CJCA-AM

Edmonton’s first radio station – CJCA – was established by the Edmonton Journal newspaper on May 1. The station’s first manager was G.R.A. “Dick” Rice who was born in England and settled in Edmonton in 1920. He basically built and operated CJCA for the Journal. Rice built the station’s technical equipment and installed it in a corner of the editorial room on the third floor of the Journal Building, located at 10006-101 Street. The antenna was strung between two poles towering 75 feet in the air, atop the newspaper building. A high voltage wire connected the studios to the rooftop transmitter. CJCA operated a 50 watt transmitter, tuned to operate at 450 metres, a frequency the station was required to share with other fledgling stations that followed. Yet, despite the birth of a number of stations, there were times when the airwaves locally were silent. Early programming on CJCA consisted of music (such as the Salvation Army band), market reports and sports scores. CJCA generally operated twice a day: 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 8:30 to 10:00 p.m. The station’s first official day of broadcasting was May 22.

CJCA moved to 580 kHz.

Power increased in October from 100 watts to 500 watts. Power had earlier increased from 50 to 100 watts.

The first commercial message was sent.

The transmitter was moved from the Journal Building to the town of Oliver, ten miles north of Edmonton. The main road to Fort Saskatchewan passed nearby the site.

In August, CJCA used the first condenser mike in Western Canada.

Frank Makepeace joined CJCA.

CJCA moved from 580 to 630 kHz.

In December, the first Empire broadcast of the King’s message was aired over CJCA.

CJCA was assigned 730 kHz.

New studio facilities were created in the McGee Building at 10118 – 100A Street, which later became part of the Nova Scotia Place property.

The proprietors of the Journal invited proposals from persons interested in taking-over the management and operation of CJCA. Two bids were considered – one from a company to be formed by CJCA’s veteran manager, Dick Rice, in partnership with Hans Nielsen. The other came from Taylor & Pearson. T&P who operated Radio Supply Co. had launched their first radio station – CFCK – in 1923. They sold it in 1927 to the Department of Extension, University of Alberta, and it became CKUA. However, Taylor & Pearson got back in the broadcasting business in 1934 when they took over CHMA, a station that was licensed in 1927 to the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Under the transfer of ownership of CHMA, T&P programmed it Monday through Saturday, leaving Sundays for the use of the previous owner. The 100 watt transmitter was connected to a 150-foot pole in an area known as the Crestwood Community, with studios in Beulah Tabernacle. Taylor & Pearson created new studios in the Birks Building.

Taylor & Pearson’s bid to manage and operate CJCA was accepted by the Journal. This forced T&P to dispose of CFTP. It was sold to Sunwapta Broadcasting (Dick Rice and Hans Nielsen). The changeover came on November 1, when T&P’s staff took over the CJCA studios in the McGee Building, and Sunwapta’s people lodged themselves in the Birk’s Building studios. The call letters of CFTP where changed to CFRN (Rice & Neilsen). Initially, CFRN carried on the program schedule created for CFTP.

In November CJCA increased power from 500 watts to 1,000 watts. 

Frank Makepeace left CJCA for CFRN.

CFRN vacated the Birks Building studios for new quarters in the CPR Building, 10032 Jasper Avenue. CJCA moved from the McGee Building to the renovated CFRN studios which they had created originally for CFTP and which had just been emptied by Dick Rice and company.

A new Marconi 1,000 watt transmitter was bought by CJCA and the antenna site was changed from Oliver to Belmont.

James Stuart MacKay, the future head of Selkirk Communications, started his broadcasting career at CJCA as an announcer.

G. Norris MacKenzie joined CJCA as writer and announcer. Sheila Hassell joined CJCA, starting her radio career.

Rolfe Leonard Barnes joined CJCA from CFAC Calgary.

G. Norris MacKenzie left CJCA for CKWX in Vancouver.

Rolfe Leonard Barnes was appointed sales manager.

Walker Blake was promoted to commercial manager of CJCA, succeeding Ed Chown who moved to All-Canada Radio Facilities in Toronto. Bob Fritz was a sportscaster. Gordon Henry joined CJCA as manager. He had held the same position at Calgary’s CFAC.

