CFOS Radio in Owen Sound signed on the air on March 1 and operated on 1370 kHz with a power of 100 watts. Makeshift studios were in the basement of the Kilbourn Building at 2nd Avenue and 9th Street.
1940
CFOS Radio in Owen Sound signed on the air on March 1 and operated on 1370 kHz with a power of 100 watts. Makeshift studios were in the basement of the Kilbourn Building at 2nd Avenue and 9th Street. The transmitter and antenna (a copper wire strung between two cedar poles attached to the roof of the building) were also at the studio location. CFOS was on the air for much of the day, except during the overnights and between 1:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Charlie McTavish, manager of the Sun Times newspaper organized the start-up of CFOS. He would eventually become president of the company. W.N. (Bill) Hawkins who would eventually become the manager and then owner of CFOS, was hired just before the station went on the air. Ralph Snelgrove, formerly with Metropolitan Broadcasting Services in Toronto, was appointed manager of CFOS. Snelgrove would go on to found CKBB-AM and CKVR-TV in Barrie as well as CKCB-AM in Collingwood.
1941
CFOS moved from 1370 to 1400 kHz on March 29. Later in the year, power was increased to 250 watts, from a new transmitter site along Highway 6 just south of the city – in Sydenham Township.
1945
Ralph Snelgrove had left for the R.C.N.V.R. two years earlier and returned this year as Lt. Snelgrove. While he was away from CFOS, Bill Hawkins was acting manager. On Snelgrove’s return, Hawkins went back to his former position of assistant manager.
1947
CFOS increased power to 1,000 watts on March 1 and moved from 1400 to 1470 kHz.
1948
Approval was granted for the transfer of licence of CFOS from Howard Fleming to Grey and Bruce Broadcasting Co. Ltd. Fleming would still be in control of the licence.
1949
The new CFOS studios and offices at 270 Ninth Street East opened on February 20.Ralph Snelgrove left for Barrie and Bill Hawkins became manager of CFOS.
1958
On October 14, CFOS moved to 560 kHz with 1,000 watts of power, from a new transmitter site located on part of Lot 13, Concession 11, Sydenham Township, Grey County.
1970
On February 4, CRTC approval came for the sale of 80% of Grey and Bruce Broadcasting Co. Ltd. to a group headed by CFOS general manager Bill Hawkins (William Hawkins Ltd.). Other shareholders were Donald T. Fleming, Charles J. McTavish, Ralph T. Snelgrove and Harold Van Wyck, Q.C. Bill Hawkins became President of the company. The Sun Times newspaper was sold to Southam Press.
1976
CHYM in Kitchener had been searching for a new frequency for a long time. They had approached CFOS about using 560 kHz and then finding another channel for the Owen Sound station to use. In the end, they came up with a plan that would allow CHYM to move from 1490 kHz to 570 kHz and allow CFOS to remain at 560, but increase daytime power to help fend off interference from CHYM. It would also enable CFOS to open a rebroadcast station at Port Elgin, using CHYM’s old 1490 frequency. CFOS would have to add two towers to the existing array and acquired six acres of land for the Port Elgin station. The latest state of the art equipment would be provided to CFOS at CHYM’s expense.
1977
On March 25, CFOS increased daytime power to 2,500 watts. Night power remained at 1,000 watts.
On June 21, CFOS opened semi-satellite CFPS at Port Elgin, operating on 1490 kHz with 1,000 watts day and 250 watts night. Studios were located in Maple Leaf Square Mall, Port Elgin. CFPS rebroadcast all and only the programming of CFOS at this time. CFPS extended the CFOS service to residents of the town of Port Elgin and Central Bruce County. Until now, these residents could only receive the night-time signal of CFOS.
