CFBG-FM

An application by Joseph F. Duchesne, owner of Muskoka-Parry Sound Broadcasting Ltd. (CFBK Huntsville and CFBQ Parry Sound) for an FM licence at Bracebridge was denied on February 25. Duchesne proposed to broadcast on 107.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 50,000 watts. Duchesne proposed to initially rebroadcast CFBK, but by year five the new FM would provide 100% local programming.

A competing application by Hugh and Michael MacKenzie was also turned down. They proposed using 97.7 MHz with ERP of 65,000 watts. The application called for the origination of 47 hours of local programming a week. The station would rebroadcast Rogers-owned CHFI-FM in Toronto at other times. Local programming would be increased slightly during the term of a 10-year agreement with CHFI. This was not the first time this applicant had made this proposal.

On March 10, approval was given to a joint application by Telemedia Communications Inc. and Muskoka-Parry Sound Broadcasting Limited for an FM licence to serve Bracebridge and area. The applicants proposed the use of 107.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 5,000 watts. Telemedia-MP-S was advised to search for a more suitable frequency. The new station would originate 49.5 hours a week of local programming and rebroadcast CFBK at other times. M-PS also received permission to convert CFBK to the FM band. Both Bracebridge and Huntsville FM stations would have a Group 1, pop/rock (softer) format.

A competing application by Hugh & Michael Mackenzie (97.7 MHz with 50,000 watts) was denied. They proposed 47.5 hours a week of local programming with the remainder coming from CHFI-FM. The format would be Group 1, pop/rock (softer). A third application, by Larry Coates (92.1 MHz with 2,000 watts – Group 1, pop/rock (softer) format) was withdrawn, because the CRTC said all required information was not provided.

South Muskoka Broadcasting opened CFBG-FM on 100.9 MHz with 2,500 watts effective radiated power in May.  The station was a semi-satellite of CFBK Huntsville and was affiliated with the CBC Radio Network. 

John Enright was CFBG’s news director.

On July 9, approval was given to increase local programming on CFBG from 72 to 126 hours per week. As a result, the station would no longer receive programming from CFBK Huntsville and the CBC. At this time CFBG went local from 6 a.m. to midnight and added the Coast-to-Coast radio network during overnight hours. 

Muskoka-Parry Sound Broadcasting applied to the CRTC for permission to rebroadcast CFBK Huntsville on CFBG between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 1 p.m. midnight on Saturdays and Sundays. 

CFBG was given approval on February 10 to reduce local programming from 80 to 42 hours a week. Non-local programming would originate with CFBK Huntsville.

CFBG-FM became “The Moose”.

On December 10, the sale of CFBG by Telemedia Communications Inc. to The Haliburton Broadcasting Group Inc. was granted. 

Helen Bradley left CFBG as general sales manager. After a short time, she wound up at CICX-FM in Orillia as an account executive.

Standard Broadcasting acquired a 29.9% interest in Haliburton Broadcasting.

On January 25, approval was given to change CFBG’s frequency from 100.9 to 99.5 MHz and to increase effective radiated power from 2,900 to 12,000 watts. The station had applied earlier for a power increase to 100 kW on 99.5 but the CRTC turned it down on July 31, 2000.

On May 15 at 9 a.m., “Muskoka’s All New Variety Station 99.5 Moose FM” was launched. 

On August 7 the CRTC renewed CFBG-FM’s licence until August 31, 2010.

Wendy Gray, based at Moose-FM Bracebridge, was promoted to VP, News and Digital Content, at the Haliburton Broadcast Group. She had been the central and northern Ontario radio chain’s News Director/Operations Manager.

On November 23, the CRTC renewed the licence for CFBG-FM to 31 August 2014. This short-term renewal would enable the Commission to review, at an earlier date, the licensee’s compliance with the Radio Regulations, 1986.

On October 19, the CRTC approved the application by Vista Radio Ltd. for authority to acquire from Haliburton Broadcasting Group Inc. the assets of Haliburton’s AM and FM radio stations and their transmitters located in Bancroft, Barry’s Bay, Bolton, Bracebridge, Caledon, Cochrane, Elliot Lake, Espanola, Fort Erie, Haldimand, Haliburton, Hearst, Huntsville, Iroquois Falls, Kapuskasing, Kemptville, Niagara Falls, North Bay, Parry Sound, Prescott, St. Catharines, Stratford, Sturgeon Falls and Timmins. Vista was a corporation controlled by Westerkirk Capital Inc., in turn controlled by Thompson Investments Limited. CFBG-FM was among the stations acquired by Vista.