CFJR-FM

CFLC began broadcasting April 1, from Prescott, Ontario, on 1010 kHz with 50 watts of power. The station was operated by The Radio Association of Prescott (W.H. Plumb, A.G. Halliday, A.C. Casselman, P.J. McAndrews, L.F. Knight, H.M. Perkins, W.A. Cornell, J.E. White and D.S. Carlisle). The call letters stand for: Canada’s Finest Little Community.

CFLC moved from 1010 kHz to 930 kHz. Power remained at 50 watts.

Power increased to 100 watts.

Under the Havana Treaty, CFLC moved from 930 to 1450 kHz (Class IV) on March 29. Power was 100 watts.

Studios and transmitter were moved August 21, to a location just east of Brockville. 
J.C. Whitby, formerly of CJIC (Sault Ste. Marie) announced plans to take over CFLC Prescott.

Jack Whitby’s Eastern Ontario Broadcasting Co. Ltd. purchased CFLC and moved the studios to the Fulford Building on Courthouse Avenue, near King Street in Brockville. In addition to being owner, Jack Whitby was also manager. 

CFLC became CFBR on December 13 – the “BR” in the call sign: first two letters of Brockville. At this time, CFBR installed a new Marconi transmitter. 

CFBR became a member of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters.

Studios moved to the Revere Hotel in February. 

Helen M. Everetts left CFBR’s commercial department for McKim Advertising in Toronto. 

CBC Dominion Basic Stations: CJFX, CHNS, CFCY, CKCW, CKNB, CJLS, CKCO, CHOV, CFBR, CJBC, CHEX, CFPL, CFCO, CFPA, CHLT, CFCF, CKRC, CJGX, CKX, CKRM, CHAB, CFQC, CKBI, CFCN, CFRN, CJRL, CHWK, CJOR, CJVI.

J.C. Whitby was manager and L.B. Cohen was commercial manager. He left the station later in the year. Larry Hamilton joined CFBR after being recently relased from the army.

Jack Murray planned to purchase CFBR and hoped to have ownership at the start of 1946. He proposed using the call sign of CFJM. 

Early in the year, Murray reported that Ottawa had given him the green light to acquire CFBR from J.C. Whitby, the present owner of the Eastern Ontario Broadcasting Co. Ltd. Murray hoped to take over operation of the station on March 1, under the management of Ross Wright. 

Jack Murray purchased Eastern Ontario Broadcasting Co. Ltd. from Jack C. Whitby. Murray was to take over on March 1. He was president. Other staff at CFJM: G.W. Andrews (chief engineer), Larry Hamilton (chief announcer and program director), Stewart Paterson (announcer and newscaster), Cecil Hammond (studio operator), Don Earle (studio operator), Thomas Baldwin (transmitter engineer), Frank Leeder (transmitter engineer), Margaret Clancy (secretary), Joan Hamilton (traffic & accounts). Besides being a basic Dominion station, CFJM was affiliated with British United Press which provided the background for the station’s 14 daily local and national newscasts. Library services were U.T.S. and Standard.

The call letters changed to CFJM in March (JM for Jack Murray).

CFJM increased power October 11, from 100 watts to 250 watts.

Jack Radford purchased a controlling interest in CFJM and took over station operations on February 1. He resigned from the CBC where he had been supervisor of broadcast regulations.

CFJM received approval to operate an emergency transmitter.

The call letters changed to CFJR..

The transmitter was moved to Highway 29, near Brockville (Lot 15, Concession 2, Elizabethtown Township, Leeds County. 

CFJR received permission to operate a 100 watt emergency transmitter.

CFJR had new, larger quarters as of August (Still at the Revere Hotel).

CFJR was a CBC Dominion network affiliate. Ownership of Eastern Ontario Broadcasting Co. Ltd.: J. R. Radford 59.7%; B. Graham 3.1%; L. B. Campbell 0.1%; Sedgwick, Rogers, Campeau interests 31.2%; four other shareholders 5.8%.

Jack Radford was president of the company and CFJR’s manager. Tom Statham was assistant manager and sports director. Jim Chapman was production manager.

CFJR received federal approval to increase power from 250 watts full-time to 1,000 watts during the day and 250 watts at night.

CFJR increased power to 1,000 watts day and 250 watts night. Two towers were used.

The Dominion and Trans-Canada networks consolidated into a single CBC Radio network. CFJR remained a network affiliate.

