CBCS-FM

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation received approval for an FM station at Sudbury to provide English AM network service. It would operate on a frequency of 97.1 MHz and have an effective radiated power of 50,000 watts. An FM transmitter was also approved for the French AM service. CKSO (English) and CFBR (French) would continue as affiliates of the networks until FM penetration increased in the region. The CBC was warned not to relegate its AM network to the FM band and to use AM frequencies where available, to reach the largest possible audience. The CRTC wanted this done in Sudbury with these newly licenced FM stations to be used in the future for the CBC FM network.

The CBC launched CBCS-FM on May 5. The station operated on 99.9 MHz with an effective radiated power of 50,000 watts. CBCS provided the main English (AM) network service to the region along with some local and regional programming, some of which was produced at studios in Sudbury. CKSO-AM had been the CBC affiliate in the city. The call sign: CBC Sudbury.

Rebroadcast transmitters CBCA-FM Attawapiskat and CBCI-FM Fort Albany went on the air on July 19. 

CBSM-FM Sault Ste. Marie opened January 1.

On June 20, Wawa’s CBLJ-FM was opened.

CBCC-FM Hearst, CBOK-FM Kapuskasing and CBCJ-FM Timmins were opened on April 16.

CBCE-FM Little Current began broadcasting on July 9.

On July 11, permission was granted for CBCS-FM to add an FM transmitter at Kirkland Lake, operating on 90.3 MHz with an effective radiated power of 2,650 watts.  

On the same date, an FM rebroadcaster was also authorized for Elk Lake, on the frequency 89.7 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 8 watts. 

On August 7, CBCS received approval for an FM transmitter at Chapleau on the frequency of 89.9 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 345 watts. It would replace the existing CBLC (AM) transmitter at Chapleau.

CBCG-FM Elk Lake was opened on July 20.

CBCU-FM Chapleau signed on the air March 7.

On December 22, CBCS-FM received authority to add an FM transmitter at Elliot Lake on the frequency 90.3 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 103 watts.  It would replace the existing CBEC (AM) transmitter at Elliot Lake. 

At licence renewal, the CRTC noted that CBCR-FM Kirkland Lake (licenced in 1984) was still not on the air. 

CBEC-FM Elliot Lake signed on February 19.

On January 22, the CRTC approved the application by the CBC for a licence for an FM transmitter at Britt on the frequency 107.7 MHz, channel 299, with an effective radiated power of 21 watts, to rebroadcast the programs of CBCS-FM. The licence would expire August 31, 1994. This term would enable the Commission to consider the renewal of the licence at the same time as that of the originating station, CBCS-FM. 

CBEZ-FM Britt was opened on June 14.

CBCS-FM received permission on November 23 to decrease the effective radiated power of its transmitter CBCI-FM Fort Albany from 1,000 watts to 500 watts. 

CBC Radio added overnight programming to its schedule on May 1, with “CBC Radio Overnight”. The programming started out on certain CBC stations and was expanded to all of its stations by September. The program aired between 1:00 and 6:00 a.m. (local time) and offered reports from public broadcasters in 25 countries, with Canadian news on the hour. The program service was provided by the World Radio Network in London, England.

On May 12, CBCS-FM was authorized to delete the authority for its transmitter CBEZ Britt.  The CBC indicated that this transmitter was no longer required since CBEZ-FM Britt currently serves the community.  

CBCR-FM Kirkland Lake was launched on March 22.

On October 29, CBCS-FM was authorized to add a transmitter at Haileybury, operating on frequency 102.3 MHz with an effective radiated power of 780 watts.  The transmitter would replace CJTT New Liskeard, which received approval to disaffiliate from the CBC. The new transmitter would also cover Latchford. As a result, the CBC would cease operation of its low-power AM transmitter CBLQ Latchford no later than twelve months following the successful implementation of the proposed FM transmitter. 

On February 1, CBCY-FM Haileybury signed on. 

CBCS-FM received permission on July 9 to add transmitter CBCR-FM Kirkland Lake to its licence. The CBC had held a separate licence for CBCR-FM.
The CBC Radio network (CBC Radio) was renamed “CBC Radio One” on September 1.

In September, the CBCS noon-hour show was replaced by a new provincial noon-hour show Ontario Today, hosted by Dave Stephens from CBO in Ottawa. Sherry Drysdale would be the Sudbury correspondent for the show.

On October 27, CBCS-FM received permission to reduce the level of local programming from a minimum of 30 hours each broadcast week to a minimum of 28 hours each broadcast week.

CBC Radio Two service arrived in Sudbury with the launch of CBBS on 90.1 MHz with effective radiated power of 50,000 watts. CBBS rebroadcast the programs of CBL-FM Toronto.

