CKCR-FM

Bob Hall and Walter Gray (Hall-Gray Broadcasting) opened CKXR Salmon Arm on November 18. CKCR Revelstoke began operations on November 21. It was a satellite of CKXR.

The two stations became known as “The Big R Network”. Salmon Arm and Revelstoke were small communities. Individually, neither one was really big enough for a radio station, but combined, they made a worthwhile radio market.

CKCR broadcast at 1340 kHz with a power of 250 watts. 

CKCR received approval to increase daytime power from 250 to 1,000 watts. Night power would remain 250 watts.

Peter Monoz was news director.

On July 21 sister station CKXR increased power to 10,000 watts day and 1,000 watts night.

CKGR Golden signed on the air as a rebroadcaster of CKXR.

On May 16,  CKCR was given approval to establish studios at Revelstoke. It would broadcast some local programming in addition to programs received from CKXR.

On December 18, Robert J. Hall and J. Jeanne Hall were given permission to acquire 64% of the shares of Hall-Gray Broadcasting Co. Ltd. from 14 shareholders.

By this time, CKCR 1340 was operating with 1,000 watts day and 250 watts night.

CKCR was given approval to increase night power to 1,000 watts.

Two additions to “The Big R Network”, CKGR AM 1400 Golden (1000 watts) and CKIR AM 870 Invermere (1000 watts) signed on the air at 7 a.m. December 31.

Approval was given for CKCR to relocate its transmitter site 4 kilometres northwest of the present facility. 

Okanagan Skeena Group Ltd. was given approval to purchase Copper Island Broadcasting Ltd., which was subsequently purchased by Telemedia Radio Inc.

Standard Radio Inc. purchased the Ontario and Western operations of Telemedia Radio Inc.  In turn, Standard sold a number of those stations to other companies.  CKXR/CKGR and affiliates were among the stations retained by SRI.

The stations’ founder Bob Hall died on October 21.

On February 25 the CRTC approved application by Standard Radio to move sister station CKXR AM Salmon Arm to the FM band.  The station was to continue with its adult contemporary music format and operate at 99.7 MHz with an average effective radiated power of 400 watts.  The frequency granted was too close to CHSU-FM in Kelowna on 99.9 and the 2 signals would impair each other as they met between the two cities.  Standard was waiting approval for a new frequency from Industry Canada.

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 CKCR-AM.

On March 9, the CRTC approved the application to convert CKCR to the FM band. The new station would offer an Adult Contemporary music format. During each broadcast week, it would broadcast 42 hours of local programming. The station would operate at 106.1 MHz with an effective radiated power of 800 watts. 

CKCR 106.1 signed on the air, keeping the existing Adult Contemporary (EZ Rock) format that was used on AM 1340. CKCR 1340 signed off the air without using the authorized 90 day simulcast period following the move to 106.1 MHz. The FM station had begun on-air testing in September, 2009. 

On November 25, the CRTC renewed CKCR’s licence until August 31, 2017. 

Roy McKenzie, the regional sales manager for Astral’s B.C. Interior stations, was no longer with the company. His position was eliminated. 

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 CKCR-FM.

Ron Langridge, General Manager/General Sales Manager at EZ Rock Salmon Arm/ Revelstoke/Golden left the stations. Gord Leighton, GM/GSM at SUN FM Vernon added the responsibilities for the EZ Rock stations to his existing role.