CINC/CICY-FM

Native Communications Inc. (NCI) began broadcasting in Northern Manitoba in September. A group of people from Cross Lake, Wabowden, and South Indian Lake were instrumental in forming the committee which later evolved into NCI.

On September 6, Native Communications Inc. was granted a licence for an AM station at Pukatawagan, operating on 1340 kHz with a transmitter power of 50 watts. (Note: as of March, CHPK Pukatawagan was still not on the air).

NCI was granted licences on September 26, for transmitters at Lac Brochet, Poplar River, Red Sucker Lake and Tadoule Lake, all operating on 96.9 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 8.9 watts. They would rebroadcast NCI programming from the Thompson transmitter.

On September 23, licences for transmitters at God’s Lake Narrows (93.5 MHz, 8.7 watts), God’s River (96.9 MHz, 8.7 watts), Nelson House (96.9 MHz, 8.7 watts), Pukatawagan (96.9 MHz, 8.7 watts) and Wabowden (96.9 MHz, 8.7 watts) were approved.

Transmitters were approved February 18 for Cross Lake (93.5 MHz, 9 watts), Berens River (96.9 MHz, 9.4 watts), Fort Alexander (100.3 MHz, 9.4 watts), Garden Hill (96.9 MHz, 4.4 watts), Peguis (100.9 MHz, 81 watts), and Shamattawa (96.9 MHz, 4.3 watts).

On September 13, the Brochet transmitter was approved, operating with 4.5 watts on 96.9 MHz.

A transmitter was approved for Thompson on September 27, operating on 96.3 MHz with effective radiated power of 86 watts. The station would broadcast 126 hours per week of programming, of which 54 hours would originate from NCI at Thompson, and the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta’s studios at Lac La Biche (CFWE-FM). The remaining 72 hours would be locally-produced. Programming would be broadcast in the English, Cree, Saulteaux, Dene and Oji-Cree languages.

On April 21, CINC-FM Thompson was given approval for rebroadcast transmitters at Cormorant (96.9 MHz, 10.4 watts), Duck Bay (96.9 MHz, 18.56 watts), Grand Rapids (96.9 MHz, 10 watts), Pikwitonei (96.9 MHz, 10.8 watts) and Split Lake (96.9 MHz, 10.44 watts).

On May 19, CINC-FM was granted retransmitters at Norway House (92.9 MHz, 120 watts) and The Pas Indian Reserve (92.7 MHz, 130 watts). 

CINC-FM was granted a transmitter on July 14 at Selkirk. It would broadcast at 105.5 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 44,000 watts. 

On May 1, CINC was granted transmitters at Churchill (96.9 MHz, 44 watts), Moose Lake (96.9 MHz, 8.6 watts) and Oxford House (96.9 MHz, 22 watts).

On July 29, CINC-FM was given authority to add the following transmitters to its licence: Thompson and Berens River, Cross Lake, Fort Alexander, Garden Hill, God’s Lake Narrows, God’s River, Lac Brochet, Nelson House, Peguis, Poplar River, Pukatawagan, Red Sucker Lake, Shamattawa, Tadoule Lake and Wabowden. Native Communication Inc. had held separate licences for these stations, and except for Cross Lake, they were originally licensed to broadcast the programming of CINC-FM and some local programming. Cross Lake had been licensed to  rebroadcast the programming of CINC-FM and the programming of CFWE-FM Lac La Biche. All of the transmitters would now rebroadcast exclusively the programming of CINC-FM.  

CINC-FM went on the air in Winnipeg, using a transmitter at Selkirk on 105.5 MHz. The Thompson-based station broadcast in English, Cree and Ojibway.

CINC-FM was licenced for a transmitter on January 25 at Cranberry Portage (96.9 MHz, 17.6 watts). At the same time, the licence for the transmitter at Fort Alexander was deleted. CICY-FM Selkirk was now serving the Fort Alexander area. 

CINC-FM was given approval to add a transmitter at St. Theresa Point (93.5 MHz, 35.8 watts) on February 10. 

On August 18, CINC-FM was given approval to add transmitters at South Indian Lake (96.9 MHz, 23.1 watts) and at Waterhen Indian Reserve (93.5 MHz, 23.1 watts).

Approval was granted September 14 for CICY-FM Selkirk to increase effective radiated power form 44,000 to 100,000 watts. 

On November 30, CINC-FM was licenced to add a transmitter at Swan River (93.3 MHz, 250 watts).

On January 19, CINC-FM was given approval to delete CICY-FM Selkirk and CIPM-FM Peguis from its licence, but add the transmitter at Brochet (96.9 MHz, 4.5 watts). CINC would also discontinue receiving some of its programming from CFWE-FM in Alberta. It would replace that programming with content from studios in Winnipeg to be broadcast by CICY-FM Selkirk. CICY was given a separate licence and would add the transmitters at Fairford (96.9 MHz) and Peguis (100.9 MHz). 
 