Jack Radford sold CFJR to his son John.

John A. Radford was president of the company and CFJR’s manager. Jack Radford was news director. Jim Chapman was program/production/music director. Tom Statham was sports director and copy chief.

CFJR was given approval to change its studio location from the Revere Hotel building, 17 King Street West to 601 Stewart Boulevard. The move to the new location took place on June 15.

J.I. Chapman was operations manager.

Bruce Wylie joined CFJR.

CFJR went to 24 hours a day operation.

CAB director (CFJR owner) Jack Radford became chairman of the CAB Technical Committee.

CFJR purchased a new CCA 1,000 watt transmitter.

On June 11, CFJR received approval to disaffiliate from the CBC Radio Network. CBC service was now available in the region from the corporation’s own transmitter – CBOB-FM. 

George Mather was at CFJR.

In addition to owning CFJR, John A. Radford was also general manager and chief engineer. His wife Betty was the financial officer. Their son Doug was assistant manager.

On February 13, the CRTC approved the application by Telemedia Communications Inc. for a licence for an English-language radio network that included CFJR, for the purpose of broadcasting the hockey games of the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1983-84 season of the National Hockey League. 

On December 13, CFJR received approval to increase night-time power from 250  to 1,000 watts. 

Jim Ducharme joined CFJR.

On January 11, CFJR received approval to change its frequency from 1450 kHz to 830 kHz; increase power from 1,000 watts day and night to 5,000 watts day and 1,000 watts at night (directional at night); and to change the transmitter site. The CRTC considers that these changes in the station’s parameters would result in a significant improvement in the quality of the signal received in Brockville and surrounding area, and would extend its daytime coverage contour by approximately thirty miles in all directions.

On September 19, at 8:30 a.m., CFJR made the move to 830 kHz. 

Jim Ducharme left CFJR.

CFJR announcers: Peter Summer (6-9), Tom Statham (9-10), Bruce Wylie (10-11), Tom Statham (11-12:30), Bruce Wylie (12:30-1:30), David Holmes (1:30-5:30), Jim Lefebvre (5:30-midnight), Rich Thorpe (overnights). Heather Lewis was weekend announcer. The news team included Brian Curley, Scott Trotter and Jim Chapman.

CFJR was using a light hits (adult contemporary) music format from Randal English Enterprises.

On September 29, CFJR received a short than normal licence renewal (to September 30, 1989). The licensee was called to appear at a hearing to discuss its apparent failure to comply with subsection 4(6) of the Radio (A.M.) Broadcasting Regulations, then in force, which set out requirements for the retention and furnishing of logger tapes. CFJR was told that the availability of a complete, clear and intelligible logger tape is particularly important for it allows the Commission not only to initiate its own verification of programming but also permits it to act on complaints from the general public concerning programming matters. 

CFJR marked 60 years on the air.

Eastern Ontario Broadcasting Co. Ltd. was granted a licence on February 20 for the operation of a new FM station at Brockville. A similar application in 1986 was denied by the CRTC.

In the spring, John Radford announced that he would be selling CFJR-AM and the not yet on the air FM station to St. Lawrence Broadcasting Co. Ltd. of Kingston. Radford decided to sell the company because of difficulties of a personal nature. He said he would have enjoyed meeting the challenges of resolving the AM station’s current operational problems and of putting the FM station on the air in different personal circumstances. St. Lawrence competed against Radford for the Brockville FM licence. John Radford would retain ownership of CHUC in Cobourg.

On October 13, the CRTC approved the applications by Eastern Ontario Broadcasting Co. Ltd., for authority to transfer the effective control of the licensee through the transfer of 4,000 common shares (100%) from the current shareholders to St. Lawrence Broadcasting Co. Ltd. Eastern, which was incorporated in 1943, is an established broadcasting company in the Brockville market, and has been held by the Radford family since November 1946. It is effectively controlled by John A. Radford, indirectly through Jedcom Investments Ltd. (72.5%). The remaining shares are held by Armadale Communications Ltd. (27.5%), an unrelated company.