F.H. (Tiny) Elphicke, recently manager of CJCA (Edmonton), was named manager of CJRC (Winnipeg). Victor F. Nielsen of CJRC moved to CFAC (Calgary). Gordon Henry of CFAC moved to CJCA. Fred Scanlon of CJRM (Regina) was elevated to manager of that station. New commercial manager at CJRC was P.H. Gayner, formerly with All-Canada in Winnipeg. Stewart MacPherson, formerly with the BBC, would hold a similar job at CJRC. Bob Straker, chief accountant of CJRC was moved to CFAC as program director, replacing Pat Freeman, who joined the RCAF. Fred Luce, CJRC salesman, was transferred to CJRM as was Ken Anderson, accountant. Three CJRC staffers entered military service: Ken Cameron, chief studio engineer; Keith McConnell, control engineer; and Hugh Young, special events and sports.

Under the Havana Treaty, CJCA moved from 730 to 630 kHz (Class III-A) on March 29. Power was 1,000 watts. The old frequency – 730 kHz – became a Mexican clear channel. If CJCA had remained there, it would have caused co-channel interference during hours of darkness.

Norman Botterill, assistant manager of CJCA joined CKWX Vancouver, in the same capacity. Norris Mackenzie left CJCA for the announcing staff at CKWX. Former CJCA staffer Stuart MacKay was now at CKWX as an announcer. 

A vertical radiator was installed.

Assistant manager Walter Dales left CJCA for CJAT in Trail. James Allard was public relations director.

CJCA was operating short wave station VE9A1 as of June 1. The transmitter carried the programs of CJCA.

Al Reusch was an announcer. Walker Blake was assistant manager. Tom Shandro was promotion manager. Jim Allard left CJCA.

CBC Trans-Canada Basic stations: CJCB, CBH, CBA, CHSJ, CFNB, CBO, CKWS, CBL, CKSO, CFCH, CJKL, CKGB, CKPR, CBM, CKY, CBK, CJCA, CFAC, CJOC, CFJC, CKOV, CJAT, CBR.

Arthur Nichols joined the staff of CJCA after a time with the RCAF. In the past he had worked at CJAT Trail and CJOC Lethbridge. Bud Rogers left CJCA for CKNW New Westminster. F. Walter Blake, former assistant manager of CJCA, left after over 7 years with the company to be manager of CKUA. He was succeeded at CJCA by Rolfe Barnes of the sales department. Paul Guy returned to CJCA from CKAC in Montreal. Dalt Elton was production manager.

CJCA and KFAR (Alaska) were exchanging special sports broadcasts.

Gordon Henry was manager and Rolfe Barnes was commercial manager. Bob Sharpe was an announcer at CJCA. Bud Rogers and McIntosh McDonald left CJCA to join CKNW’s (New Westminster) production department, following active service. Al Reush left CJCA for production work at CKNW.

CJCA presented 14 youth-participation broadcasts each week on five programs: On Stage Canadians (youth vocal), Little Red Schoolhouse (youth quiz), Kiddies’ Program with Jo-Jo (vocal, instrumental and school groups), Good Deed Club (Talent on theatre stage) and Pat, The Playhouse Pal (youth vocal and youth activities). 

Doug Grieg returned to CJCA’s announce staff after four and a half years with the air force. 

Slogan: CJCA in Edmonton – Crossroads of the World!

CJCA offered a weekly program – Hello, The North – designed to serve listeners in remote areas of Northern Alberta. The program was now being carried over the station’s shortwave transmitter – VE9AI. 

Rolfe Leonard Barnes was named assistant station manager.

Paul Guy was on CJCA’s announce staff. Hal Yerxa was a reporter at CJCA. Merrell Dahlgren was assistant engineer. Gordon Skutle was an operator. Ed Bryant was on the announce staff. CJCA welcomed back a number of ex-servicemen: Art Nichol (commercial manager); announcers Doug Greig, John Bishopric and Fred Gowin; and Bob Keith (operator). Former newspaperman Gord McCallum joined CJCA’s news department as editor. Lloyd Cooper was CJCA’s new staff pianist. Hal Yerxa was special events reporter. CJCA had speech consultant Bertha Briggs on staff. She helped announcers to improve their pronunciation and delivery.

Taylor, Pearson & Carson had its stock listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. TP&C was the holding company for stations like CJCA. It ran other stations, owned All-Canada Radio Facilities Ltd. (representation firm and transcription service), and operated automobile accessory and radio stores in Western Canada.

