CIBK-FM

On March 12, the CRTC licensed three new FM stations for Calgary. There were six applicants and Standard Radio Inc. was one of the winners. SRI proposed a service featuring an Urban Rhythm format, operating on frequency 98.5 MHz with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts. Standard owned CKMX-AM and CJAY-FM in Calgary.

On September 6, CIBK-FM Vibe 98-5 (Calgary’s New #1 for Hip Hop, R&B and Old school) launched at 6:00 p.m. Studios and offices were on the third floor of 1110 Centre Street North.

On September 27, Astral Media Radio G.P. received CRTC approval to acquire the assets of the radio and TV undertakings owned by Standard Radio Ltd., subject to certain conditions.  The purchase included CIBK-FM, CJAY-FM and CKMX-AM.    
 

Claire McCauley left Vibe 98.5 (CIBK) for Kraze 101-3 (CKIK) in Red Deer. 

It was announced that Calgary’s #1 Hit Music Station would evolve into 98-5 Virgin Radio at noon on June 30. It would become the fifth Virgin Radio station Astral has launched in Canada as part of a commercial association entered into with Richard Branson’s Virgin Radio International. 98-5 Virgin Radio would retain its roots in the top 40 music format while kicking it up more than a few notches to deliver the true excitement and energy of the premium Virgin Radio brand. 

At Noon on June 30, a three-minute intro to Vibe 98.5’s new ID – Virgin Radio 98-5 – began with heavy breathing and a bit of moaning, leading into a theatre-of-the-mind vignette of a hospital’s delivery room and the birth of Astral Calgary’s new baby. The first song aired was California Girl by Katy Perry.

Chad Martin was operations manager.

Ceara Kavanagh, Program Director at Virgin Radio 98-5 Calgary left the station at the end of July to return to 107.3 KOOL FM Victoria where she become afternoon drive host August 11.

Chad Thomas returned to Astral Radio Calgary as Digital Accounts Manager. He left the stations to found an agency when they were owned by Standard Radio Calgary.

Vice president and general manager Tom Peacock, of Astral Radio’s Calgary cluster, retired June 23. Stewart Myers, VP & GM at Astral Edmonton, was now overseeing the Calgary operation. Operations manager Chad Martin was handling dayto-day business until a successor for Peacock was in place.

Adam Wylde and Danaye Maier began co-hosting mornings at Virgin 98.5 Calgary on June 27. Wylde moved from Virgin Radio 999 Toronto while Maier’s last stop was at JACK FM Victoria.

On August 31, the CRTC renewed the licence for CIBK-FM Calgary to August 31, 2013. This short-term renewal would allow for an earlier review of the licensee’s compliance with the Radio Regulations, 1986.

Stewart Meyers was now vice president of Alberta operations and general manager of the Astral Calgary radio stations, succeeding Tom Peacock. The position in Calgary became effective September 1. Meyers moved from Corus Radio Toronto at the end of 2002 to become operations manager and program director at the then-Standard Radio Calgary. When Marty Forbes retired at the beginning of 2009, Meyers took over at Astral Edmonton as VP/GM. Meyers would manage both clusters for the time being.

The new Music Director/Afternoon Host at 98-5 Virgin Radio was Tyler Hall, in from Edmonton.

Marc Michaels assumed the morning host position at 98.5 Virgin Radio February 19, succeeding Adam Wylde who gave notice in November. Michaels, who was the morning host at 91.7 The Bounce Edmonton, returned to Virgin’s morning chair where Wylde succeeded him in 2011. 

Adam Wylde, the former morning host at 98.5 Virgin Radio Calgary, began in March at KiSS 92.5 Toronto in afternoon drive partnered with Cash Conners. Last June at the 2012 Western Association of Broadcasters convention in Banff, Wylde was a co-winner of the Leaders of Tomorrow award. He was the son of Bell Media’s Marilyn Denis (CTV and CHUM-FM Toronto) and Ken Lydford, sales manager at Bell Media News & Entertainment.

On June 27, 2013, after a previous such application had been denied in 2012, the CRTC approved an application by Astral Media Inc. to sell its pay and specialty television channels, conventional television stations and radio stations to BCE Inc., including CIBK-FM.