1978
W.N. Hawkins was president of Grey & Bruce Broadcasting Ltd. and manager (for 30 years) of CFOS. Ralph Snelgrove (founder-owner of CKBB-CKCB and founder of CKVR-TV) was vice-president of the company. Donald T. Fleming was treasurer. He was the former president and circulation manager of the Owen Sound Daily Sun Times. Harold L. Van Wyck was secretary of Grey & Bruce. He headed a local law firm. Miller Christie and Margaret L. Hawkins were G & B directors. Christie recently retired as general manager of a local printing & publishing firm. Grey & Bruce Broadcasting was controlled by William Hawkins Limited whose shareholders were RoyNat Ltd. 5%, Fleming Investments & Management Limited 41%, Ralph T. Snelgrove 4% and W. N. Hawkins 50%.
1981
In the spring, CFOS increased daytime power to 5,000 watts.
A second floor addition was added to the CFOS studio building. The station also added a three vehicle garage to accommodate the mobile studio and station vehicles. The renovations added 2,500 square feet and included an area for announcers, new office space and a boardroom. Future plans included the construction of a new production studio.
1984
Night power for CFOS increased from 250 to 1,000 watts on December 1. Day power remained 5,000 watts.CFPS Port Elgin was granted an increase in night-time power on December 13, from 250 to 1,000 watts.
1985
On October 25, the sale of CFOS and CFPS by Grey and Bruce Broadcasting Co. Ltd. to Bayshore Broadcasting Corp. was approved by the CRTC. Bayshore was controlled 100% by C. Douglas Caldwell, a management consultant with Caldwell Partners International. When the sale of the station was announced, there were 31 full-time staff members. Bill Hawkins said the new owner’s objective was to maintain the station’s high level of community service.
1986
Bayshore took over operation of CFOS and CFPS. William N. Hawkins, President and General Manager of Grey and Bruce, became Chairman of Bayshore. Ralph Snelgrove returned as a board member.
1987
Bayshore Broadcasting Corp. filed an application with the CRTC for a new FM station at Owen Sound. The proposed station would operate with a group 1 music format on a frequency of 106.5 MHz and effective radiated power of 100,000 watts. The application was approved on October 26.
1988
Bayshore Broadcasting received approval to relocate the transmitter of its new FM station from approximately 15 km south-east of Owen Sound to a site about 15 km north-west of the city. The transmitter would be co-sited with the CBC’s CBCB-FM Owen Sound.
1989
Bayshore launched CIXK-FM (K106.5) on January 3. CIXK-FM was the first station with the technical capacity to serve the entire Georgian Bay region. The station covered the Grey Bruce and Simcoe area, and around the east side of the bay including much of Muskoka and Parry Sound. It was the region with no name so the station had to do something about that. It came up with the phrase – Canada’s Natural Wonderland.
With the opening of the FM station, CFOS gained fully modern studios and equipment – undergoing a complete retrofit. Over $300,000 was invested in the Ninth Street East studio building. New facilities for CFOS included a new master control room, a large open line studio, news booth, its own news production studio, and a program and commercial production suite.CIXK-FM’s authorized full power of 100,000 watts was operational in February.On September 16, approval came for the relocation of CIXK’s transmitter site from the authorized location approximately 15 km southeast of Owen Sound to a site approximately 15 km to the northeast of the city, on the CBCB-FM tower.
1992
On November 13, CFOS was granted an increase in daytime power, from 5,000 to 7,500 watts.
1993
The CFOS daytime power increase went into effect. The station’s sound and reliability was enhanced by a new solid state transmitter and state-of-the-art processing. The entire transmitter site was improved, including the building. The land was cleared beyond the existing parameters and the towers were painted.Acoustic Rock was the new country crossover format being used at CIXK-FM. (“The Mix That Kicks”)
1995
On March 8, the CRTC denied the application to amend the licence for CFOS by adding a rebroadcasting transmitter at Collingwood (1610 kHz with power of 1,000 watts). In assessing the application, the Commission took into consideration the state of the local market, the interventions submitted in support of the application as well as the five interventions received in opposition. In particular, the Commission noted the arguments set out in the intervention by Power Broadcasting Inc., licensee of CKCB Collingwood, the local station already serving the market. CKCB argued that, considering the small size of the market and CKCB’s negative operating position over the last four years, the addition of another local service at this time would have a significant negative financial impact on CKCB.
