CFXE-FM

Ernest Mushtuk was granted a licence for a new radio station at Edson, operating on 970 kHz with a full-time power of 10,000 watts (DA-1). The application was opposed by CFCW Camrose.

Yellowhead Broadcasting Ltd. opened CJYR 970 on April 4. Power was 10,000 watts (same directional pattern for day and night operation).

On November 19, Yellowhead Broadcasting Ltd. was given approval to operate an AM station at Jasper on 1450 kHz with 100 watts of power, non-directional. (It would be known as CKYR).

Chuck Benson was production manager.

Yellowhead Broadcasting received approval to operate 50 watt AM rebroadcast transmitters at Hinton (1230 kHz), Grande Cache (1230) and Whitecourt (1400). When the Whitecourt (CFYR) and Hinton (CIYR) transmitters went on the air, they offered some local programming. The Grande Cache transmiiter was known as CKYR-1.

Mel Lazarenko was promoted from sales manager to general manager at Yellowhead Broadcasting.

CIYR Hinton was authorized to increase power to 1,000 watts day / 250 watts night, and to establish local studios to originate programs from 6:00 a.m. to noon daily. The remainder of the program day would originate with CJYR Edson.

CKYR Jasper was granted a power increase to 250 watts (day and night).

On June 2, the licences were renewed for CJYR Edson and its rebroadcasters CFYR Whitecourt, CKYR Jasper and CKYR-1 Grande Cache and its partial rebroadcaster CIYR Hinton. It was noted that CJYR Edson broadcast 98 hours of local programming per week and 28 hours per week originating from CIYR Hinton. CIYR broadcast 28 hours of local programming per week and 98 hours per week is received from CJYR. In addition, both stations broadcast 42 hours per week of the program entitled “Coast-to-Coast” distributed by the network operated by Telemedia Communications Systems. The licensee was encouraged to increase the level of local programming in Hinton to 32 hours.

On January 9, Yellowhead Broadcasting Ltd. was given approval to add an FM transmitter for CJYR at Whitecourt, operating on 96.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 9,000 watts. The transmitter would replace CFYR-AM. The new station was the first in the CJYR group to offer a stereo signal. As a result of the stereo operation, the studios at Edson had to be upgraded.

When CJYR’s licence was renewed on July 11, it was noted as operating CFYR-FM Whitecourt, CKYR Jasper and CKYR-1 Grande Cache.

On September 23, approval for Okanagan Skeena Group Ltd. to purchase CIYR Hinton and CJYR Edson and its transmitters CKYR Jasper, CKYR-1 Grande Cache and CFYR-FM Whitecourt from Yellowhead Broadcasting Ltd. was approved.

On October 7, approval was given for Okanagan Skeena Group Ltd. to effect an intra-corporate reorganization. OKS would transfer the assets of its television and radio stations in British Columbia and Alberta to 3537412 Canada Ltd., one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries.

On October 18, approval was granted for the transfer of ownership and control of Okanagan Skeena Group Ltd. through the transfer of all of its issued and outstanding shares to Telemedia Radio Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary of Telemedia Communications Inc. Initially, Okanagan had applied for the transfer of its shares to TCI Acquisition Corporation. However, on August 31, by letter of authority, the CRTC approved the merger of Okanagan with TCI. The resulting company kept Okanagan’s name. Also, Telemedia advised the Commission that, effective September 1, 3581713 Canada Inc. amalgamated with Telemedia Radio. As a result of these mergers, Telemedia Radio was now the company that acquired the shares of Okanagan.

Dave Schuck was program director at CJYR.

On April 19, the CRTC approved the sale of a number of radio and television stations in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia by Telemedia Radio Inc. and Telemedia Radio (West) Inc. to Standard Radio Inc. Standard was then allowed to sell certain of these stations to Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. and 3937844 Canada Inc. (subsidary of Newcap Inc.). Newcap acquired 15 Alberta radio stations and related transmitters (Newcap 76.34%, Standard 23.66%). CJYR was one of the 15 stations that would now be owned by Newcap.