Gord Shillabeer was a technician at CJCA.

CJCA’s short wave outlet – VE9AI – was operating on a frequency of 9540 kHz and was receiving reception reports from all over the world.

CJCA was completing construction of a new transmitter site at Ellerslie in preparation for a power increase to 5,000 watts (directional at night). The setup included two all-steel masts, modern transmitter building, garage and home for the engineering staff.

CJCA celebrated its 25th anniversary and power increase with a gathering at Edmonton’s Macdonald Hotel. Premier Ernest Manning paid tribute to the station’s staff during the ceremony.

Gordon S. Henry was manager. Russ Sheppard was sports editor. Rolfe Barnes was commercial manager.

Late in the year, the CBC announced that CBX Lacombe would be on the air shortly. It would be the basic outlet for the Trans-Canada network. Existing T-Can affiliates, CJCA and Calgary’s CFAC, were not happy about being dropped. They applied to the CBC for supplementary status but the corporation refused to agree without a complete review of the matter from a national standpoint.

Harry Sedgwick, founder of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters in its present form (1948) and the chairman of the board since 1934, stepped down in favour of CFRN’s Dick Rice. Rice had been honorary president. Sedgwick would remain as a CAB director. CKAC’s Phil Lalonde became honorary president. The post of general manager, made vacant by the resignation of Harry Dawson, went to Jim Allard, who started in radio in 1935 on CJCA, where he worked under Percy Gayner, Tiny Elphicke and Gordon Henry.

The CBC recommended for approval, the application by Southam Co. Ltd. (Edmonton Journal, CJCA), for an FM licence.

The CBC was scheduled to hear a complaint at its May hearings – against the Edmonton Broadcasting Co. Ltd., owner of CJCA. Gordon Henry, the station’s manager for the past seven and a half years made the complaint. According to the CBC, Henry would be requesting a recommendation for cancellation or non-renewal of CJCA’s licence to the present licensee. His complaint was essentially against Southam Publishing Co. Ltd., the principal shareholder of Edmonton Broadcasting. Taylor-Pearson & Carson Co. was also a shareholder. Henry claimed that he was subjected to interference in his operation of CJCA by management of Southam’s Edmonton Journal newspaper. At the CBC’s May hearing, the Henry vs CJCA matter was put off until the board’s next meeting in October.

The CBC heard the Henry vs CJCA case at its June meeting. The station’s now former manager, Gordon S. Henry filed the complaint. The board said it would keep the station under observation and would review them carefully at licence renewal time. W.A. MacDonald was president of Edmonton Broadcasting Co. Ltd., and publisher of the Edmonton Journal. Henry’s complaint was mostly directed at MacDonald.

Gerry Gaetz was named manager of CJCA Edmonton, succeeding Gordon Henry. Gaetz had been manager of CKRC Winnipeg since 1942. Bill Speers, who ran CKRM Regina since 1944, replaced Gaetz at CKRC. Stuart MacKay, with CKWX since 1941, where he had been assistant manager, followed Speers at CKRM. Gaetz started in radio at CJOC Lethbridge as an announcer in 1929. Speers started as an announcer at CHWC Regina in 1931. MacKay got his start in the business as an announcer-operator at CJCA in 1938. 

Clare Copeland joined the CJCA sales department. He had been public relations director at CKRC Winnipeg.

CJCA launched CJCA-FM on 99.5 MHz to simulcast the programming of CJCA-AM. It replaced the experimental station, VE9AI.

Slogan: CJCA Dominates the Edmonton Market and Northern Alberta Market. 

Ed Chown left CJCA for the sales department at CKWX Vancouver. Gerry Gaetz was manager and Rolfe Barnes was commercial manager. 

With CKUA reportedly ready to close down, CJCA and CFRN applied to use CKUA’s 580 kHz frequency. CJCA’s proposal would be for directional antenna at night while CFRN would use 580 on a non-directional basis. The CBC board told the applicants that 580 kHz was being used by CKUA so the frequency was not available.

Russ Sheppard was news director. Don Clayton was farm director. Peter Lavalley was sports editor. CJCA news reporters: Wal Rutherford, Glen Bjarnson, Laurie Picard and Tony Cashman. 

Allan Slaight joined CJCA news from CFRN.

