Owned and operated by the government-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, it transmits on 95.1 MHz from the Mount Royal candelabra tower with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts (class C1) using an omnidirectional antenna.

The station has a non-commercial news/talk format and is the flagship of the Ici Radio-Canada Première network which operates across Canada.

CBF operated on 910 using 50,000 watts full-time with an omnidirectional antenna as a clear channel Class I-A station.

Commercial advertising on the station was eliminated in 1974 except for Montreal Canadiens NHL hockey games.

[1] The AM signal covered much of the western half of Quebec, and was strong enough to be heard in Ottawa and the National Capital Region, as well as parts of New York State and Vermont.

However, radio frequency interference rendered it almost unlistenable in parts of Montreal during the day, which prompted the decision to move the station to the FM dial.

[5] On October 30, 2012, the CBC received approval to change the source of programming from CBF to CBFG-FM Chisasibi on the following repeaters:[6][7] CBFA-1 Manawan, CBFA-2 Obedjiwan, CBFW Wemindji, CBFM Mistissini, CBFA-3 Wemotaci, CBFH Waskaganish and CBFV Waswanipi.

As of 2015, the entirety of CBF's schedule is broadcast live throughout North America via Sirius XM Canada on channel 170.