CJAV-FM

Harold Warren, part owner and operator of the local Capitol Theatre, founded CJAV Radio, which signed on April 1 on a frequency of 1240 KHz. The transmitter was a Northern Electric model. Power was 250 watts day and night. The official opening ceremony was held at the theatre the same evening with an on-stage presentation by Warren and Frank Eckersley of Vancouver’s CKWX. The station planned to concentrate on providing local and community service to the people in the rich lumber country of upper Vancouver Island. Harold Warren’s interest in radio began with his experience in the movie business and recognition of the value of running radio commercials with a popular theme song for movies of the day. 

Prior to sign on, daytime radio reception in the Alberni Valley area of Vancouver Island was spotty at best, due to the terrain shielding of the local mountains. One anomaly of CJAV’s 250-watt signal was its penetration into Powell River, 75 kilometres to the northeast on the B.C. mainland. That city did not get its own station until the mid sixties. 

Owner-manager Harold Warren announced a number of appointments: Frank Eckersley (chief announcer and program director, formerly of CKWX Vancouver and CFAC Calgary), Harold Lunn (engineer and traffic director, formerly of CJOR Vancouver), R.O. L’Ami (commercial director and news chief, fresh from four years with the RCAF), and Florence McKay (receptionist and stenographer). 

Jack Cullen of the “Owl Prowl” radio show fame, who went on to spend most of his radio years at CKNW, New Westminster read newscasts at CJAV starting in November 1946. Joe Chesney, founder of CJJC in Langley B.C. in 1963 also was with the station during its first year on air. 

Slogan: Voice of the Alberni Valley.

Oliver L’Ami was special events reporter. Frank Meade was production manager. Florence McKay was accountant. George Walton was a control room operator. George Walton joined CJAV as chief announcer. Announcer Vic Fergie joined CJAV from Vancouver’s CKMO.

Harold Warren, part owner and operator of the local Capitol Theatre, founded CJAV Radio, which signed on April 1 on a frequency of 1240 KHz. The transmitter was a Northern Electric model. Power was 250 watts day and night. The official opening ceremony was held at the theatre the same evening with an on-stage presentation by Warren and Frank Eckersley of Vancouver’s CKWX. The station planned to concentrate on providing local and community service to the people in the rich lumber country of upper Vancouver Island. Harold Warren’s interest in radio began with his experience in the movie business and recognition of the value of running radio commercials with a popular theme song for movies of the day. 

Prior to sign on, daytime radio reception in the Alberni Valley area of Vancouver Island was spotty at best, due to the terrain shielding of the local mountains. One anomaly of CJAV’s 250-watt signal was its penetration into Powell River, 75 kilometres to the northeast on the B.C. mainland. That city did not get its own station until the mid sixties. 

Owner-manager Harold Warren announced a number of appointments: Frank Eckersley (chief announcer and program director, formerly of CKWX Vancouver and CFAC Calgary), Harold Lunn (engineer and traffic director, formerly of CJOR Vancouver), R.O. L’Ami (commercial director and news chief, fresh from four years with the RCAF), and Florence McKay (receptionist and stenographer). 

Jack Cullen of the “Owl Prowl” radio show fame, who went on to spend most of his radio years at CKNW, New Westminster read newscasts at CJAV starting in November 1946. Joe Chesney, founder of CJJC in Langley B.C. in 1963 also was with the station during its first year on air. 

Slogan: Voice of the Alberni Valley.

Oliver L’Ami was special events reporter. Frank Meade was production manager. Florence McKay was accountant. George Walton was a control room operator. George Walton joined CJAV as chief announcer. Announcer Vic Fergie joined CJAV from Vancouver’s CKMO.

Philip Barter started with CJAV at the age of 14. He later provided colour commentary on basketball games called by Jim Robson. Barter was the first person on air at the sign on of CHEK-TV Victoria on December 1, 1956, later moving to CHAN-TV (British Columbia Television) Vancouver in 1961 as a general announcer and news director. Bill Stephenson also worked at the station. He became an extremely well known sports broadcaster and sports director at CFRB in Toronto. 