2001
On March 19, Bayshore Broadcasting Corporation was awarded an FM licence for a new station at Owen Sound. The station would operate on 93.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 31,600 watts.CKYC “Country 93” in Owen Sound began on-air testing in August and officially signed on the air at 11:00 a.m., September 4.
2005
On February 17, CFPS Port Elgin was given approval to convert to the FM band, operating on 97.9 MHz with an average effective radiated power of 3,800 watts (7,600 watts maximum) and antenna height of 137.5 metres. The new station would have an Adult Contemporary format with a target audience of 18 and 54 years of age.CFPS-FM “98 The Beach” (Light hits for the Lighthouse Coast) began testing in early May and officially signed on the air at 6:00 a.m. on May 20. CFPS 1490 was shut down on the same day. At this time, the CFPS studios and offices were located in Unit 5, 281 Goderich Street.Bayshore applied for a licence to operate an FM station at Wasaga Beach. The application was denied by the CRTC on October 13. Bayshore proposed to operate the station on 97.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 1,800 watts, and offer a Classic Adult Contemporary format.
2006
In May, General Manager Ross Kentner marked 45 years with the company.Bayshore tried for a Wasaga Beach licence again and received approval from the CRTC on September 13. The station would broadcast with an average effective radiated power of 200 watts on a frequency of 97.7 MHz. Bayshore proposed to serve listeners aged 35 to 64 with a Classic Adult Contemporary format that would feature a variety of pop, soft rock and oldies musical selections with a focus on songs from the 1960s to the 1980s. Programming would also include a number of thematic programs showcasing a variety of musical genres including show-tunes, jazz, blues, big band, oldies and classical. The station would offer 18 live newscasts and 5 news updates each weekday and a further 13 live newscasts and 5 news updates on Saturdays and Sundays.
2007
On February 20, Bayshore was authorized to operate a new FM station at Goderich. It would broadcast on a frequency of 104.9 MHz with an average effective radiated power of 5,330 watts. Bayshore proposed to offer a classic adult contemporary music format featuring a variety of hits from the 1960s through to the present, and targeted to listeners in the 35-to-64-year demographic with a focus on those aged between 45 and 54 years. The programming would include thematic programs showcasing a variety of musical genres such as show tunes, jazz, blues, big band, oldies and light classical. The applicant planned to serve a population of 46,000 in its principal marketing area.
CHGB-FM Wasaga Beach began testing over the air on April 5 and officially signed on as “The Beach” on May 18 at 7:00 p.m. Studios and offices were located at 1383 Mosley Street. The antenna tower was at Klondike Park Road and Power Line Road.
CHWC-FM “104.9 The Beach” began broadcasting “Lite Hits For Ontario’s West Coast” on October 15 at 8:00 a.m. The new station served the residents of Goderich, Bayfield, Grand Bend and Ontario’s West Coast. Studios and offices were located at 300 Suncoast Drive (Unit E) in Goderich.
2008
On February 6, Bayshore’s application to add an FM transmitter at Owen Sound to rebroadcast CFOS was denied. The transmitter would have operated at 96.1 MHz with an effective radiated power of 5,450 watts. It would have addressed certain signal deficiencies encountered in its main market of Owen Sound from October to March. The transmitter would also fill in coverage gaps in the Grey Bruce Region.
2009
On June 1, the CRTC approved an application by Bayshore Broadcasting Corporation for a licence to operate a new commercial FM station to serve Orillia. The station would broadcast on 89.1 MHz and have an effective radiated power of 2,100 watts. The Bayshore operation would offer a Soft Adult Contemporary music format, and have a general target audience – 35 to 64 years, female skew; core target audience – 35 to 54 years. The station would offer 126 hours of local programming per broadcast week. There would be 20 hours, 54 minutes, 30 seconds of Spoken word programming per broadcast week and 8 hours and 20 minutes of pure news programming per broadcast week. Live-to-air programming per broadcast week: 85 hours. The licence would expire August 31, 2015.