CJCA announced that it was now jointly owned by the Journal and the Taylor and Pearson Broadcasting Company, with a new corporate identity – Edmonton Broadcasting Company Ltd. (The Journal – 60%, T & P – 40%). The management company had also undergone a corporate name change several years earlier to Taylor, Pearson and Carson Limited, and Harold Carson was the CEO.

CJCA and CHED were part of a consortium that applied to an Edmonton Television licence. Sunwapta Broadcasting Co. Ltd. (CFRN-AM) got the TV licence.

Don Clayton was farm editor.

Allan Slaight left CJCA news for CHED.

Slogan: If you want to reach farmers…they’ll hear your message on CJCA.

Cameron Perry was appointed sales manager. After 17 years with CJOC, he transferred to CJVI in 1952 and then to CJCA in December of 1954. Curley Gurlock was a DJ at CJCA and had been with the station for three years. Maurice Carter did sports and Russ Sheppard was a newscaster.

Slogan: We’re busy broadcasting to the majority.

Gerry Gaetz, manager of CJCA, was elected president of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce.

CJCA 930 had a power of 5,000 watts (directional at night) and was a CBC Trans-Canada supplementary B affiliate. Ownership of Edmonton Broadcasting Co. Ltd.: The Southam Co. Ltd. 60%, Taylor and Pearson Broadcasting Co. Ltd. 40%. W. A. MacDonald, H. E. Pearson and T. G. Brown were also listed – holding no shares. The owner was also listed as The Edmonton Journal. Gerry Gaetz was manager. Dalt Elton was production manager.

Slogan: Northern Alberta’s most effective salesman.

Winnifred Sutton died in December. She became Edmonton’s first woman commentator with CFTP in 1934, moving to CFRN in 1938. She served as promotion director at Calgary’s CFAC before returning to CJCA in a similar capacity from 1939-56.

Ad slogans: Music fans agree on “93” CJCA Edmonton. / In Edmonton the influential is Radio 930 CJCA.

Programming information: *Coffee Break at 93 with Easy Goin’ Ed Laurence (9-11 a.m.). *News breaks first at “93”. Russ Sheppard and a capable staff of 5 news editors bring Edmontonians up-to-the-minute top news coverage on CJCA at “93” – you’re never more than 20 minutes away from news on “93”. * Bob Bell – “morning man” – 5-9 a.m. * Ole Easy Ed Laurence is back 4-6 p.m. with Ed’s most pop teen-age show, “Club 93”. * “C.G. at 93” with Curley Gurlock – 2-4 p.m. * The station with the greatest circulation in Alberta is “93” CJCA.

Cam Perry, previously national sales manager at CJCA Edmonton, became manager of CFGP Grande Prairie, a post previously held by Art Balfour who moved on to manage CJOC Lethbridge. Norman Botterill, previously CJOC’s manager, was now executive vice president of Lethbridge Broadcasting Ltd. The appointments were made by Harold R. Carson, president of All-Canada Radio & Television Ltd. Douglas Homershon left CJCA where he had been director of special services. Tony Cashman did news.

According to Elliott-Haynes CJCA reached a total of 212,930 adult listeners every day.

CJCA 930 received permission to increase power from 5,000 watts (directional at night) to 10,000 watts day / 5,000 watts night (directional at night).

ACMO – the All-Canada Mutually Operated stations set up a radio news bureau in August. The bureau channelled news from Ottawa by telegraph, telephone and tape recorder. Stations using the service: CJVI, CKWX, CJAT, CJCA, CFAC, CFGP, CJOC, CKCK, CKRC and CKOC.

James M. Taylor died in November. He was co-founder of the Taylor, Pearson & Carson wholesale firm…automotive, appliance, radio parts and equipment outlets in Alberta and British Columbia…with interests in CJCA Edmonton, CFAC Calgary, CJOC Lethbridge and CFGP Grande Prairie.

With the Board of Broadcast Governors replacing the CBC as regulator, many parties were awaiting the lifting of the TV ban…in Edmonton CJCA and CHED had expressed an interest in obtaining a TV licence, and at least two other groups were reported interested. At this time, three channels were available for Edmonton.

Power was increased to 10,000 watts daytime. Night time power remained 5,000 watts.  

Rolfe Leonard Barnes became CJCA’s manager. Lorne Thompson was on the air from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. and had been doing this program since September 1959. He had joined CJCA in 1955.