Michael Giraud joined CJAV as news editor. He had been assistant news editor at CKNW New Westminster. Vic Fergie joined CKNW. He had been an announcer at CJAV. Charles Patrick was commercial manager.

Bob Hall started his broadcast career, first as morning man and then news and sports director. He later founded stations in Salmon Arm, Revelstoke and Kelowna, B.C. and served as President of the B.C. Association of Broadcasters. 

An ad stated CJAV was operating the first AM Transit Radio.

Charles Rudd was manager and Chas Patrick was commercial manager.

Slogan: The “Transit Radio” Station. 

The CBC denied an application by International Broadcasting Co. Ltd. (CKNW New Westminster) to acquire 4,000 shares in CJAV (Port Alberni) Ltd.

Approval was given for the transfer of 5250 shares in CJAV to C.J. Rudd and K.H.R. Hutcheson. Miss A.M. Rea would no longer hold any shares in the company. 

1950s
CJAV’s early history was rich with on-air personalities who moved on to greater prominence. Besides the others mentioned in this history, names included: George Cowie (CFUN, Vancouver), Lyle Seltham (CHUB, Nanaimo) and Bob Switzer (CBC Vancouver).

Harold Warren sold his remaining 50% interest to Ken Hutcheson and Chuck Rudd for $70,000 with no money down, and $800 a month until it was paid off about ten years later.  Hutcheson eventually acquired 100% of the station. Charles Rudd left CJAV to manage CHUB in Nanaimo.

Jim Robson, “The Voice of the Vancouver Canucks”, made his start in radio at CJAV on July 1, at the age of 17.  He quickly migrated to sports announcing, which included calling the Alberni Athletics basketball games, the highlight of which was the Canadian Senior Men’s Championship game won by the team in 1955.  He commuted to nearby Nanaimo in 1955/56 to call lacrosse games for CHUB.  He called about 2000 Canucks games for CKNW New Westminster from 1970 to 1994. 

Ken Hutcheson was manager.

CJAV Radio carried a one-hour program of Rock and Roll music every weekday afternoon at 4:00pm. Bill Gibson and George McKnight Jr. were among the main announcers of this feature program. 

Kenneth Henry Hutcheson, manager of CJAV, applied to the CBC Board of Governors for permission to acquire CJAV Ltd. The application was deferred. 

Ad slogan: CJAV Radio Port Alberni is the most! Over 90% of the early morning audience.

Andy Marquis was assistant manager. 

In line with power increases granted to most North American 250-watt stations on specific low-powered frequencies, CJAV increased power to 1000 watts during the day.

CJAV covered the antics of Port Alberni Teen Town club members as they pushed a bed with wheels, first over the hilly terrain to Nanaimo, and then by ferry across Georgia Straight to Vancouver and on to the Easter time B.C. Teens Associated Conference in Richmond.

On March 27 an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.5 off the coast of Anchorage, Alaska generated a tsunami, which hit Port Alberni. Extensive flooding damaged 375 dwellings, 55 of which were totally lost, but there were no fatalities. Damage was estimated at 2.5 to 3 million 1964 dollars. CJAV was there to do its part in the aftermath.

On July 24, M. E. Inwords and W. H. Gibson were given approval to buy CJAV Ltd. Each would hold 50%.

Marc Chambers, known then as “J. Marc” did an air shift at CJAV after starting in radio at CHUB Nanaimo, B.C. in 1973. He moved to Vancouver in 1979 and by 1996 was hosting afternoons on the Good Time Oldies Network across Canada.

On June 5 the CRTC approved application by CJAV Limited to delete affiliation with the CBC English-language AM radio network. Local music programs replaced CBC programs. CBC English-language AM radio from Vancouver (later known as Radio One) had become available in December 1983, through CBTQ-FM Port Alberni operating on 98.1 MHz.

