CIUR-FM

On August 21, the CRTC approved the application by Native Communication Inc. for a broadcasting licence to operate a new English- and Aboriginal-language Native Type B FM radio station to serve Winnipeg. The station would broadcast on a frequency of 104.7 MHz (channel 284A) with an effective radiated power of 3,000 watts. The format: Musical component will focus on 40% Aboriginal selections and 60% commercial content; mix of Rock, Pop and Hip Hop. The target audience would be urban Aboriginal youth 18 to 30 years. Canadian content (music): 40% category 2. Spoken word programming per broadcast week: 20 hours. News programming per broadcast week: 2.5 hours. Aboriginal content: 10 hours of Aboriginal-language spoken word; combined 61 hours of Aboriginal spoken word and music (including all languages Aboriginal or otherwise). Musical selections performed in an Aboriginal language: approximately 5% of Canadian content category 2 music. Total music performed by Aboriginal talent: approximately 50% of Canadian content category 2 music. The licence term would begin 1 September 2008 and expire 31 August 2015.

CIUR-FM began on-air tests of its signal in November/early December and signed on the air as Streetz 104.7 FM on December 14. Native Communications also operated the province-wide NCI-FM network heard on CICY/105.5 Selkirk-Winnipeg. 

Rick Baverstock was Streetz 104.7g’s new producer. Baverstock, former station manager at 92.9 KICK-FM Winnipeg before it went dark last summer, had also worked at 100.3 The Q Victoria, 92 CITI-FM Winnipeg, 800 CHAB Moose Jaw, KX-96 Brandon and 580 CKPR Thunder Bay.

On February 20 the CRTC denied an application by Native Communication Inc. to reduce the minimum level of Canadian popular musical selections broadcast by CIUR-FM from 40% to 35%.

On April 7 at 6:00 a.m., STREETZ 104.7 flipped branding to Rhythm 104.7 and moved from Hip Hop to contemporary rhythmic hits, R&B, some classics and some Hip Hop with a focus on Canadian Content from black and aboriginal artists. 

In July, CIUR rebranded from Urban/R&B (Rhythm 104.7) to Country (Now Country).

Rick Everett Baverstock passed away at age 52, on May 24. During his career, Rick worked at CKPR Thunder Bay, CKX Brandon, CHAB Moose Jaw, CITI-FM Winnipeg, CKKQ-FM Victoria, CKIC-FM Winnipeg, and CHIQ-FM Winnipeg. In 2012, he became the senior producer and music director at NCI-FM and Now Country FM (CIUR).