My Broadcasting Corporation

2003

Jon Pole and Andrew Dickson had been family friends for years. After following parallel careers in broadcasting in Ontario for some time, they eventually decided that they should start a company together, to apply for a radio station licence, and in the fall of 2003 they jointly applied for an FM radio licence for Renfrew, Ontario.

2004

On April 16th, in granting Jon and Andrew their first broadcast licence, for Renfrew, Ontario, the CRTC said: “Based on all of the available evidence, the Commission is satisfied that the current applicant has proposed a service that will respond to the needs and interests of listeners in the Renfrew area, that the market can support the operations of this service, and that approval of the application would be in the public interest.”

Over the next eight years, the Commission would continue to recognize Pole and Dickson’s belief in the viability of small market stations in Ontario with the granting of a further dozen or so licences for stations which Jon and Andrew decided to brand as “myFM”, which in turn led to their company being named as My Broadcasting Corporation (MBC).

The Renfrew station, CHMY-FM, went on the air with an adult/contemporary format on August 2nd, broadcasting on 96.1 MHz.

2005

Pole and Dickson’s next joint venture in broadcasting was an application for a new radio station in Pembroke, Ontario, and approval was received from the CRTC on August 2nd. 20% of the station’s programming would originate with MBC’s Renfrew station CHMY. The new Pembroke station, CIMY-FM, was launched on August 26th on 104.9 MHz at 12 noon.

On September 1st, CHMY-FM Renfrew was authorized to add a rebroadcaster at Arnprior, operating on 104.7 MHz, and the new transmitter became operational in December, located on the Arnprior water tower.

2006

Career broadcaster Jeff Degraw joined the MyFM group in 2006 to launch the new Strathroy station, and later became General Manager, adding Exeter/Grand Bend and St. Thomas to his responsibilities; he later became Vice President of Sales for the Group.

On October 3rd, the CRTC approved MBC’s application for a new FM station in Strathroy, Ontario, to operate on 91.1 MHz. After an expression of concern by CJRT-FM Toronto that the proposed new station’s signal might interfere with its own 91.1 transmissions, MBC agreed to switch their new station to 105.7 MHz, and this was approved by the Commission in December 12th.

MBC’s next move had been to apply for a new FM licence for the Greater Napanee Market in Ontario, to broadcast on 88.7 MHz, with the inclusion in the application of an undertaking to broadcast at least two hours of Aboriginal programming per week as part of its schedule. This application was approved by the CRTC on November 21st.

2007

On January 29th, MBC received approval to switch the Arnprior rebroadcaster’s frequency from 104.7 MHz to 107.7 MHz.

MBC’s newest station, CJMI-FM Strathroy, signed on on February 6th. 90% of all programming on the station would be locally originated.

On March 14th, MBC was advised that its application for a second radio licence for the Pembroke market had been turned down. In announcing its decision, the CRTC said that as MBC’s CIMY-FM had only been on the air for two years, it was too soon to gauge whether the market could sustain another radio station, and therefore the addition of a new FM radio station to the Pembroke radio market at that time was not warranted.

CKYM-FM – “MyFM” – went on the air on September 13th.

2008

August 4th brought CRTC approval for MBC to open a new FM station in Exeter, Ontario, with 100 hours per week of local programming, including approximately fourteen hours a week of spoken word material. Local programming would include “music and interviews with local and unsigned artists from every market it serves, and with members of various First Nations communities.” 26 hours of programming would be syndicated material from Canada and the U.S. The station’s call letters would be CKXM-FM, and it would broadcast on 90.5 MHz.

2009

In the spring, D’Arcy Magee, with 22 years of radio experience already under his belt, joined the MyFM group of stations as Group Program Director, and would work closely with new stations as they were added to the Group.

On May 13th, the CRTC approved MBC’s application to acquire ownership in CIYN-FM Kincardine, with transmitters in Goderich and Port Elgin, branded as “The Coast”, through the transfer of all shares in 2079966 Ontario Ltd, owners of CIYN, to MBC. As part of the deal, Blackburn Radio Inc would exercise an option it held to acquire 29.9% of the voting shares of MBC.

Two days later, on May 15th, MBC expanded further with the approval of the CRTC for a new FM station to operate from Brighton, Ontario, on 100.9 MHz. The call letters would be CIYM-FM, and the station was launched in December.

