CIFM-FM

On May 21, Inland Broadcasters, owner of CFJC-AM opened an FM station on 98.3 MHz

By this time, the station was known as CFFM 98.3, operating with 3,900 watts in stereo. Programming was separate from CFJC-AM.

The corporate name changed to Twin Cities Radio Ltd. The Inland Broadcasters Ltd. name was retained for CFJC-TV. 

Twin Cities Radio Ltd. applied to the CRTC for FM rebroadcast transmitters for CFFM-FM at Cache Creek/Ashcroft (125 watts on 95.3 MHz) and Williams Lake (176 watts on 97.5 MHz). 

On January 11, the CRTC renewed CFFM-FM’s licence until September 30, 1985. The renewal also covered rebroadcasting transmitters: CFFM-FM-1 Savona, CFFM-FM-2 Clearwater, CFFM-FM-3 Merritt, CFFM-FM-4 Clinton, CFFM-FM-5 100 Mile House, CFFM-FM-6 Cache Creek/Ashcroft, CFFM-FM-7 Pritchard, CFFM-FM-8 Chase, CIAK-FM Lytton and CIFM-FM Williams Lake.

The Jim Pattison Group (CJOR/CJJR Vancouver) agreed to purchase CFJC, CFFM-FM and CFJC-TV Kamloops. Dave Clark, who was the major shareholder, would remain with the group. No programming changes were planned, but technical improvements would be made, and Pattison would follow through on an application for an FM station in the Cariboo.

CFFM-FM-5 100 Mile House and CIFM-FM Williams Lake were given approval to change their program source from CFFM-FM Kamloops to CFJC Kamloops. CFFM’s other rebroadcasters (CFFM-FM-1 Savona, CFFM-FM-2 Clearwater, CFFM-FM-3 Merritt, CFFM-FM-4 Clinton, CFFM-FM-6 Cache Creek/Ashcroft, CFFM-FM-7 Pritchard and CFFM-FM-8 Chase) continued to simulcast CFFM.

CFFM became CIFM while CIFM Williams Lake became CFFM.

Twin Cities Radio Ltd. (CIFM) were sold by D.S. Clark, J.W.R. Pollard and Diane Edgell to Jim Pattison Industries Ltd.

The corporate name changed to Jim Pattison Enterprises Ltd.

The corporate name changed to Great Pacific Industries Inc.

The corporate name changed to Jim Pattison Industries Ltd. 

Rick Arnish, president and general manager at CFJC-AM/CIFM-FM/CFJC-TV Kamloops, was promoted to president of The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group, responsible for radio and TV stations at Vancouver, Kamloops and Kelowna.

Doug Anderson was now general manager. He had been operations manager at CFQX Winnipeg.

By this time, CIFM operated the following transmitters: CIFM-FM-2 Clearwater, CIFM-FM-3 Merritt, CIFM-FM-4 Clinton, CIFM-FM-5 Barriere, CIFM-FM-6 Cache Creek/Ashcroft, CIFM-FM-7 Pritchard and CIFM-FM-8 Chase.

CIFM was authorized to add a transmitter at Sun Peaks, operating on 90.1 MHz with an ERP of 40 watts.

On December 23, the CRTC approved the application by Jim Pattison Broadcast Group Ltd. (the general partner) and Jim Pattison Industries Ltd. (the limited partner) carrying on business as Jim Pattison Broadcast Group Limited Partnership, owned by James A. Pattison (the Pattison Group), for the authority to acquire the assets of all of the radio television undertakings (and their respective transmitters) currently licensed to corporate entities owned by James A. Pattison. This transaction was part of a corporate reorganization that would not affect the ultimate control of the broadcasting undertakings. The ultimate control would continue to be exercised by James A. Pattison, the sole shareholder of Jim Pattison Ltd.

At this time CIFM-FM operated the following transmitters: CIFM-FM-2 Clearwater, CIFM-FM-3 Merritt, CIFM-FM-4 Clinton, CIFM-FM-5 Barriere, CIFM-FM-6 Cache Creek, CIFM-FM-7 Pritchard, CIFM-FM-8 Chase, and CIFM-FM-9 Sun Peaks Resort. 

Dave Somerton, the Operations Manager at CFJC-TV/CIFM-FM/CKBZ-FM – who had been with the operation for 40 years – retired at the end of April. Doug Collins took on the responsibilities of TV operations at the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group facility. Collins continued in news and information at all three stations as Director of News, Information & Television Operations. 

Leo Baggio, Program Director for CIFM and CKBZ and a host on CIFM, gave up his on-on gig after being promoted to Director of Radio Programming & Operations at the two stations. 

On November 30, the CRTC renewed the licence for CIFM-FM Kamloops and its transmitters CIFM-FM-2 Clearwater, CIFM-FM-3 Merritt, CIFM-FM-4 Clinton, CIFM-FM-5 Barriere, CIFM-FM-6 Cache Creek, CIFM-FM-7 Pritchard, CIFM-FM-8 Chase and CIFM-FM-9 Sun Peaks Resort, until August 31, 2017.

Jim Pattison, Managing Director and CEO, the Jim Pattison Group announced the promotion of two key executives of the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group LP, effective July 1. Rick Arnish was promoted to Chairman of the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group LP, following a very successful 14 years as President. Rod Schween was promoted to assume the role of President of the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group LP. He had been general manager/general sales manager for the Pattison Lethbridge/Cranbrook division with 6 stations in 3 different communities. He would move to the Kamloops, B.C. Head Office of the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group, where he would be responsible as General Manager of Broadcast Centre – CFJC TV, CIFM FM & CKBZ FM.

Gordon Rye passed away at age 90. Rye was employed at what was now the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group’s Kamloops operation for over 50 years, from 1939 through to the ’90s. After his official retirement, the newsman still contributed stories.

Effective November 1, the new Program Director of 98.3 CIFM – Kamloops’ Best Rock (CIFM-FM) & B-100 – Kamloops’ At Work Station (CKBZ-FM) was Cheryl Blackwell. In addition to her PD role, Cheryl continued as co-host of the B-100 Morning Show. Cheryl took over for Leo Baggio who recently left the position as PD to move to Cranbrook, for his new role as General Manager/Program Director of the Cranbrook/Fernie Pattison operations.

In July, the CIFM transmitter serving the Ashcroft and Cache Creek area was destroyed by the Ashcroft Reserve Wildfire.