2010
After 11 years as marketing director for Bayshore Broadcasting, Rob Brignell left to become general manager and general sales manager of CJOS in Owen Sound. He had also been station manager of 98 & 104.9 The Beach on Ontario’s West Coast. Brignell joined Bayshore after 10 years as promotion and public relations manager for CHCH-TV in Hamilton.Mike Brough was named Operations Manager for Bayshore Broadcasting stations 98 The Beach Port Elgin and 104.9The Beach Goderich. Brough’s more recent experience included the launch of MY FM Kincardine. The two Beach stations were stand-alones with distinctive staffs, programs and News Directors.
On September 30, the CRTC approved applications by Bayshore Broadcasting Corporation to change the authorized contours of radio stations CIXK-FM and CKYC-FM Owen Sound. The licensee proposed to decrease the effective radiated power from 100,000 to 28,000 watts (non-directional antenna) for CIXK-FM and from 31,600 to 22,000 watts (non-directional antenna) for CKYC-FM, by increasing CIXK-FM’s effective height of antenna above average terrain from 171.7 to 189.6 metres and that of CKYC-FM from 114.1 to 214 metres, and by moving the antennas to a common site. Bayshore submitted that the relocation of its FM antennas to a new and common tower in Owen Sound would significantly reduce yearly operating costs associated with the maintenance of transmitter sites. The Commission noted that the population served by CIXK-FM and CKYC-FM within each station’s 3 mV/m and 0.5 mV/m contours would increase slightly.Rick Ringer, the Operations Manager at 97-7 The Beach Wasaga Beach, was promoted to Operations Manager for Bayshore East. He would work with General Manager/General Sales Manager Ron Funnell at Sunshine 89.1 Orillia on the station’s build and launch. Ringer’s background included 18 years on-air at CHUM-FM Toronto.Bayshore announced the studios and offices of “Sunshine 89.1 the Voice of the Twin Lakes” would be located at 490 West Street in Orillia.Sunshine 89.1 Orillia began on the air testing.
2011
Sunshine 89.1 celebrated its official grand opening on February 24. A number of dignitaries and listeners stopped by to see the new studios, meet the staff, and wish their best to Orillia’s radio station.
2012
Ron Funnell, general manager and general sales manager at Sunshine 89.1 Orillia and 97.7 The Beach Wasaga Beach left the stations. He moved to Bell Media’s KOOL FM 105.3/ KFUN 99.5 Kitchener-Waterloo as senior account manager.Rick Ringer resigned as Operations Manager/midday host at Sunshine 89.1 in Orillia to become General Manager at 92.3 The Dock in Owen Sound.Sunshine 89.1 became Sunshine 89.William N. ‘Bill’ Hawkins died at age 93. Hawkins, the former owner of CFOS, began at the station as an Operator/Announcer/Commercial Writer/Salesman at the starting rate of $9.00 weekly. In 1949, the then-owners made him the General Manager and he held that spot for 36 years. Twenty years later (1969), he formed Grey and Bruce Broadcasting Limited and bought the station. Outside CFOS, Hawkins served on the BBM and the CAB Boards. He retired in 1985, selling CFOS to Doug Caldwell of Caldwell Partners International. Hawkins then served for five years as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the licensee, Bayshore Broadcasting Corporation.On February 29, the CRTC approved an application by Bayshore Broadcasting Corporation for a broadcasting licence to operate a new English-language commercial FM radio programming undertaking to serve Shelburne. It would broadcast on 104.9 MHz with an average effective radiated power of 12,500 watts (maximum ERP of 50,000 watts). Bayshore proposed a Contemporary Country format with a target audience of 25-64 year olds (core: women 35-54). The station would play 40% category 2 Canadian Content music over the broadcast week and between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Monday to Friday. It would offer 126 hours of local programming per broadcast week. There would be 18 hours of spoken word programming per broadcast week. News programming per broadcast week would total 8 hours, 20 minutes (75% local, 15% regional). The station would offer 84 hours per broadcast week of live-to-air programming. The licence would expire 31 August 2018.
