CKOY-FM

Senator Jacob Nicol, owner of the daily newspaper “The Platform”, founded CHLT Radio. The station’s inauguration took place June 27th at 4:00 p.m. with words from religious and city leaders, including Mayor Emile Rioux. 

CHLT broadcast on a frequency of 1210 kHz with a power of 100 watts. It was the first radio station in Sherbrooke. CHLT was on the air daily from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

CHLT was authorized to increase power from 100 to 250 watts on 1210 kHz. 

The Association of Independent Stations of the Province of Quebec was formed at the end of January, with CKAC, CHLP and CFCF Montreal; CHRC and CKCV Quebec; CKCH Hull; CJBR Rimouski; CHNC New Carlisle; CHLT Sherbrooke; CHLN Trois-Rivieres; and CKRN Rouyn as members. Phil Lalonde of CKAC was elected president; Narcisse Thivierge, CHRC, vice-president; Alex Dupont, CKCH and Marcel Lefebvre, CHLP, directors. 

Under the Havana Treaty, CHLT moved from 1210 to 1240 kHz (Class IV) on March 29. Power was 100 watts.

Later in the year, power increased from 100 watts to 250 watts.

To meet growing demands for network time during the evenings, largely due to the war, the CBC set up a second network for commercial sponsorship. The network’s first sponsor (on an experimental basis) was the Gillette Safety Razor Co. The Mutual Broadcasting System originated boxing events for 26 Canadian stations through the CBC, plus the MBS affiliate – CKLW Windsor. The second network had 23 Canadian stations with alternative stations in Montreal to meet local conditions there. The new network would operate only after 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Over the past year, private stations had been anxious to have such a network – outside of CBC control. However, under the Radio Act, the CBC had full control over all networks in the country. It was felt that a full second network with full day and night programming was not feasible or economically possible at this time. CBC-owned stations affiliated with the new network: CBK Watrous, CBA Sackville and CBY Toronto. Privately-owned stations affiliated with the new network were: CJOR Vancouver, CHWK Chilliwack, CFCN Calgary, CFRN Edmonton, CJRM Regina, CJGX Yorkton, CJRC Winnipeg, CKCA Kenora, CJIC Sault Ste Marie, CKOC Hamilton, CKTB St. Catherines, CFPL London, CFCO Chatham, CKLW Windsor, CKCR Kitchener, CKCO Ottawa, CFCF or CHLP Montreal, CHLT Sherbrooke, CKNB Campbellton, and CJLS Yarmouth. 

M. Alphee Gauthier was CHLT’s manager.

It was announced that CHLT planned to increase its power from 250 to 1,000 watts. It was hoped the increase would take place by the start of 1945.

Power increased to 1,000 watts. 

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. 

Lucien Godin took over as commercial manager at CHLT after three years as manager at CKVD Val d’Or. 
 

CHLT moved to 900 kHz. Power remained 1,000 watts. The owner was listed as La Tribune Ltee. Studios were at 3 Marquette Street, and the transmitter was on King Street East.

CKTS signed on, using CHLT’s old 1240 kHz frequency. CKTS was an English language station and some of its owners were also involved with the ownership of CHLT. CHLT shared its studio and transmitting facilities with CKTS.

A. Gautier was manager of CHLT and CKTS.

CHLT/CKTS ad: The Voice of The Eastern Townships. (CHLT French 900 kHz 1,000 watts and CKTS English 1240 kHz 250 watts).

The CBC Board approved the transfer of 4 shares in La Tribune Ltee.

In the past, the CBC Board approved the formation of a second French radio network – the French Radio Association Ltd. The six stations in the network were now (late 1950) broadcasting commercials for a dozen national sponsors. The stations were CKVL Verdun, CKCV Quebec, CHLT Sherbrooke, CHEF Granby, CJSO Sorel and CHLN Trois-Rivieres. There were also two supplementary stations – CHRL Roberval and CHGB La Pocatiere. The network signed its first commercial contract in October of 1948. In 1949, the group broadcast 44 hours of commercial programming and 132 1/2 hours of sustaining programs.

CHLT-TV signed on the air. It operated from the same building as CHLT-AM and the Platform.

CHLT 900 was operating with 1,000 watts (directional at night) and was an affiliate of the CBC’s French language network. It was owned by La Tribune Ltee: Hon. Jacob Nicol 0.10%, Sen. Charles B. Howard 0.10%, F. Edmund Barnard 0.10%, Mrs. Celine Desruisseaux 0.10%, Jean-Louis Gauthier 0.10%, Desruisseaux Inc. 49.75%, Trans-Ocean Press Ltee 49.75%. Desruisseaux Inc.’s ownership: Paul Desruisseaux 93.2%, Mrs. Celine Desruisseaux 6.5%, C. Fortin 0.1%, R. Cousineau 0.1%, G. G. Desruisseaux 0.1%. Trans-Ocean Press Ltee ownership: Alphee Gauthier 99.4%, Miss Claire Bedard 0.3%, Miss Marie-Ange Drouin 0.3%.