On August 31st, CKXM-FM began broadcasting to the Exeter/Grand Bend market.

2010

On January 4th CIYN-FM 95.5 and CIYN-1 FM were rebranded as myFM.

Gananoque was the next target market for MBC, and the CRTC agreed that the area deserved a new FM station with its June 23rd decision. CJGM-FM would broadcast on 99.9 MHz.

October 12th saw MBC get another licence approval, this time for a new FM station in St. Thomas, Ontario, to operate on 94.1 MHz with the call letters CKZM-FM. In approving their application, the CRTC made a point of mentioning that in approving the application, the Commission had considered MBC’s experience in operating small-market stations.

However, noting the close adjacency of St. Thomas to a much bigger city, London, the Commission made it clear that it considered the maintaining of service to St. Thomas to be fundamental in the granting of the new FM station to MBC, and imposed conditions of licence to ensure that the station served the primary market of St. Thomas. MBC had indicated that it would agree to conditions of licence requiring it not to identify itself on a basis that included exclusive reference to London, to include references to the St. Thomas and Elgin County region in all its traffic and weather reports, and to include references to local news and events in the St. Thomas and Elgin County region on a regular basis.

2011

On February 28th, MBC were successful with an application to the CRTC for a change in the ownership of the Corporation, whereby Pole and Dickson’s respective 35% shares would be transferred to their family trusts. Pole and Dickson would continue to hold executive control over the licences of their various stations.

CKZM-FM St. Thomas commenced broadcasting on May 20th.

In June, My Broadcasting Corporation was included for the first time in Profit 200’s list of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies.

On July 29th, CJGM-FM Gananoque had an unofficial “launch” when it began airing “5000 songs in a row”, but did not launch officially until after Labour Day.

In September Cindy Clyne was appointed network news director to oversee news policies and procedures on all twelve myFM stations.

2012

On March 2nd, the CRTC announced that on May 7th it would hear applications from MBC for two new Ontario radio broadcast licences, one in Alliston and one in Orangeville. However, the application for Orangeville was withdrawn for further analysis before the hearing took place.

In June, My Broadcasting Corporation again made Profit 200’s list of Canada’s fast-growing companies in 2011, with a revenue growth of 305% over the five-year period 2006 – 2011.

On September 12th, the CRTC approved the application by MBC for a licence to operate a new FM station in Alliston, Ontario, on 92.1 MHz, and said that it was of the view that the new station would “…bring value to the community of Alliston by adding diversity to the market.”

It was later reported that the new station’s call letters would be CIMA-FM.

On September 28th, MBC announced that Radiocorp Ltd had sold their station CHCD-FM 98.9 Simcoe to MBC, subject to CRTC approval. Blair Daggett, Managing Director of CHCD-FM, would remain in that role if the sale went through.

2013

On December 9th 2013, the CRTC announced that it would hold a hearing on February 26th 2014, at which, inter alia, it would hear an application by My Broadcasting Corporation for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language commercial FM radio station in Orangeville.

The proposed station would operate on frequency 101.5 MHz (channel 268A) with an average effective radiated power (ERP) of 338 watts (maximum ERP of 625 watts with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 55.1 metres).

As previously noted, this application was first scheduled to be heard at a hearing held on 7 May 2012, but was withdrawn for further analysis in light of comments received.

On December 11th 2013, the CRTC approved MBC’s application for permission to acquire the assets of radio station CJMB-FM Peterborough. As the station was bankrupt and had not been profitable for the previous the Commission considered it appropriate not to require tangible benefits for this transaction.

2014

On April 2nd, the CRTC approved an application by My Broadcasting Corporation for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language commercial FM radio programming undertaking in Arnprior, Ontario. The station would operate at 107.7 MHz (channel 299A) with an average effective radiated power (ERP) of 790 watts (maximum ERP of 2,500 watts with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 105 metres).

On the same date, the Commission denied an application by My Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language commercial FM radio station in Carleton Place. MBC had requested that its application be considered as a proposal for a first commercial radio service in this market.

In denying this application, the Commission mentioned that the proposed service’s primary contour would overlap with the primary contours of a number of stations, including CHLK-FM Perth and CKBY-FM and CJET-FM Smith Falls. Given the financial performance of one of the stations in the market and the extent to which its contours would overlap with those of the proposed service, the Commission is concerned that the addition of a mainstream commercial radio station in Carleton Place could strain the station’s profitability and result in undue financial impact on the station, thereby affecting its ability to continue to meet its programming obligations and commitments.

