CIBQ-FM

On October 26, Dinosaur Broadcasting (1957) Ltd. was granted a licence for a new AM station at Brooks, operating on 1340 kHz with power of 1,000 watts day and 250 watts night, non-directional. The new station would offer three hours of live, local programming each week with the remainder coming from co-owned CJDV Drumheller. A competing application by Monarch Broadcasting for this station was denied.

CKBR Brooks signed on the air on April 15, operating on 1340 kHz with 1,000 watts day and 250 watts at night. The station was owned by Dinosaur Broadcasting (1957) Ltd., owner of CJDV Drumheller.

On May 16, the CRTC deferred a decision on the transfer of 99.1% of Dinosaur Broadcasting (1957) Ltd. (CJDV, CKBR and CHOA) from Anthony and Alice Mayer to Stanley J. Solberg and Eneas A. Toshach. Solberg, owner of Goose Lake Broadcasting Ltd. (CKKR Rosetown, SK) planned to finance the purchase by the sale of Goose Lake to John P. Hamilton which was granted in 1977. The Goose Lake sale to Hamilton did not move forward. Solberg would now file an application with the CRTC to sell CKKR to Ronald Hykaway and Dennis W. Williams. Until the Commission had an opportunity to review that application, the sale of Dinosaur was on hold.

On June 27, the CRTC gave the go-ahead for the transfer of 99.1% of Dinosaur from Anthony and Alice Mayer to Stanley J. Solberg and Eneas A. Toshach. Solberg was in turn given permission to sell his interest in CKKR Rosetown, SK. The proceeds from that sale would be used for the purchase of CJDV, CKBR and CHOA.

On February 24, CHUM Limited was given approval to purchase a 69.3% interest in Dinosaur Broadcasting (CJDV Drumheller, CHOA Stettler and CKBR Brooks). S. J. Solberg would retain a 29.8% interest for at least two years. CHUM allocated $350,000 for new equipment, studio renovations, and a power increase for CJDV, which already put a receivable signal into Calgary. CHUM also promised an emphasis on production of local country music shows and an expansion of regional news services.

The stations became Q Country stations and the call letters were changed as follow: Drumheller – CJDV to CKDQ; Brooks – CKBR to CIBQ; and Stettler – CHOA to CKSQ.

Since CHUM’s purchase of Dinosaur Broadcasting (1957) Ltd., equipment at CKDQ and CKSQ had been upgraded and new equipment had been purchased for CIBQ.

On January 17, CIBQ was authorized to increase night-time power from 500 watts to 1,000 watts.

On January 25, CIBQ lost out to Calgary’s CHQR for a move to 770 kHz. CIBQ operated on 1340 kHz with a power of 1,000 watts day and 250 watts at night. Power on 770 kHz would have increased to 10,000 watts day and night. The proposed changes would have greatly improved CIBQ’s signal, especially at night. CHUM told the CRTC hearing that “the night signal is virtually unusable in the populated rural areas that lie to the north and east of Brooks” and that even some areas in Brooks itself experience this problem. It also noted that the town of Bassano and a number of other communities near Brooks including Gem, Rosemary, Duchess, Patricia, Cessford and Millicent do not receive a consistent radio signal, even though, “they represent 50% of the total population of the prime service area of CIBQ,” and, therefore, “only 9,500 of the 17,000 residents in the Brooks and Newell County area have access to CIBQ day and night.” In the end, the CRTC determined that the CHQR proposal, with a power of 50,000 watts, would make better use of the 770 kHz frequency, and solve CHQR’s technical problem in Calgary, and extend its full-time service to communities near Calgary in a satisfactory manner.

Jim Blundell moved from managing CHUM’s Alberta stations (recently sold to Nor-Net) – CKDQ-CKSQ-CIBQ to the management of CHUM’s CKPT/CKQM (Peterborough) as of April 17.

On November 1, Nor-Net Communications Ltd. received permission to acquire CIBQ Brooks, CKDQ Drumheller and CKSQ Stettler from CHUM Limited.

On November 18, Okanagan Skeena Group Ltd. received approval to acquire Nornet Broadcasting Ltd. (including CIBQ).

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.