Paul Desruisseaux was president of the company and Alphee Gauthier was manager of CHLT.

From an ad: Soon 5,000 watts – CHLT on 630 kc.

According to Elliott-Haynes CHLT reached a total of 58,231 adult listeners every day. 

CHLT moved to 630 kHz and increased power to 5,000 watts.

Power increased to 10,000 watts day and 5,000 watts night.

CHLT-FM signed on the air.

Paul Desruisseaux was president of La Tribune Inc., Jean-Louis Gauthier was vice president and Marcel Girard was CHLT’s manager.

The corporate name changed to Radio Television Sherbrooke (1967) Inc. 

CHLT-AM-FM-TV/CKTS opened new studios and offices on October 23 putting all four stations under one roof. Known as the RTS Broadcast Centre, located on Bourque Blvd. Bob Butler WAs promo manager. Three TV studios (80×50, 50×50 and 42×21 feet). Still to be officially opened at a later date. Stations had been in cramped quarters downtown.

Philippe De Gaspe Beaubien, director of operations, Expo 67, was named president of Quebec Telemedia Inc., succeeding Claude Frenette, general counsel of Power Corp., the largest shareholder in QTI, which administerED CHLT-AM-FM-TV and CKTS. The French stations operateD under the name Radio-Television Sherbrooke (1967) Inc. with Jean-Louis Gauthier as president. CKTS WAs operated by subsidiary company, Telegram Printing & Publishing Co. Ltd. with Lt.-Col. John J. Dunn, president. 

On November 1, The Service des Nouvelles Sonores de Telemedia (SNS) began providing French language voice service to CKAC, CKCV, CKCH, CHLN and CHLT. Stations were joined together by CN-CP broadband. 

Power Corp. sold a controlling interest in CHLT-AM-TV and a number of other stations to Philipe de Gaspe Beaubien’s Telemedia (Quebec) Inc. (owned by Telemedia Communications Ltee, in turn owned by Beaudem Ltee). Power would retain through ownership debentures, a large financial interest in the new company for a period of time. Philipe de Gaspe Beaubien would control more than 80% of the votes of the company. 

Marcel Provost died June 8 at the age of 62. In 1937, Provost was asked by the late Hon. Jacob Nichol to establish CHLN Trois-Rivieres and CHLT. He later went on to help Jack Tietolman to establish CKVL.

The Telemedia Radio Network (Le resseau Telemedia) was formed. CKAC was the flagship. It was joined by Telemedia stations CHLN Trois-Rivieres, CHLT Sherbrooke and CKCH Hull. The network would enable the smaller stations to improve their national and international news services.

On May 16, Telmed Ltee, CKCV (Quebec) Ltee, CKAC Ltee, CHLT Radio Sherbrooke Ltee, Metro-Media Communications (1977) Ltee and Telemedia Communications Ltee received approval to amalgamate under the name of Telemedia Communications Ltee., a wholly owned subsidiary of Beaudem Ltee. Telemedia would then become the direct licensee of the six AM and three FM stations it already controls in Quebec.

On August 31, CHLT was authorized to disaffiliate from the Radio-Canada network once the CBC’s own station was operational in the city.

CHLT was given approval to increase night-time power to 10,000 watts.

On January 8, the CRTC approved the affiliation of CHLT to the French-language AM radio network “Réseau des Nordiques” to be operated by Les Entreprises de Radiodiffusion de la Capitale Inc. for the purpose of broadcasting the hockey games of the Quebec Nordiques.

Telemedia and Radiomutuel closed a number of stations across the province, including Radiomutuel’s CJRS in Sherbrooke. Radiomédia S.E.N.C. was formed as a general partnership owned equally by Télémédia and Radiomutuel to operate the two company’s remaining AM stations.

The corporate name changed from Telemedia Communications Inc. to Telemedia Radio Inc.

The corporate name changed from Telemedia Radio Inc. to Télémédia Radio (Québec) inc.

Astral Media Inc. acquired Telemedia’s Quebec and Atlantic radio stations.

On January 21, the CRTC approved an exchange of assets between Corus Entertainment Inc. and Astral Media Radio Inc. Corus acquired from Astral: CKAC Montréal, CHRC Québec, CJRC Gatineau, CKRS Saguenay, CHLN Trois-Rivières, CHLT and CKTS Sherbrooke, and CFOM-FM Lévis. Astral  acquired from Corus: CFVM-FM Amqui, CJDM-FM Drummondville, CJOI-FM and CIKI-FM Rimouski, and CFZZ-FM Saint-Jean-Iberville.

