CKRV-FM

On May 20, CFCW Limited (Hal Yerxa of Camrose, AB) was granted a licence for a new FM station at Kamloops.

CHRK-FM 97.5 went on the air with an effective radiated power of 4,300 watts. The station used the slogan “K-97” and had a variety format. 

Ralph Ragan was general manager.

On June 23, the CRTC approved the sale by CFCW Ltd. (CFCW/CKRA, CHRK-FM Kamloops), to Newcap Broadcasting Ltd.

Hal Yerxa was inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. 

On June 10, the CRTC approved transfer of the station from Newcap to local broadcaster NL Broadcasting Ltd., owner of CHNL AM Kamloops, for $925,000 and additionally approved application to delete commitments for spoken word and advertising.  The call letters were changed to CKRV-FM with a new slogan of “97.5 FM The River” with a light rock format.

Founder Hal Yerxa died on April 12.  On July 15, as part of its renewal application, the CRTC approved a reduction in the weekly level of news from 5 to 3 hours, in line with the trend towards a “more music” approach.  CKRV-FM evolved into a hot hits format.

On July 15 the CRTC renewed the licence for NL Broadcasting’s CKRV-FM.

Rudi Parachoniak joined The River. Rudi had been Program Director and morning show host at Mountain FM Castlegar.

Andrew Hopkins, formerly of NL Broadcasting Kamloops, moved to the Peace Region as News Director at Astral Media Radio Fort St. John.

Peter Angle, the Sales Manager at NL Broadcasting’s three Kamloops radio stations (CHNL, CJKC and CKRV) moved to Astral Media Radio Kelowna (CHSU, CILK, CKFR) as General Sales Manager. Angle began his radio career at CKOV Kelowna 25 years earlier. He began with Astral on July 2.

Gerry Pigeon, who’d been with Corus Radio Calgary the past nine years, the last six as Retail Sales Manager, moved August 3 to NL Broadcasting in Kamloops to become General Sales Manager for NL’s three stations there – CHNL, CKRV-FM and CJKC-FM.

On November 30, the CRTC renewed CKRV’s licence to August 31, 2017.

Mike Evenson, formerly the Assistant Music Director/morning show producer at 100.3 The Q Victoria, joined NL Broadcasting as its afternoon host on 97.5 The River. This was the third time in his career that Evenson would work with PD Rudy Chase. Dennon Stein, fresh out of SAIT Polytechnic, was 97.5 The River’s new Swing Announcer.

Robbie Dunn, president/GM of NL Broadcasting stepped down from the operational role after 32 years as GM. Succeeding him as GM was Garth Buchko, who would take an ownership stake in NL and also be VP of the company. Dunn would retain the president’s mantle.

NL Broadcasting completely rebuilt its studios and offices. On September 22, a grand re-opening saw Premier Christy Clark, Mayor Peter Milobar, and others on hand for the ribbon-cutting.

On February 20 at 7 a.m., 97.5 The River moved to a Variety Hits format, “… best music from the ‘80s ‘90s and WOW!”.

In the spring, Newcap Inc. received CRTC approval to acquire 100% of the shares of NL Broadcasting Limited, which owned and operated CHNL-AM, CJKC-FM, and CKRV-FM.

In February, CKRV rebranded from The River to K 97.5 with the format changing from Variety Hits to Classic Hits from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s.

On October 23, the CRTC approved an application by Newfoundland Capital Corporation Limited, on behalf of Newcap Inc. and its licensed broadcasting subsidiaries, for authorization to effect a change in the ownership and effective control of various radio and television broadcasting undertakings in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, so that effective control of the undertakings would be exercised by Eric Boyko (Stingray Digital Group Inc.). Stingray took ownership of the stations just a few days later.