On February 3, CINC-FM was given the ok to add transmitters at Fox Lake (93.5 MHz, 37 watts), Lake Manitoba (93.5 MHz, 37 watts) and Gillam (95.7 MHz, 37 watts).

Additional transmitters were approved for CINC on February 17: Bloodvein (96.9 MHz, 23.1 watts), Thicket Portage (96.9 MHz, 23.4 watts), Easterville (93.5 MHz, 23.1 watts) and Griswold (93.5 MHz, 23.1 watts).

A retransmitter for CINC was approved April 12 for Hollow Water Indian Reserve (93.5 MHz, 23.1 watts).

On July 11, CINC-FM was granted a transmitter at Sherridon (93.5 MHz, 23.1 watts).

On February 26, CINC was given approval to add a transmitter at Brandon, operating with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts on a frequency of 91.5 MHz.

CINC-FM’s Long Plain Indian Reserve (101.7 MHz, 37.8 watts) transmitter was approved July 9.

CINC received permission on July 3 to operate transmitters in Pauingassi (93.5 MHz, 28.6 watts), Jackhead (93.5 MHz, 28.6 watts), Leaf Rapids (93.5 MHz, 39.7 watts), and Little Grand Rapids (96.9 MHz, 28.6 watts).

CINC’s Hollow Water Indian Reserve (93.5 MHz, 23.1 watts) transmitter received approval on October 16.

On February 24, CINC-FM received the green light for transmitters in Camperville  (93.9 MHz, 28.6 watts), Dauphin River  (93.5 MHz, 28.6 watts), Ilford  (93.9 MHz, 28.6 watts) and Lynn Lake  (96.9 MHz, 38.8 watts).

On March 12, CINC received approval to operate a transmitter in Snow Lake (96.3 MHz, 24.7 watts).

The Flin Flon transmitter (101.1 MHz, 300 watts) received approval on July 23. It would rebroadcast CINC Thompson.

On October 24, a rebroadcast transmitter for CINC Selkirk was approved for Kenora, Ontario. It would operate on a frequency of 100.5 MHz with an effective radiated power of 40,000 watts. 

On August 27th, CINC-FM and its transmitters were awarded a seven-year licence renewal, to run from September 1st 2008 to August 31st 2015. 

On December 16, the CRTC approved an application by Native Communication Inc. to amend the licence for the English-and Native-language Type B Native FM radio programming undertaking CICY-FM Selkirk, by increasing the effective height of antenna above average terrain from 106.4 to 144.8 metres and by relocating the transmitter. The licensee indicated that the reception of its signal had been problematic and unreliable in the south, south-west and south-east of Winnipeg, and, due to the poor signal reception, it was losing its ability to serve Winnipeg residents in the affected areas and limited its capacity to attract new listeners.

Laura Cooper was the new sales manager at NCIFM / Streetz 104.7. Her promotion, from account manager, came after former sales manager Mike Fabian moved as general sales manager to the Evanov Group in Winnipeg.

Michael Fabian, the general sales manager at NCI FM/STREETZ 104.7 Winnipeg, left for Evanov Radio Winnipeg. The 25-year veteran, whose previous stops included CHUM Winnipeg and Rogers Winnipeg, began with Evanov July 25.

Kathy Kennedy joined the NCI-FM radio network as the co-host of the “Big Bear Breakfast Morning Show.” Most recently with 92 CITI FM, Kennedy was now heard between 6:00 and 10:00 weekday mornings on NCI’s extensive radio network which operatesd 59 FM radio transmitters located from Winnipeg to Churchill. “I am so pleased to join the NCI family!” said Kennedy, “Getting the chance to work with Gerry “The Big Bear” Barrett and interacting with all of Manitoba is great!” 

Frank Coyle was the new operations manager at NCI-FM/Streetz 104.7. His background included stints at Global Television Winnipeg, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network Winnipeg, The Weather Network Mississauga and CBC Yellowknife.

Native Communications launched a new morning show on June 10, featuring Alix Michaels and Ryan Schultz as part of The “Manitoba Wake Up Crew.” The show aired weekdays between 6 and 10 a.m.

Laura Cooper was no longer the sales manager at NCI-FM/Streetz 104.7. 

It was reported late in the year that CINC rebroadcaster CISF 90.5 Swan Lake had gone dark.

On March 16, the CRTC approved CINC’s application to change the frequency of CIWM-FM Brandon from 91.5 MHz (channel 218) to 107.5 MHz (channel 298), change the transmitter class from C to A, decreae the effective radiated power from 100,000 to 2,700 watts, decrease the effective height of antenna above average terrain from 325.6 to 13.8 metres, and to relocate the transmitter site.

In April, CIWM-FM Brandon moved from 91.5 to 107.5 MHz to make way for CKLQ-AM’s move to 91.5.

On July 31, the CRTC gave NCI approval today to establish a rebroadcaster in Dauphin. It would operate at 97.3 with 1,650 watts. EHAAT would be 25.1 metres with a non-directional radiation pattern. Call letters would be CIDM-FM.