Radio Nord (RNC Media Inc.)

The partners created a wholly-owned subsidiary, Radio LaSarre Inc., and applied for a licence for a new radio station in La Sarre, Quebec. The CBC deferred the application.

Radio La Sarre received approval for their new station, which was launched on September 1st as CKLS-AM.

Early in the year, Radio Nord Inc. was successful in securing a television licence for Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec. The station would be a CBC affiliate, and when it went on the air on December 25th, CKRN-TV carried a mix of CBC programs in both French and English. David Gourd was President and General Manager.

A year previously, the CBC had begun using its own rebroadcaster in the region to carry English and French programming. In 1962 it switched the rebroadcaster to all-English programming, at which time CKRN-TV became a full Radio Canada affiliate, broadcasting solely in French.

By now, CKRN-TV Rouyn-Noranda had expanded its coverage significantly, through the addition of transmitters in Val d’Or, Senneterre, Matagami and Ville-Marie. Jean-Joffre Gourd was elected Chairman of the Board of Radio Nord Inc., and assumed the duties of Managing Director.

After a year as a lawyer in private practice, Alain Gourd became President of Radio Nord. In later years he would go on to serve in many key positions in the Canadian government.

Radio Nord was one of two applicants who came forward offering to replace CFVO-TV Hull, a co-op-owned station, which had gone into receivership on February 24th after four troubled years. The existing station’s facilities were sold to Radio-Quebec, who received a licence to rebroadcast educational programming.

Radio Nord was granted the licence to operate a new TVA network affiliate to replace CFVO-TV Hull. The station was launched on Monday October 30th by Radio Nord subsidiary Tele-Outaouais, as CHOT-TV, and broadcast from a studio whose transmitter and associated equipment had only been delivered sixteen days prior to going to air.

In 1979 Radio Nord launched another new TVA affiliate, CFEM-TV, to serve the Rouyn-Noranda market. Radio Nord also owned the Radio Canada affiliate in the market, CKRN-TV.

On April 11, Radio Nord Inc. was authorized to operate television stations at Val d’Or, on channel 25 and at Rouyn, on channel 20. The Val d’Or station would rebroadcast the programs of CFJP-TV Montreal and certain local programs, whereas the Rouyn station would rebroadcast in its entirety the programming of the Val d’Or station.

On Sunday, September 7, at 17:25, a new French-language television network, TQS, was launched. One of the first TQS affiliates was a new Radio Nord television station, CFGS-TV Hull, Quebec.

On January 19th, Radio Nord launched its second TQS affiliate station, with the debut of CFVS-TV, Val d’Or

On August 21st, the CRTC approved the sale of Radio Fusion Inc., owners of CJLA-FM Lachute, PQ, and CHPR-FM Hawkesbury, Ont., to Radio Nord. The purchase of CHPR-FM was Radio Nord’s first acquisition outside Quebec.

On September 21st, Radio Nord went on the air with their newly licensed radio station, CHOA-FM, Rouyn-Noranda, with a rebroadcaster at Amos/Val d’Or, CHOA-FM-1.

During the year, Radio Nord had tried a second attempt (the first having been unsuccessful in 1980) to persuade the non-profit organization Radio-Temiscamingue Inc to allow RNC Inc to acquire a majority ownership position in CKVM-FM Ville-Marie, but the remaining shareholders elected to retain control of the station’s non-profit status, with Radio-Nord retaining their 17.85% shareholding.

Radio Nord was granted a licence for a new FM station at Val d’Or. There would also be a transmitter at Rouyn-Noranda. These new FM transmitters would replace AM stations CKVD Val d’Or, CHAD Amos and CKRN Rouyn-Noranda.

CKRN, CKVD and CHAD were replaced by the new FM transmitters in the fall. They were known as “Go-FM” CHGO 104.3 Val d’Or and CHGO-FM-1 95.7 Rouyn-Noranda. CHGO-FM-2 102.1 would replace CKLS-AM La Sarre.