(Note – CHLT-FM eventually became CITE-FM, a semi-satellite of the Montreal station with the same name. CHLT Television was sold to other owners.)

On November 24, authority was granted for the conversion of CHLT to the FM band. The new station would offer a specialty talk-based format. It would operate on 102.1 MHz with an average effective radiated power of 5,800 watts.

On August 20 at 7:00 a.m., CHLT moved to the FM band. The format remained News/Talk.

On July 30, CHLT-FM was authorized to change frequency from 102.1 MHz to 107.7 MHz and to change the authorized contours by increasing the average effective radiated power from 5,800 watts to 24,000 watts, increase effective antenna height and relocate the transmitter. The purpose of the changes was to improve the station’s signal, which it found inadequate, and to improve its coverage in the Sherbrooke market and surrounding areas. A number of interventions were received including a number of individuals concerned that, if the application was approved, it would be virtually impossible to tune in to Vermont Public Radio, which operated at 107.9 MHz, without interference. Astral Media Radio Inc. noted that, if the Commission approved the present application, the new frequency of CHLT-FM (107.7 MHz) would be the fourth adjacent frequency to CIMO-FM-1 Sherbrooke (106.9 MHz) and would create an area of interference near the new transmitter site at Mont Bellevue, which, in turn, would compromise reception of CIMO-FM Magog’s signal in Sherbrooke itself. In its response, the applicant noted that its new technical parameters would be in compliance with all domestic and international requirements in place to protect the quality of the signal of U.S. station VPR. The applicant further noted that it would be prepared to work with Astral to share the Mont Bellevue site and thus prevent any interference between their respective stations. The CRTC noted that because VPR is a U.S. station, it was not considered in the examination of this application. Furthermore, the Commission was satisfied that the change in technical parameters as proposed by the applicant would provide listeners in Sherbrooke with a better quality signal. 

On March 28, CHLT dropped its talk format in favour of Classic Hits/Oldies and the station rebranded as “Souvenirs Garantis”.

The old CHLT 630 left the air on May 1.

On August 27, the CRTC renewed CHLT-FM’s licence until August 31, 2013. Corus admitted that the licensee had breached sections 2.2(5) and 2.2(10) of the Regulations, but only through inadvertence, by failing to devote 65% or more of its vocal musical selections from content category 2 throughout the broadcast week and 55% or more of such selections between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday to musical selections in the French language broadcast in their entirety. However, Corus indicated that the licensee had developed and immediately implemented a new internal policy on the broadcast of musical selections by predominantly spoken-word stations. The Commission was satisfied with the measures taken by the licensee relating to CHLT-FM’s compliance at all times with the regulatory requirements in question. Although Corus claimed that the above-mentioned non-compliance did not warrant a short-term renewal, the Commission was not satisfied that an exception to its policy was warranted. Conditions included: “The station shall be operated within the Specialty format as defined in A Review of Certain Matters Concerning Radio, Public Notice CRTC 1995-60, 21 April 1995, and Revised content categories and subcategories for radio, Public Notice CRTC 2000-14, 28 January 2000, as amended from time to time. The licensee shall devote more than 50% of the programming broadcast during the broadcast week to programming drawn from category 1 (Spoken Word). The licensee shall broadcast, in each broadcast week, not less than 21 hours of spoken word programming of direct and particular relevance to the community served. This programming shall include local news, weather and sports and the promotion of local events and activities. Commitment: The licensee commits to broadcasting 6 hours and 1 minute of local news each week.”

On April 30th, Corus Entertainment Inc. announced that they had reached an agreement with Cogeco Inc. for Cogeco to purchase the Corus Quebec radio stations: CKOI-FM , CKAC-AM, CHMP-FM and CFQR-FM Montreal , CFOM-FM102.9 and CFEL-FM Quebec City, CJRC-FM Gatineau , CIME-FM St-Jérôme, CHLT-FM and CKOY-FM Sherbrooke, and CHLN-FM Trois Rivieres. The deal would be subject to CRTC approval. 