2014
On January 14, the CRTC denied CHGB-FM’s application to increase the ERP from 200 to 20,000 watts (max. ERP from 347 to 75,000 watts), increase antenna height and to make a minor correction to the transmission site coordinates.
2015
On January 15, the CRTC approved CHGB-FM’s application to increase the average effective radiated power from 200 to 700 watts (maximum ERP from 347 to 700 watts) and change the antenna’s radiation pattern from directional to non-directional.CFDC 104.9 (COUNTRY 105) Shelburne began on-air testing in October. The station officially signed on the air in November.
2016
It was announced that Lois Reid, Bayshore Broadcasting’s business manager, would retire in the summer. She began in the CFOS traffic department in 1970. She had been controller and HR manager since 2001.On October 7, the CRTC approved an application by Bayshore to operate an English-language commercial FM radio station in Gravenhurst/Bracebridge. The station would operate at 102.3 MHz with an effective radiated power of 22,000 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height above average terrain of 69.5 metres). The station would offer a country music format, including emerging Canadian talent, targeting listeners between the ages of 25 and 64 in Gravenhurst and Bracebridge and surrounding areas, with a core audience of females aged 35 to 54. The station would broadcast 126 hours of local, station-produced programming during each broadcast week, including 8 hours and 37 minutes of local news. It would also broadcast public affairs programming, editorial comments on community issues, entertainment news and health- and community-related information, for a total of 16 hours of spoken word programming per broadcast week. Bayshore committed to devote, by condition of licence, at least 40% of the station’s popular music selections during the broadcast week and between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. from Monday to Friday to Canadian selections. The licence would expire August 31, 2023.
2018
Ross Kentner, president and General Manager of Bayshore Broadcasting retired in April after 57 years with the company. He began his career as an operator at CFOS, moving into the newsroom and eventually becoming news director before his appointment as GM in 1985. Kentner was a past chair of the Ontario Association of Broadcasters, received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for community service, and a Central Region RTDNA Lifetime Achievement Award.
In January, CHWC Goderich changed format to Country. Branding changed from The Beach to Country 104.9.
In October, CHGB Wasaga Beach changed format from Adult Contemporary (The Beach) to Classic Hits (Max FM).
In October, CISO Orillia changed format from Adult Contemporary (Sunshine 89.1) to Classic Hits (Max FM).On May 10, the CRTC approved Bayshore’s application to change the authorized contours for CJMU-FM by relocating the transmitter, increasing the effective radiated power from 22,000 to 23,000 watts and decreasing the effective height of the antenna above average terrain from 69.5 to 65 metres. Bayshore explained that the approved transmitter site was no longer available.CJMU-FM Muskoka’s Best Country – Country 102, began on-air testing in late June. The station signed on the air on August 7.
2019
In May, CISO flipped from Classic Hits to Alternative Rock. The branding remained Max FM.
2020
CISO Orillia received CRTC approval for removal of the condition of licence requirement that stated a minimum of 12% of all musical selections broadcast should be drawn from content category 3 (Special Interest Music).
On July 23, the CRTC approves Bayshore’s application to add a transmitter at Tobermory for CFPS-FM Port Elgin. It would operate at 91.9 MHz with an average ERP of 2,053 watts (maximum ERP of 3,254 watts with an effective height of the antenna above average terrain of 81.5 metres).
Deb James became station manager for 97.7 Max FM Collingwood-Wasaga Beach as of November 2. James was previously with Corus’ stations in Barrie/Collingwood.
Kevin Brown succeeded Ross Kentner and became Managing Director of Bayshore Broadcasting. He began his career in operations at CKCO-TV, moving to CKNX-TV to work in creative and sales. He was General Sales Manager for Blackburn Radio for 13 years before moving to Bayshore.
Bayshore Broadcasting Corporation Radio Stations
(Click on the call letters to view individual station histories)