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%). CIBQ was one of the 15 stations that would now be owned by Newcap.

CIBQ had its licence renewed by the CRTC on July 18.

On December 19, Newcap received CRTC approval to operate an FM station in Brooks. It would offer an Adult Contemporary format to complement the existing Country music programming on CIBQ.

Newcap launched an FM station at Brooks – CIXF-FM (101.1 FM The Fox).

Newcap New Brunswick General Manager Hilary Montbourquette, who ran FRED-FM Fredericton and CJMO-FM/CJXL-FM Moncton, became General Manager/General Sales Manager at Newcap’s Alberta Radio South Group of stations (CKGY-FM and CIZZ-FM Red Deer, CIBQ and CIXF-FM Brooks, CJPR-FM Blairmore, CKDQ Drumheller and CKSQ Stettler), based at Z99/KG Country Red Deer. He succeeded Ron Thompson who retired September 30 (2009). As a result of Montbourquette’s move, completed mid-January (2010), Dan Fagan was promoted to GM/GSM of the Moncton stations and Dan Gallant was promoted to GM/GSM of the Fredericton station. Brad Muir was promoted to Operations Manager of Moncton and would continue to program FREDFM.

On April 23, the CRTC approved the application by Newcap Inc. for a broadcasting licence to operate a new English-language commercial FM radio programming undertaking in Brooks, Alberta, to replace its AM station CIBQ Brooks. The station would operate at 105.7 MHz (channel 289B1) with an average effective radiated power of 6,600 watts (maximum ERP of 14,000 watts and effective height of antenna above average terrain of 45.6 metres). The new station would maintain CIBQ’s Country music format. A minimum of 19 hours and 20 minutes of the broadcast week would be devoted to spoken word programming, including four hours and forty-one minutes of news and related surveillance material (weather, traffic and sports reports), as well as community event information, business community coverage and religious programming. Newcap was authorized to simulcast the programming of the new FM station on CIBQ for a transition period of three months following the commencement of operations of the FM station.

Q13 hired Steve Bohan as morning man.

CHNK Winnipeg Program Director Abbey White left that position to become PD at sister Newcap stations KG Country Red Deer and the Newcap stations in Brooks, Drumheller, Stettler and Blairmore. Also at Newcap’s Southern Alberta Group, Al Tompson, Music Director and Morning Show Host at Zed 99 Red Deer added PD to his responsibilities. Former PD Brent Young was no longer with the organization.

On November 30, the CRTC renewed CIBQ’s licence until August 31, 2017.

Chad Tabish moved from General Sales Manager at Newcap’s Alberta North East Hub to become GSM at Newcap Radio Red Deer and the Alberta South Radio Group (Stettler, Drumheller, Brooks and Blairmore). He had also been Station Manager at Lloyd FM Lloydminster. He began December 15.

After 37 years on the AM dial, Q13 made the flip to the FM dial at 7:07 a.m. on February 16. The signal reach remained the same, covering the 24,000 listeners in Brooks and the County of Newell. Q105.7 played today’s best country and continued with its emphasis on the community with local news and sports, school news, helping non-profit organizations and the ever popular Coffee Row program.

John Petrie was Manager of Q105.7 FM and The One @ 101.1.

Al Lucas was promoted to General Sales Manager for Newcap’s Alberta Radio Group (South): KG Country/ZED 99 Red Deer, Q91Drumheller, Q14 Stettler, Mountain Radio Blairmore/Crowsnest Pass and Q105/The One Brooks. He moved up from Retail Sales Manager and Sales Manager at the Red Deer stations.

Steve Bohan was the new Program Director at Q105.7/The One 101.1. He remained as morning host at Q105.7.

Newcap rebranded eight of its Alberta country music stations to the Real Country Network. CKGY Red Deer was the flagship. CIBQ rebranded from Q105.7 to Real Country 105.7. All stations would still air local programming but off-peak shows would be centralized from Red Deer. Seven on-air jobs were lost as a result of the change.

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.

In January, Stingray began syndicating the Real Country 95.5 Red Deer morning show across its Real Country and boom-branded radio stations in rural Alberta, leading to the elimination of 14 on-air positions. Real Country 105.7 was among the stations to add the show.