On December 19, 3937844 Canada Inc. received approval to convert CIYR Hinton to the FM band. Approximately 40% of the programming would originate with CJYR.

On the same date, approval was granted for CKYR Jasper to move to the FM band, operating on 95.5 MHz with an effective radiated power of 95 watts. The applicant indicated that the new FM transmitter would provide a stronger, more reliable signal for delivering the programming of CJYR Edson to the community of Jasper.

In order to improve service to Whitecourt and area, office space was leased downtown (5120 – 50th Street) for a local news office, studios and sales office. A digital link was established between Whitecourt and Edson. With this facility, Whitecourt was able to originate some local programming (which was fed back to Edson and then back to Whitecourt and throughout the Yellowhead community).

CJYR 970 moved to a new and larger studio facility (second floor, 422-50 Street) in December.

On May 12 at 8 p.m., CJYR and its rebroadcast transmitters vanished into history. From that time until 7 a.m. the following day, listeners were treated to continuous TV show themes, then the group relaunched as The Fox Radio Group, with a classic hits format. The call letters were changed to CFXE Edson, CFXG Grande Cashe, CFXH Hinton, CFXP Jasper and CFXW Whitecourt.

On May 20, Newcap was given approval to operate an FM station at Whitecourt to replace CFXW-FM (formerly CFYR). 

The Edson facility became a regional hub for NewCap Alberta, doubling its staff to 16 employees.

On February 1, CFXE was given approval to move to the FM dial. It would operate on a frequency of 94.3 MHz with effective radiated power of 11,000 watts. CFXE-FM would offer a classic hits format.

CFXE flipped to the FM band as “The FOX 94.3 FM CFXE” on July 10.

On November 2, The Fox 970AM went silent. The 94.3 FM signal provided a much better signal so the AM frequency was turned off.

The FOX Radio Group in Western Alberta was replaced in the summer by The EAGLE. The EAGLE would continue to “Play All Kinds of Stuff” from the 70’s to Today with a very strong commitment to local content and continuing to be the number one news source in Edson, Hinton, Jasper & Grande Cache. The station had studios in Hinton and Edson and employed 20 within those 2 markets. The Edson office would continue to be the hub for all of Newcap Radio’s North West Division stations. The cluster had been re-branding all of its FOX radio stations over the last six months to give each station its own identity and local feel. Newcap had invested millions into the group of stations with renovations, new equipment, back-up generators and transmitters along with FM conversions over the last couple years. Newcap Alberta’s North West Division also operated The RIG in Whitecourt, LAKE-FM in Slave Lake, The RIVER in Athabasca and 1370 CFOK in Westlock. The last FOX station in the group is 1020 CKVH High Prairie which will be rebranded before the end of the year when the station flips to FM.

On September 29, the CRTC approved the application by Newcap Inc. to amend the licence for CFXE-FM Edson by replacing its existing AM rebroadcasting transmitter CFXG Grande Cache with an FM rebroadcasting transmitter. The new transmitter would operate on frequency 93.3 MHz (channel 227A1) with an effective radiated power of 190 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of -81.7 metres). The licensee stated that the low-power AM signal had become unreliable due to an increase in the level of various types of interference, and a rise in listener expectations with regard to quality of service.

Steve Bethge, News Director at Newcap Edson resigned to join the Town of Edson as Communications Officer.

CFXG 1230 moved to 93.3 on the FM dial (simulcasts CFXE 94.3 Edson).

In July, CFXE rebranded from The Eagle to Real Country West.

On October 23, the CRTC approved an application by Newfoundland Capital Corporation Limited, on behalf of Newcap Inc. and its licensed broadcasting subsidiaries, for authorization to effect a change in the ownership and effective control of various radio and television broadcasting undertakings in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, so that effective control of the undertakings would be exercised by Eric Boyko (Stingray Digital Group Inc.). Stingray took ownership of the stations just a few days later.