On December 13 the CRTC approved a nighttime power increase from 250 watts to 1000 watts, bringing the station to 1000 watts day and night. The Department of Communications (DOC) set the implementation date for December 15. The increase was the result of bilateral agreements concluded between Canada and the United States relating to AM stations operating on specific low-power frequencies.

At a CRTC hearing on June 8, Gordon M. Leighton applied to start a new FM station “Sea-Hit FM” to serve the Vancouver Island communities of Courtenay and Campbell River with a rebroadcast facility in Port Alberni. CJAV Limited President Bill Gibson argued that the Alberni Valley could not support an additional station at that time and that the proposed FM service would not provide a sufficiently different listening alternative. On October 26 the CRTC announced that they had denied the Leighton application.

On September 25 & 26 CJAV was on location covering the 15th anniversary of the annual Port Alberni Toy Run which raised a record $20,000 and two truckloads of toys, with a parade of over 500 bikes.

On June 25, Central Island Broadcasting Ltd. was given approval to purchase CJAV from CJAV Limited. 

On January 19 Central Island Broadcasting Ltd. announced it had changed its corporate name to Island Radio Ltd. to more closely reflect the company’s geographic presence due to expansion north and west from Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. 

On April 18 the CRTC approved application by Island Radio Ltd. to convert CJAV AM to the FM band.  The new station was to operate at 93.3 MHz with a peak effective radiated power of 6,000 watts and feature a mix of contemporary music from the past and present with local news, weather, sports and community information.  Station management issued a release that it was confidant that the station would be up and running on the FM dial by September 2005, complete with new state-of-the-art studio facilities.

On June 22, the station’s original owner, Harold Warren died at the West Coast General Hospital in Port Alberni at the age of 90.  Besides his early ownership of CJAV and other ventures, in 1962 he became owner and oversaw the expansion of Alberni Cable Television Ltd.  He sold his last business in 1986, effectively retiring at age 72.  He had also been a member of the Port Alberni Chamber of Commerce, and was a founder and the first president of the local Kinsmen Club.

CJAV-FM 93.3 signed on at 9:33 a.m. on September 2 as “The Peak”, with music of the “70’s, 80’s, 90’s and now”.  The new FM antenna was located atop the existing AM transmission tower.  According to standard practice, authorization was given by the CRTC to simulcast on its old AM frequency for a period of three months.   

On November 1, it was announced in a joint press release that Island Radio Ltd. had agreed to sell its six Vancouver Island radio stations (and related assets) to the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group pending approval by the CRTC.

On June 27, the Commission approved application by Jim Pattison Broadcast Group Ltd. (the general partner) and Jim Pattison Industries Ltd. (the limited partner), carrying on business as Jim Pattison Broadcast Group Limited Partnership, to acquire the assets of CHWF-FM and CKWV-FM Nanaimo, CIBH-FM and CHPQ-FM Parksville, CKLR-FM Courtenay and CJAV-FM Port Alberni, from Island Radio Ltd.  The applicant stated that the value of the transaction was $12.5 million. 

Kenneth H.R. Hutcheson passed away December 4 at age 85. He was born in North Vancouver and moved to Port Alberni in 1946, eventually owning and operating CJAV Radio for many years. He later moved into the economic development field. Before he moved to Port Alberni he was an announcer at CKNW New Westminster.

David Wiwchar was the new Operations/Sales Manager at 93.3 The Peak as of February 1. He had been an A Channel News Videographer.

Randy Kilburn became News Director. Patti Mertz was Operations Manager and Dave Reynolds was Program Director.

On August 31, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CJAV-FM until March 31, 2012.

Former CJAV personality Ike Patterson died at age 64. 

On March 20, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CJAV-FM to August 31, 2012. On August 28, the licence was administratively renewed to December 31, 2012. On December 21, the CRTC renewed CJAV-FM’s licence to August 31, 2019.