Radio Nord’s application to the CRTC for a licence for a French language classical and jazz FM radio station in Gatineau was approved by the CRTC on October 4th. Jean-Joffre Gourd died in February at the age of 84.

The new Gatineau classical/jazz FM station CHLX-FM was launched on September 23rd. However, this original format was not to prove as popular as had been hoped, and the format would change to Adult Contemporary a few years later.

On August 11th, Radio Nord acquired control of Groupe Antenne Radio 6, through the acquisition by Radio Nord Communications inc. of 75% of the voting rights of the licensee held directly or indirectly by Gestion Malev inc. (25%) and Rosaire Leclerc, André Tremblay, Stéphane Tremblay, Alain Tremblay and Sonia Tremblay. Through this transaction Radio Nord became controlling shareholders in five more Quebec stations, CFGT-AM and CKYK-FM Alma, CHRL-FM-Roberval, CHVD-FM -Dolbeau and CKXO-AM Chibougamau.

On September 1st, the CBC received approval to acquire CHLM-FM Rouyn-Noranda, and its rebroadcaster serving Amos/Val d’Or, from Radio Nord.

After signal testing in September, the new Montreal jazz and blues station, CKLX-FM, was launched in December.

Radio Nord added another Quebec station to its portfolio with the acquisition of CKNU-FM Donnacona and its rebroadcaster CKNU-FM-1 Sainte Croix-de-Lotbinière from Genex Communications.

On June 25th, Radio Nord was granted yet another licence for the Gatineau region, to serve the Ottawa/Gatineau market, with a Pop/Rock and urban music format aimed at an audience aged 18-34.

On July 28th, approval was given for Radio Nord’s Chibougamau station CJMD to become an FM, station. At this time, the station’s call letters were changed to CKXO-FM.

Radio Nord’s new Gatineau station, CFTX-FM, was launched on April 13th.

After having made every effort to give their unusual classical/jazz format a chance to establish itself, CHLX-FM changed its format to Adult Contemporary.

On August 20th, an application by RNC Media subsidiary Groupe Radio Antenne 6 was approved, whereby a new French-language FM station would replace CFGT-AM Alma, Quebec.

On October 13th, the new Alma station, CFGT-FM, signed on, and on October 14th the AM transmitter was shut down.

In September, CFTX Gatineau switched format from Mainstream Rock (Capitale Rock) to Classic Hits (Pop 96.5).

In January, CHLX Gatineau rebranded from Rythme FM to Wow FM.

CHXX Quebec City changed branding from Rock 100.9 to Pop 100.9 on January 30.

On March 1, the Radioplayer streaming app launched in Canada and featured more than 400 Canadian radio stations, including RNC Media stations.

In March, CJLA Lachute dropped its Adult Contemporary format (Planete 104.9/102.1) for Classic Hits (POP 104.9/102.1).

In October, the CRTC fined CHXX Donnaconna $920 for failing to meet its French-language music quota. The station was also required to broadcast an announcement regarding its non-compliance three times a day, for five consecutive days.

In January, CJLA-FM Lachute switched from Classic Hits as Pop 104.9/102.1 to Adult Contemporary Wow 104.9/102.1 (102.1 for CHPR-FM Hawkesbury).

In April, RNC Media sold CKLX-FM Montreal and CHOI-FM Quebec City to Leclerc Communications.
The CRTC told Leclerc that it would have to sell one of its existing Quebec City stations (CJEC-FM or CFEL-FM) under the common ownership policy. Leclerc said it would not adhere to that condition and walked away from the deal for both CHOI and CKLX.

In August, CHXX Donnacona changed its branding from Pop 100.9 to La Vibe 100.9. The format changed from Classic Hits to Triple A-Modern Rock.

Also in August, CFTX Gatineau flipped format from Contemporary Oldies to Top 40 while retaining the “Pop” name.