On December 17, the CRTC approved the transfer of various commercial radio programming undertakings from Corus Entertainment Inc. to Cogeco inc. The Commission received an application by Corus Entertainment Inc., on behalf of its wholly owned subsidiaries 591991 B.C. Ltd. and Metromedia CMR Broadcasting Inc., to transfer their shares and effective control from Corus to Cogeco inc. or one of its wholly owned subsidiaries (the proposed transaction). 591991 B.C. was the licensee of the French-language commercial radio programming undertakings CFOM-FM Lévis, CFEL-FM Lévis/Québec, CHLT-FM and CKOY-FM Sherbrooke, CKAC Montréal, CJRC-FM Gatineau and CHLN-FM Trois-Rivières. Metromedia was the licensee of the French-language commercial radio programming undertakings CKOI-FM Montréal, CHMP-FM Longueuil, CIME-FM Saint-Jérôme and its transmitters CIME-FM-1 Val-Morin and CIME-FM-2 Mont-Tremblant, and CFQR-FM Montréal, an English-language commercial radio programming undertaking. Following the proposed transaction, effective control of 591991 B.C. and Metromedia would be exercised by Cogeco, a corporation controlled by Gestion Audem inc. Regarding the regional stations CHLN-FM Trois-Rivières, CHLT-FM Sherbrooke and CJRC-FM Gatineau, the Commission considered that Cogeco’s proposal of enhanced conditions of licence relating to hours of local programming, spoken word material and the broadcast of local news was not only acceptable but would make it possible for the radio programming offered in these localities to distinguish itself fully from the programming offered by its Montréal flagship. For the record, Cogeco already operated CFGE-FM in Sherbrooke. 

Paul Arcand, who had been doing the morning show for several years at News/Talk (CHMP-FM) 98,5 FM Montreal was now be heard via simulcast on four more Corus Quebec stations: CJRC 104,7 FM Outaouais, CHLT 107,7 FM Estrie, CHLN 106,9 FM Mauricie and CKRS 98,3 FM Saguenay, beginning in February. Three employees were affected by the change.

CKOY-FM moved from 104.5 to 107.7 MHz, becoming CJTS. Cogeco would still sell the 104.5 facility as required by the CRTC but it was no longer CKOY-FM but CJTS-FM with the “Souvenirs Garantis” (French) oldies format that had been on CHLT (107.7). The 107.7 frequency would stay with Cogeco but it was now CKOY-FM, carrying a relay of CKOI-FM and calling itself CKOY-FM.

On June 17, the CRTC approved applications by 591991 B.C. Ltd. to amend the broadcasting licences for CHLT-FM Sherbrooke, CJRC-FM Gatineau and CHLN-FM Trois-Rivières, by amending or adding certain conditions of licence relating to the broadcast of local programming, spoken word programming and news. To reflect the licensee’s commitments, these conditions of licence, which should apply to all three stations, shall read as follows: In each broadcast week, the licensee shall broadcast no less than 50 hours of local programming. In each broadcast week, the licensee shall broadcast no less than 24 hours and 46 minutes of spoken word programming. In each broadcast week, the licensee shall broadcast no less than 4 hours and 20 minutes of news programming.

It was announced that CKOY-FM would change format from Hot Adult Contemporary-CHR to Talk as of August 20 as 107.7 FM.

In November, Henri Audet, founder of Cogeco cable died at age 94. Trained as an engineer, Audet left a job at the CBC to launch a TV station in Trois-Riviéres. He sold his house and raised $100,000 from friends and other investors as seed money. From that single television station the company became Canada’s fourth-largest cable company and one of Quebec’s largest media companies. Audet served as president of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters from 1961 to 1964, and was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 1984. Control of Cogeco Inc. and its direct and indirect subsidiaries was held by Gestion Audem Inc., a holding company whose shares were held entirely by the members of the family of Henri Audet.

On December 18, the CRTC renewed the licences for CKOY and CKOB to August 31, 2018. The short-term renewals would allow for an earlier review of the licensee’s compliance with its regulatory requirements. The licensee was in apparent non-compliance with contributions to Canadian talent development and for the filing of incomplete annual returns for 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.

On December 19, the CRTC approved an application by Cogeco Diffusion inc. for authority to acquire from Cogeco Diffusion Acquisitions inc., as part of a corporate reorganization, the assets of CFOM-FM Lévis, CKOY-FM Sherbrooke, CKOB-FM Trois-Rivières, CKOF-FM Gatineau, and CIME-FM Saint-Jérôme. Cogeco Diffusion inc. was wholly owned by Cogeco Diffusion Acquisitions inc., which in turn was wholly owned by Cogeco inc.

On August 21, the CRTC gave CKOY a short-term licence renewal to August 31, 2024. In 2009, the Commission renewed CKOY-FM’s licence (then  CHLT-FM) on a short-term basis because of the licensee’s non-compliance with respect to the broadcast of French-language vocal music. In 2013, CKOY’s licence was once again renewed on a short-term basis, this time for non-compliance with regard to the filing of annual returns and contributions to Canadian content development. The Commission reviewed the programming broadcast on CKOY during the week of 2 to 8 October 2016. According to the performance review for that week, the licensee broadcast only 48 hours of local programming. However, the licensee was subject to a condition of licence which stated that, in each broadcast week, it must broadcast at least 50 hours of local programming. Given the foregoing, the Commission found that the licensee was in non-compliance with its condition of licence with regard to local programming.