Former CJCA manager Gerry Gaetz was one of the partners in Edmonton Video Ltd. which competed to become Edmonton’s second television station licence holder. The licence was awarded to the CBC. Gaetz had resigned his post at CJCA. After the failure of the TV bid, Gaetz was named managing director of Selkirk Holdings Ltd.

Jack F. Horler died August 3 at 66. His broadcast career started at CJCA where he was the first radio announcer to broadcast a hockey game in Canada. He later moved to newspapers and then advertising.

Jim Hand hosted the morning show. 

Rolfe L. Barnes, CJCA assistant manager for the past 15 years, was named manager, succeeding Gerry Gaetz.

The Dominion and Trans-Canada networks consolidated into a single CBC Radio network. With the CBC owning CBX in Edmonton, it was no longer necessary for CJCA to remain as an affiliate. 

The DJ line up at ‘Channel 93’ in the sixties included Jim Hault, Hal Weaver, Charles P. Rodney Chandler, Mike Marshall, Scott Cameron, Barry Boyd (who had a Top 40 hit in 1962 with “Wishin'”), Tom Fulton, Jim Paulson, ‘Frantic’ Frank Todd, Bob Stagg (Chuck Camroux). CJCA, nicknamed Tiger Radio, was the # 1 Top 40 station in Edmonton from the early 60’s up until around 1966 when CHED started to take over. 

Jim Hand, Vik Armen, George Payne, Bill Lee, and Dale Partridge worked at the station.

Doug Thompson entered the radio business as 16 year old, still going to high school. He started at CJCA in May. Sportscaster Don Chevrier left CJCA for Toronto.

Doug Thompson left CJCA at the end of January and started at CHUM in Toronto on February 1.

Rolfe Leonard Barnes retired. He had been president and general manager.

Bob Gibbons was on-air at CJCA.

W.E. Everitt left CJCA to become general manager of CFGP Grande Prairie.

Cameron A. Perry was appointed general manager of CJCA. He had held the same position at CFGP Grande Prairie and succeeded Dalt Elton who became general manager of CKWX Vancouver.

Ruth Rankin was office manager/accountant. John L. Sayers was general sales manager. Rolfe Leonard Barnes, former CJCA manager, passed away. Reg Miller left CJCA to become director of publicity and public relations for CKWX Vancouver. Miller had been with CJCA for 23 years.

Broadcast News was the main source of news for radio stations in Canada but only a handful at this time were subscribing to BN’s voice (audio) service. CJCA was one of those stations. 

Slogan: Edmonton’s Radio Centre is CJCA Radio 93.

Bryan Hall was sports director. He also did play by play for the Edmonton Eskimos (CFL) and Edmonton Oil Kings (hockey) and hosted the “Sportsline” open line program. 

On December 31, approval was granted for the transfer of 40% of Edmonton Broadcasting Co. Ltd. from Southam Press Ltd. to Selkirk Holdings Ltd. This change was designed to eliminate the direct ownership of Southam in broadcasting operations in cities where it owned daily newspapers. Payment for the shares was in the form of non-voting (Class A) equity shares in Selkirk. As a result, publicly traded Southam would now own about 44.6% of the Class A equity shares of Selkirk.

Slogan: Sell it where it’s at – CJCA Radio 93. / Edmonton’s bright spot on the dial – CJCA Radio 93.

On July 24, Edmonton Broadcasting Co. Ltd. was given approval to move the CJCA-AM-FM studios and offices from 10123 – 104th Street to 10230 – 108th Street. The move to the stations’ own building took place later in the year.

CJCA was given approval to increase power to 50,000 watts – day and night – and to relocate the transmitter site.

The 50,000 watt power increase went into operation from the new transmitter site – still in the Ellerslie area.

On July 21, approval was granted for the transfer of 200 Class B voting shares of Selkirk Communications Ltd. from Southam Inc. to John T. Ferguson, and subsequently, the transfer of these shares from Mr. Ferguson, together with 200 Class B shares from each of seven other individual shareholders, to the Canada Trust Co., pursuant to a voting trust agreement. Southam held 20% of the voting shares and approximately 28% of the non-voting shares of Selkirk Communications. Selkirk owned the following broadcast companies: Selkirk 
Broadcasting Ltd., Lethbridge Television Ltd., Calgary Television Ltd., and Niagara Television Ltd. 

Joe Meyers was CJCA’s news director.