St. Lawrence is ultimately owned and effectively controlled, equally, by James A. Waters, Ronald A. Waters and Sheryl V. Bourne, and is the licensee of CKLC and CFLY-FM Kingston. The three principals are also beneficiaries of the Allan F. Waters Family Trust, which holds less than 1% of the shares in CHUM Ltd. When questioned at the hearing regarding the extent to which the relationship between CHUM and the principals of St. Lawrence would affect the operation of the Brockville stations, Mr. James Waters, President of St. Lawrence, stated that while the stations would benefit from the option to access CHUM’s extensive programming resources, St. Lawrence would continue to function as an autonomous company. 

Linda Benoit was named general manager of CFJR.

Randall Moore became CFJR’s news director. He had spent five years at CJSB in Ottawa.

CFJR’s new FM station CHXL officially signed on the air on July 18. 

CFJR’s former owner John Radford passed away August 13 at age 69. 

Dan Mellon joined the CFJR air staff and then left. Wayne James was an announcer at CFJR.

News director Gaetanne Masson left CFJR after seven years. She was replaced by Kathy Miller. 

CKLC/CFLY-FM Kingston news director Tony Orr and assistant news director Rob McDonald were now looking after the CFJR/CHXL-FM news department following the departure of Cathy Miller. McDonald was now based in Brockville.

CHUM Limited purchased CFJR and CHXL-FM in Brockville, and CKLC and CFLY-FM Kingston from St. Lawrence Broadcasting Co. Ltd. 

Program director Greg Hinton was appointed operations manager for CFJR and 103.7 The River.

Jim Blundell, based in Kingston, became Market Manager for CHUM Kingston, Peterborough and Brockville.

Announcers included Bruce Wylie, Alison MacLean and Ian Sterling. Angela Gemmill, Jenna Fyfe and Mike Lane were among the news staff. Greg Hinton was general manager and program director for CFJR and CJPT-FM. There was a staff of 18 for the two stations.

On January 21, approval was given for the conversion of CFJR to the FM band. The new station would broadcast at 104.9 MHz with effective radiated power of 5,600 watts. The new FM station would offer a mainstream adult contemporary format and local programming would include local news, weather, sports and community information.

“104.9 JRfm” officially launched on July 14, with a soft-rock music-mix. The station had been on the air since May with a test broadcast.

CFJR 830 left the air in September. (The AM licence was revoked by the CRTC on July 19)

Allan Waters, the founder of CHUM Limited, owner of CJAR-FM, passed away at the age of 84, on December 3rd.

On July 12 it was announced that Bell Globemedia would pay C$1.7 billion for CHUM Ltd., in a deal that would see the company become part of the BCE-owned media conglomerate, subject to CRTC approval.  On August 31, the two companies announced that BGM had been successful in its offer to acquire approximately 6.7 million common shares and approximately 19.2 million non-voting Class B shares of CHUM.  The shares were to be placed in the hands of an independent trustee pursuant to a voting trust agreement approved by the CRTC. On December 12th, it was announced that Bell Globemedia would henceforth be known as CTVglobemedia.

A CRTC hearing on the CTVglobemedia application to acquire the assets of CHUM Limited was held on April 30th 2007.  On June 8 the CRTC approved the acquisition of CHUM Ltd. by CTVglobemedia, on condition that CTV sell off its five City-TV stations, CITY-TV Toronto, CHMI-TV Portage La Prairie/Winnipeg, CKEM-TV Edmonton, CKAL-TV Calgary and CKVU-TV Vancouver.   Rogers Communications announced on June 25 that a deal had been reached for them to buy these stations from CTV, subject to CRTC approval. Among the CHUM assets acquired by CTVglobemedia in the deal were seven television stations, 21 specialty channels and some 33 radio stations, including CFJR-FM. 

Jim Blundell left CHUM Kingston-Peterborough-Brockville to become Vice President and General Manager at CHUM London.

On May 28, the CRTC renewed the licence of CFJR-FM until August 31, 2016.

Jamieson Bridal became the new afternoon drive announcer and music director for 104.9 JRfm. He had been working with the station part time since July.

On March 7, the CRTC approved an application by BCE Inc. on behalf of CTVglobemedia Inc., for authority to change the effective control of CTVgm’s licensed broadcasting subsidiaries to BCE. The Commission concluded that the transaction would be beneficial to the Canadian broadcasting system by ensuring the long-term stability of a significant Canadian television network and advancing the Commission’s objective of providing relevant high-quality Canadian programming to Canadians through conventional and new media distribution channels. BCE was a public corporation and controlled by its board of directors. Before this approval, BCE held 15% of the voting interest in the capital of CTVgm. The other shareholders were 1565117 Ontario Limited (a corporation ultimately controlled by Mr. David Kenneth R. Thomson) (40% of the voting interest), Ontario Teacher’s Plan Board (25% of the voting interest) and Torstar Corporation (20% of the voting interest). Under the transaction agreement dated September 10, 2010, BCE would acquire the remaining 85% of the voting interest in the capital of CTVgm and would therefore exercise effective control.

