good morning world, this is Bob-O. Good morning Bob-O, this is world,” for a decade, with one brief interruption.
“The Voice” left CHUM in March 1962 for a very short stint as CFGM's morning man but was back at the overnight show in May of that same year. Laine moved to afternoons in 1968 and then into management in the 1970s as program director of CHUM-FM.


He retired in 2003 as a corporate vice-president after almost 46 years with the company.


Laine once said that during his time at CHUM, he did everything one can do in radio.
He was on the air, a station manager, a general manager and a radio station designer to name a few, and said he had the best time for all those years.

During his time in management, Laine founded the CHUM radio network.
After retirement, he and long-time producer Doug Thompson took on the task of combing through CHUM's extensive archives, going back to 1957 when it first became a Top 40 station.


Bob is survived by his wife, daughters Cindy, Patti and Joey and granddaughter Laynee.


Services are set for Friday.