CKIR-AM

After receiving approval from the CRTC, Copper Island Broadcasting Ltd. signed on CKIR-AM December 31 at 870 kHz with a power of 1000 watts day and 250 watts night.

When the CRTC renewed the licence on July 28, it was noted that the station broadcast 134 hours 9 minutes per week of programming originating from CKCR Revelstoke B.C. and 33 hours 51 minutes per week from the CKGR studios in Golden B.C.

On November 5, Okanagan Skeena Group Ltd. was given approval by the CRTC to purchase Copper Island Broadcasting Ltd. and subsequent approval was given to transfer ownership and control of Okanagan Skeena Group to Telemedia Radio Inc.

On April 19, the CRTC approved the purchase by Standard Radio Inc. of 64 radio stations and 2 television stations belonging to Telemedia Radio Inc.

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 CKIR-AM.

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

On March 16th, the CTV Network’s parent company, BCE, announced that, subject to CRTC and Competitions Bureau approval, it had agreed to acquire Astral Media for a price of 3.38 billion dollars. BCE chief executive George Cope was quoted as saying: “We think bringing together Astral and BCE puts both organizations in a stronger competitive position.”