On March 15, CTV Inc., CTV Corp., CTV Limited and CTVglobemedia Inc. amalgamated to continue as CTV Inc.

BCE Inc. announced on April 1 that it had completed its acquisition of CTV and that it had launched Bell Media (replacing CTVglobemedia), a new business unit that would make CTV programs and other Bell content available on smartphones and computers as well as traditional television. In addition to CTV and its television stations, Bell Media now also operated 29 specialty channels, 33 radio stations, Dome Productions, a mobile broadcast facilities provider, and dozens of high-traffic news, sports and entertainment websites, including the Sympatico.ca portal.

The CRTC approved a change to the ownership of Bell Media Inc., from BCE Inc. to Bell Canada. This transaction would not affect effective control of Bell Media Inc. and of its licensed broadcasting subsidiaries, which continued to be exercised by BCE Inc. Bell Media Inc. held, directly and through its licensed broadcasting subsidiaries, various radio and television programming undertakings as well as specialty and pay-per-view television services.

On August 22, the CRTC approved the applications by BCE Inc., on behalf of Bell Media Inc. and 7550413 Canada Inc., carrying on business as Bell Media Ontario Regional Radio Partnership, for authority to acquire, as part of a corporate reorganization, CFJR-FM and CJPT-FM Brockville, CKLC-FM and CFLY-FM Kingston, CKPT-FM and CKQM-FM Peterborough, and CKLY-FM Lindsay. Bell Media, the managing partner holding 99.99% of the voting interest in the general partnership, is wholly owned by Bell Canada and controlled by BCE. 7550413, the other partner holding the remaining 0.01% of the voting interest in the general partnership, is wholly owned by Bell Media and is also controlled by BCE. BCE submitted that the purpose of this corporate reorganization was to realize tax efficiencies. The Commission noted that this transaction would not affect the effective control of the undertakings which would continue to be exercised by BCE. 

Jamieson Bridal left the JRfm afternoon drive show to take up mornings at sister station 1037 BOB FM, as of February 14th. Replacing Jamieson on the JRfm afternoon show: Ryan Valdron. He would also be Music Director. Ryan had been with BOB FM in London where he worked part time as their swing announcer. On April 4, Chad Jackson joined CHUM Brockville (CFJR and CJPT) as a full-time engineer. On April 7, CFJR morning man Bruce Wylie celebrated 40 years at the station. Chief engineer Warren Davies left CHUM Brockville. Bruce Wylie, JRfm’s morning host, celebrated 40 years at the station on April 7. Engineer Chad Jackson was hired on April 4 but ended up not working at CFJR-CJPT. Sean T. Craig, Sr., became engineer for the stations on May 24. Grace La Rose, the former promotions director at Bell Media Radio Brockville, moved to Corus Radio Kingston in that same capacity.

Dan Wylie, a ten-year veteran of Bell Media Radio Brockville and Program Director for the past six, began as PD at Free-FM London February 4. His last day at BOB FM was February 1. Wylie began at the Brockville stations as a part-timer while going to school. Later, he became the afternoon host/Music Director for 104.9 JRfm, then morning host at BOB FM, MD for both stations, then Assistant PD and, for the last six years, Program Director. 

Taylor Renkema was welcomed back to Bell Media in Brockville. She joined Bruce Wylie as the new Morning Show Co-Host and Reporter on 104.9 JRfm. 

Scott McGregor was the new Program Director for 104.9 JRfm and 103.7 BOB-FM. He moved back to Ontario from Rock 106 Lethbridge where he was Assistant PD/Music Director/drive announcer the last two and a half years. McGregor began the new job March 19.

CFJR-FM turned 90 on April 1. The station launched in 1926 as 1010 CFLC. On April 7, morning man Bruce Wylie marked 45 years with the station. In 1998, the Ontario Association of Broadcasters named him its Broadcaster of the Year for his coverage of the historic and destructive ice storm of that year.