Terry Strain, former president of Edmonton Broadcasting Co. (CJCA-CIRK) was appointed a member of the board and acting chairman of the Alberta Liquor Control Board.

An era came to an end when CFRN secured the rights to Edmonton Eskimo football games for the next three years. CFRN’s bid beat that of CJCA which had held the rights for 24 years and had aired more than 500 consecutive broadcasts of the CFL team’s games. CJCA’s Bryan Hall, who came to be known as the voice of the Eskimos during his 24 year stint as the team’s play-by-play announcer, would continue to cover the games for CJCA.

CJCA and CIRK-FM came under the ownership of Maclean-Hunter when it purchased Selkirk Communications Ltd. Later in the year Maclean-Hunter failed in its bid to sell the Edmonton stations to Western Broadcasting of Vancouver.

Rogers Broadcasting had been negotiating with Maclean-Hunter to purchase CJCA and CIRK-FM. The plans were dropped because Rogers feared the deal could complicate its attempt to break into the long-distance telephone market.

Neil Edwards was now assistant general manager for CJCA and CIRK K-97. He was also FM program director. Rick Lewis was promoted to program manager for CJCA. Janice Burke was controller and administrative manager for both stations.

On May 9, the CRTC approved the applications by Western World Communications Corp. for authority to acquire the assets of CJCA and CIRK-FM Edmonton from NEWCO CJCA Limited. The licence for CJCA would expire August 31, 1995, which would enable the Commission to consider the renewal of this licence at the same time as that of other AM stations in the region. In the case of CIRK-FM, the licence would expire August 31, 1992; this date would allow the Commission to consider the licence renewal of CIRK-FM at the same time as that of other FM stations following implementation of the new policy and regulations for FM radio. The vendor was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Maclean-Hunter Limited. MHL acquired effective ownership and control of the two Edmonton stations in 1989 as part of a much larger transaction involving its purchase of the extensive broadcast holdings of Selkirk Communications Limited. It had then been MHL’s intention to transfer ownership of CJCA and CIRK-FM to Westcom Radio Group Ltd. The applications pertaining to that subsequent transfer, however, were denied by the Commission. As a consequence of another decision issued on September 28, 1989, MHL became the indirect shareholder of Moffat – MH Limited, the licensee of two other Edmonton radio stations (CHED and CKNG-FM). In light of the fact that it had not been MHL’s intention to retain ownership of CJCA or CIRK-FM, and taking into account its holdings in the other two Edmonton stations as well as in the Edmonton Sun, the Commission directed MHL to submit applications within six months for the transfer of CJCA and CIRK-FM to a third party. The present applications were in response to the Commission’s direction. Western World, the purchaser, was indirectly controlled by Clint Forster of Saskatoon. Western World was currently the licensee of six radio stations, including joint AM/FM operations in Winnipeg and Regina, and stand-alone AM stations serving Saskatoon and Langley. Western World also owned 100% of Balsa Broadcasting Corp., the licensee of CHMG St. Albert.

Peter Weissbach succeeded Rick Lewis as program director.

Dr. G.R.A. Rice died in Edmonton on February 25 after a short illness. He was 92. Besides founding and owning Sunwapta Broadcasting (CFRN), Rice started his long broadcasting career by helping to establish CJCA-AM.

John (Jack) Fry passed away July 1 at the age of 80. He was an engineer with CJCA from 1938 until his retirement in 1963.

Ron Collister left CJCA after 16 years as a popular talk show host. Before joining CJCA, Collister had been Washington correspondent for CBC-TV. He had been critical of CJCA and its program director, Peter Weissbach, saying the ‘information station’ had become the ‘popcorn station’.

On December 1, at 6:00 p.m., CJCA ceased broadcasting. The station had been unprofitable for three years.

Sportscaster Bryan Hall had been at CJCA for many years.

On April 3 (Easter Sunday), CJCA returned to the air under new ownership. The station now had a format that was virtually all music – combining recent and oldies hits with a Top 40 gospel playlist.

Doug Main became general manager of CJCA on December 23. 

General manager Doug Main, program director Dale Wolfe and news director Frances MacKinnon were all let go.

On September 7, sister station CJRY-FM signed on and CJCA’s music format switched from Contemporary Christian to Southern Gospel.

On December 10, a Christian-oriented Talk format replaced Southern Gospel music programming. The station continued to be known as AM930 The Light.