On July 18th, the Commission approved an application by MBC for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language commercial FM radio station in Orangeville. The new station would provide Orangeville and its residents with a dedicated local radio service that would fulfill specific requirements relating to local Orangeville programming, including the broadcast of announcements that were reflective of its standing as a community distinct and separate from Toronto.

2015

On May 27, the CRTC approved the application by My Broadcasting Corporation to operate an English-language commercial FM radio station in Milton. The station would operate on 101.3 MHz (channel 267A) with an average effective radiated power of 228 watts (maximum ERP of 950 watts with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of -8.2 metres). On June 16, a deal was announced that would see the sale of Pineridge Broadcasting Inc. (CHUC/CKSG Cobourg and CJWV Peterborough) to My Broadcasting Corp. On July 16, the CRTC administratively approved the change to the ownership and effective control of Pineridge Broadcasting Inc., from Donald T. Conway to My Broadcasting Corporation, a corporation jointly controlled by Jon Pole and Andrew Dickson through their respective family trusts. For the record, Dave Hughes (who was the general sales manager) and Douglas Kirk (Durham Radio) were also involved in the ownership of Pineridge Broadcasting while Blackburn Radio of London had an ownership interest in My Broadcasting. My Broadcasting took control of Pineridge on September 1.

Soft Rock 101.5 myFM (CKMO) officially launched at 6:00 a.m. on February 17. The Orangeville, Ontario station began broadcasting December 27 (2014) with 10,000 songs in a row.

2016

In May, MY FM branded stations CHMY (Arnprior) and CIYM (Brighton) rebranded to Oldies 107.7 (CHMY) and Oldies 100.9 (CIYM).

2017

My FM 101.3 Milton signed on the air August 2.

Simcoe’s CKNC Oldies 99.7 went on the air at noon on September 1. It broadcast on 99.7 MHz with ERP of 9,667 watts.

2019

My Broadcasting Corporation made Canadian Business Magazine’s 2019 Growth 500 list of Fastest-Growing Companies for the ninth consecutive year.

2020

On April 8, the CRTC approved an application by CJML Milton to increase the average effective radiated power from 228 to 480 watts (maximum ERP from 950 to 2,000 watts) and by changing the orientation of its directional antenna.

On June 26, CJMB Peterborough dropped the sports format as 90.5 Extra in favour of Alternative Rewind freq 90.5.

Laura Earl left My Broadcasting’s syndicated morning show “Jamie and Laura in The Morning,” which aired on the company’s 15 myFM branded stations.

In the summer, Freq 90.5 Peterborough added Premiere’s syndicated The Woody Show to the 6-10 a.m. timeslot. The show originated out of KYSR-FM in Los Angeles.

On September 21 at noon, My FM rebranded to Shoreline’s Oldies.

2021

MBC announced its intention to sell four stations and the purchase of CHLK-FM Perth from Perth FM Radio Inc. CIYN‐FM Kincardine would be sold to Lakeside Radio Broadcasting Corp., while CJML‐FM Milton, CIMA‐FM Alliston and CKMO‐FM Orangeville would be acquired by Local Radio Lab Inc. (pending CRTC approval).

On June 30, the CRTC approved an application by Lakeside Radio Broadcasting Corp. for authority to acquire CIYN-FM Kincardine and its rebroadcasting transmitters CIYN-FM-1 Goderich and CIYN-FM-2 Port Elgin from My Broadcasting Corporation.

My Broadcasting Corporation Radio Stations

(Click on the call letters to view individual station histories)

StationFreq.Location
CFMP-FM107.7Arnprior, ON
CHCD-FM106.7Simcoe, ON
CHMY-FM96.1Renfrew, ON
CIMA-FM92.1Alliston, ON
CIMY-FM104.9Pembroke, ON
CIYM-FM100.9Brighton, ON
CIYN-FM95.5Kincardine, ON
CJGM-FM99.9Gananoque, ON
CJMB-FM90.5Peterborough, ON
CJMI-FM105.7Strathroy, ON
CJML-FM101.3Milton, ON
CKMO-FM101.5Orangeville, ON
CKNC-FM99.7Simcoe, ON
CKXM-FM90.5Exeter, ON
CKYM-FM88.7Napanee, ON
CKZM-FM94.1St. Thomas, ON