As of 2001 CBCS-FM operated the following rebroadcast transmitters: CBCA-FM Attawapiskat, CBEZ –FM Britt, CBCU-FM Chapleau, CBCG-FM Elk Lake, CBEC-FM Elliot Lake, CBLF-FM (AM transmitter opened May 25, 1947) Foleyet, CBCI-FM Fort Albany, CBCY-FM Haileybury, CBCC-FM Hearst, CBOK-FM Kapuskasing, CBCR-FM Kirkland Lake, CBCE-FM Little Current, CBLO Mattawa (on air since January 13, 1959), CBEY Moosonee (on air since December 6, 1968), CBCN-FM North Bay (on air since July 9, 1976), CBSM-FM Sault Ste. Marie, CBEU Temagami (on air since February 27, 1959), CBCJ-FM Timmins, CBLJ-FM Wawa. CBCS-FM broadcasts approximately 25 hours of local programming each week from Sudbury.

On May 12 the CRTC renewed the licence for CBCS-FM. The renewal included the following rebroadcast transmitters: CBCA-FM Attawapiskat, CBCC-FM Hearst, CBCE-FM Little Current, CBCG-FM Elk Lake, CBCI-FM Fort Albany, CBCJ-FM Timmins, CBCN-FM North Bay, CBCR-FM Kirkland Lake, CBCU-FM Chapleau, CBCY-FM Halleybury, CBEC-FM Elliot Lake, CBEU Temagami, CBEY Moosonee, CBLF Foleyet, CBLJ-FM Wawa, CBLO Mattawa, CBOK-FM Kapuskasing and CBSM-FM Sault Ste. Marie.

On August 9, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence of CBCS-FM (and its transmitters) to August 31, 2011.

On August 25, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CBCS-FM and its transmitters to March 1, 2013.

Wayne Harvey’s position as Supervisor, Transmission Services, at CBC Sudbury was eliminated.

On February 22, the CRTC administratively renewed the licences for CBCS-FM Sudbury and its transmitters to August 31, 2013.

On May 28, the CRTC renewed the licence of CBCS-FM Sudbury and its transmitters CBCA-FM Attawapiskat, CBCC-FM Hearst, CBCE-FM Little Current, CBCG-FM Elk Lake, CBCI-FM Fort Albany, CBCJ-FM Timmins, CBCN-FM North Bay, CBCR-FM Kirkland Lake, CBCU-FM Chapleau, CBCY-FM Haileybury, CBEC-FM Elliot Lake, CBEZ-FM Britt, CBLJ-FM Wawa, CBOK-FM Kapuskasing, CBSM-FM Sault Ste. Marie, CBEU Temagami, CBEY Moosonee, CBLF Foleyet, CBLO Mattawa and CBLQ Latchford, for a five year term to August 31, 2018.

On August 14, the CRTC approved the CBC’s application to change the technical parameters of CBCC-FM Hearst, to decrease the average effective radiated power from 10,500 to 8,340 watts (non-directional antenna). 

On October 25, the CRTC approved the CBC’s application relating to CBCS-FM Sudbury, by changing the class of its transmitter CBLJ-FM Wawa by decreasing that transmitter’s average ERP from 50,000 to 4,807 watts (non-directional antenna).

In November, the CRTC approved the CBC’s application to replace CBEU-AM Temagami with an FM transmitter operating at 106.1 MHz with an ERP of 50 watts (non-directional).

Late in the year, CBC Sudbury began broadcasting from its new location at 43 Elm Street, downtown. The new facility featured upgraded broadcasting technology and an open concept office. CBC had been located at 15 Mackenzie Street since signing-on the air in 1978.

On March 9, the CRTC approved the CBC’s application to change the authorized contours of CBCG-FM Elk Lake, by changing the transmitter class from low power to regular power A1, increasing the effective radiated power from 8 to 115.7 watts and decreasing the effective height of antenna above average terrain from 71.5 to 54.3 metres. Kathy Gooch died in April at the age of 61. She started her journalism career at CKSO-AM-TV and then moved to CBC Radio Sudbury as a producer.

On June 20, the CBC received CRTC approval for CBCS-FM to operate an FM rebroadcasting transmitter in Moosonee to replace its existing low-power AM transmitter CBEY. The new transmitter would operate at 99.9 MHz (channel 260A1) with an effective radiated power of 135 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 8.97 metres).

Early in the year, the CBC received CRTC approval to raise the antenna height for CBCY-FM Temiskaming Shores.

On July 11, the CRTC approved the CBC’s application to change the authorized contours of CBCJ-FM Timmins by relocating the transmitter site, decreasing the ERP from 41,600 to 11,000 watts and increasing the EHAAT from 97.7 to 193 metres. The CBC stated that the changes would allow it to combine the Radio One service with its ICI Radio-Canada Première service on a single antenna and would maintain excellent coverage in the Timmins region and its vicinity.

Barry Mercer (66) died on August 11. He began a 35-year career with CBC Radio in 1972 as a summer relief announcer in Goose Bay, NL. Mercer joined CBC Radio Sudbury in 1985, serving as host of Points North, co-host of Radio Noon, and reporter for Morning North, before retiring in 2006.