CJCA received permission from the CRTC to move its transmitter and antenna. The change was needed because the existing site has had to deal with industrial growth and the build up of residential communities in the immediate area. The new site would be in a more remote area, not in the way of significant planned growth. Approvals were received from the County of Leduc for the building of the antennae and building structure. CJCA would continue to broadcast on 930 kHz with a full-time power of 50,000 watts, directional at night.

On September 8, the CRTC renewed the licence for radio station CJCA Edmonton from 1 December 2010 to 31 August 2014. This short-term licence renewal would enable the Commission to review the licensee’s compliance with the Radio Regulations, 1986 at an earlier date. In Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2010-334, the Commission stated that the licensee may have failed to comply with section 9(2) of the Radio Regulations, 1986 relating to the provision of annual returns for the 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008 broadcast years.

A.G. “Gil” Seabrook passed away at the age of 97. He had worked in sales at CJCA at one time.

Bob Arnold (Robert William Rud) died at age 73. He was the morning host at CJCA from the early ’70s through to the early ’90s.

On December 19, the CRTC approved the application by Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc. (the general partner) and C.R.A. Investments Ltd. (the limited partner), carrying on business as Touch Canada Broadcasting Limited Partnership, for authorization to effect a two-step corporate reorganization involving the assets of the radio programming undertakings CJCA and CJRY-FM Edmonton, CJLI and CJSI-FM Calgary and CKRD-FM Red Deer. Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc. and C.R.A. Investments Ltd. (CRA) were both controlled by Charles R. Allard. Step 1 – Transfer to CRA of all Class A voting shares issued by Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc., the current limited partner in Touch Canada LP and a corporation also owned and controlled by Mr. Allard. As a result, TCBI would become wholly owned by CRA. Step 2 – Wind up of TCBI. The 99.89% voting units held by TCBI in Touch Canada LP would be transferred to CRA. As a result, CRA would become the limited partner in Touch Canada LP. The Commission noted that following this two-step corporate reorganization, Mr. Allard would continue to control the undertakings. Upon surrender of the broadcasting licences currently issued to Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc. (the general partner) and Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc. (the limited partner), carrying on business as Touch Canada Broadcasting Limited Partnership, the Commission would issue new licences to Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc. (the general partner) and C.R.A. Investments Ltd. (the limited partner), carrying on business as Touch Canada Broadcasting Limited Partnership, to operate CJCA and CJRY-FM Edmonton, CJSI-FM Calgary and CKRD-FM Red Deer under the same terms and conditions as those set out in the current licences. The Commission noted that a broadcasting licence had not yet been issued to CJLI Calgary. Once Touch Canada LP had satisfied the terms set out in Broadcasting Decision 2009-222, the Commission would issue a broadcasting licence to operate that radio station.

Jim Elliott died at age 71. Elliott began in broadcasting as a library assistant at CKRD Red Deer while still going to school and later on, on the air. He moved to Lethbridge in the early ‘60s and worked at, first, CHEC and later at CJOC. In the ‘70s, he did drive at both CFRN and CJCA Edmonton, eventually moving into sales at CJCA. Later, he went to ITV Edmonton. In the mid ‘80s, he moved back to CHEC Lethbridge/CKTA Taber as General Manager and, in the early ‘90s (still with Shaw), Elliott was GM at CKDK Woodstock. In the late ‘90s, he went back west to the OK Group where he was in sales both in Kelowna and Fort St. John. And, it was in 2004 that he joined Newcap’s engineering group in Edmonton. Elliott and the Alberta engineering team won the Rohde & Schwarz Excellence in Engineering Award in the fall of 2011 at the annual Western Association of Broadcast Engineers (WABE) convention. 

Former CJCA broadcaster and C.A.B. Hall of Famer (2005) Peggy Miller-Day died at age 89 on October 5.

Kiviaq (aka David C. Ward) died at the age of 80. The accomplished Edmonton lawyer, boxing champion, football player, city councillor and CJCA talk show host born in Chesterfield Inlet, NT was the first Inuit called to the bar. Later, he successfully fought Alberta’s name laws which required a person to have both a first and last name, to restore his original Inuktitut name.

Joe Meyer (85) passed away on April 18. His 35 year radio career took him to CFCW Camrose, CKRD Red Deer, CKRC Winnipeg, and CJCA.