CHTK-FM

CHTK Radio Ltd. opened CHTK 560 with 1,000 watts day and 250 watts night.

On December 18, Skeena Broadcasters Ltd. was given approval to acquire CHTK
Radio Ltd. 

Rick Purday became CHTK’s morning man. He had been working in New Brunswick. 

On February 6, the CRTC approved the application to amend the licence for CHTK by changing the program source from studios located at Prince Rupert to part-time from studios located at Prince Rupert and part-time from studios located at Terrace. The Commission noted that Prince Rupert listeners would detect little change in the programming available to them. Both CHTK and CFTK Terrace featured “Top 40” music and carried the same syndicated presentations on Saturday. The licensee regarded the establishment of a network as a cost-effective step which would hopefully improve the quality of the evening programming on CHTK and CFTK and enable CHTK to provide a better local news and public affairs service.

Sharon Taylor was CHTK’s general manager. 

George Richard was doing news at CHTK.

The corporate name changed from CHTK Radio Ltd. to Okanagan Skeena Group Ltd.  CHTK Radio Ltd. was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Okanagan Skeena.   

CHTK operations manager Sharon Taylor was moved by Skeena Broadcasters to Terrace to take over CJFW-FM. Bob Duck took over her duties at CHTK. He had been morning man and program director.

Okanagan Skeena Group Ltd. was purchased by Telemedia Radio Inc. 

Doug Anderson was now general manager. He had been operations manager at CFQX Winnipeg.

Rod Sterling was gone as program director for CFTK, CHTK, CKTK and CJFW.

Standard Radio Inc. purchased the Western and Ontario operations of Telemedia. Some stations were then sold to other companies but SRI retained the Okanagan Skeena group.

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 CHTK-AM. 

On January 11, the CRTC approved the application by Astral Media Radio (Toronto) Inc. and 4382072 Canada Inc., partners in a general partnership carrying on business as Astral Media Radio G.P., for a broadcasting licence to operate a new English-language commercial FM radio station to replace the existing AM station CHTK Prince Rupert. The Commission denied the application by Barry Alan Wall, on behalf of a corporation to be incorporated, for a broadcasting licence to operate a new English-language commercial FM radio station in Prince Rupert. Both applications proposed use of the frequency 99.1 MHz and, as a result, were mutually exclusive on a technical basis. CHTK offered an adult contemporary music format with 50 hours of local programming including 2 hours and 50 minutes of news during each broadcast week. Local programming included regular national, regional and local newscasts, weather and road conditions, along with extensive coverage of community events and activities that were of particular interest to its listeners. CHTK also played an active role in the local community. According to Astral, CHTK regularly contributed staff time and on-air resources to support important local charitable events and other community-based initiatives. Astral indicated that it did not propose to change the programming of CHTK once it is available on the FM band. Astral stated that the conversion of CHTK to the FM band was necessary because the AM transmitter site was no longer viable from a safety and economic standpoint. The AM tower facilities had been condemned and the tower could no longer be climbed, re-lit or maintained. The licence would expire August 31, 2017. The new station would operate on frequency 99.1 MHz (channel 256A) with an effective radiated power of 160 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 578 metres).

Astral Radio and Television BC North rebranded their Mix stations in Terrace, Kitimat and Prince Rupert to EZ Rock and an AM to FM flip of CHTK in Prince Rupert. The events included parties in Terrace and Prince Rupert over a two day period.

Janine Kraft, Brand Director at Astral Radio BC North, worked her last day there October 4. Kraft had been with the operation for the past 11 years, the last two as Brand Director. She left for opportunities outside broadcasting.

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 CHTK-FM.