CJEM-FM

CJEM signed on the air on December 10. It broadcast on a frequency of 1240 kHz with a power of 250 watts. J.D. Boudreau was manager. He had been traffic manager at CHRC in Quebec.

CJEM changed frequency to 1230 kHz. Power remained 250 watts. 

N. Gendreau was acting manager.

CJEM was listed as a CBC French affiliate, operating from studios at 99 Canada Road and transmitter at Iroquois. The station was owned by Edmundston Radio Ltee. 

Romain Leclair was CJEM’s manager. Frank Jean was a sportscaster at CJEM.

The CBC approved the transfer of one share in Edmundston Radio Ltd. 

Manager Romain LeClair was named manager of the soon to open CHFA in Edmonton. Before joining CJEM, he had been with CKSO in Sudbury.

Maurice Lacasse became manager. Georges Guerette was commercial manager.

Slogan: The only bilingual station in the Maritimes.

CJEM applied to the CBC Board to change frequency from 1230 to 1380 KHz (single directional antenna pattern) and increase power from 250 to 1,000 watts. The application was deferred, heard again later, and then approved.

By the end of the year, CJEM was operating with 1,000 watts on 1380 kHz.

CJEM was progressing with its new building, which was to be a modern flat-top with 200 foot steel pyramid for antenna installation. All of the surrounding grounds would be landscaped with flower beds.

An application was made to transfer one common share in Edumundston Radio Ltd.
A further transfer of one share was approved later in the year.

Power was now 1,000 watts on 1380 kHz as of March 24.

Royal Assent was given to make Edmundston New Brunswick’s fourth city. This, combined with CJEM’s power increase, gave the station a larger listening audience. Edmundston also now had the second highest per capita income in the country.

CJEM received CBC approval to change frequency from 1380 to 570 kHz (directional at night). Power would remain 1,000 watts. The CBC said the change would improve service to the area.

Approval was granted for the transfer 1 common share in Edmundston Radio Ltd. 

The CBC French Radio Network was extended from Edmundston, NB to Edmonton, AB. CKSB St. Boniface, CHFA Edmonton, CFRG Gravelbourg and CFNS Saskatoon joined the network. 

Georges Guerrette was sales manager. 

Frequency change ad: Clearer reception…increased audience! CJEM Edmundston – 1,000 watts now 570 kilocycles…the pick of the frequencies.

CJEM was an affiliate of the CBC’s French language network. Edmunton Radio Limited was owned by Norman Gendreau 0.7%, George Michaud 0.7%, J. M. Michaud 1.3%, Leon Gagnon 0.7%, Jacques Brillant 0.7%, Aubert Brillant 0.6%, Central Public Service Corp. Ltd. 48.0% and Mrs. L. Michaud 47.3%. The Brillant family owned the CJBR stations in Rimouski, Quebec. Georges Michaud was president of the company and Georges Guerrette was CJEM’s manager. CJEM was known as “La Voix du Madawaska”. 

Ad slogans: Edmundston, N.B. – Martimes highest per capita income region is completely covered by CJEM Radio – 1000 watts – 570 k.c. – a JEM of a buy. / The housewife’s daily companion – a “Jem” of a buy. CJEM Radio. / CJEM “La Voix du Madawaska” covers the fastest growing market in the Atlantic provinces.

CJEM had a pattern that covered 58,753 French listeners in New Brunswick.

A power increase to 5,000 watts day and 1,000 watts night took place.

Georges Michaud was President of Edmunston Radio Limited and Georges A. Label was manager of CJEM.

George A. Lebel was manager. Assistant manager Pat Gendron left for CJLV Levis-Quebec.

George Goerrette was manager later in the year. 

By this time, CJEM is offering fracophone northern New Brunswick residents almost the entire news and public affairs programming produced by CBAF Moncton.

On May 10, Edmunston Radio Ltd. was given approval to operate a new AM station at Grand Falls on 1490 kHz with power of 1,000 watts day and 250 watts night, non-directional. That station – CKMV – went on the air later in the year.

On January 7, Sogebry Ltd. was authorized to transfer its 50% interest in Edmunston Radio Ltd. to Carol Brillant.

Radio Edmundston Ltee. was given approval to increase the night-time power for CJEM’s rebroadcaster CKMV Grand Falls, from 250 to 1,000 watts.

On August 28 CJEM was given approval to add rebroadcast transmitters at Clair (95.1 MHz with effective radiated power of 15.9 watts) and St-Léonard (104.3 MHz with ERP of 13.4 watts).

On March 1, the CRTC amended the licence for CJEM Edmundston by deleting the authority for the transmitters CJEM-FM-1 Clair and CJEM-FM-2 Saint-Léonard. Edmundston Radio Ltd. requested the deletion of the transmitters.

On February 20, CJEM was given approval to convert to the FM band, operating on 92.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 40,750 watts. 

On April 20, CJEM was given approval to convert rebroadcaster CKMV to the FM Band, operating on 95.1 MHz with an effective radiated power of 975 watts. 

On June 28 the CRTC renewed CJEM-FM’s licence until August 31, 2011. The renewal included transmitter CKMV-FM Grand Falls. 

On August 31, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CJEM-FM and its transmitter CKMV-FM Grand Falls until March 31, 2012.

On March 20, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CJEM-FM Edmunston and its transmitter CKMV-FM Grand Falls to August 31, 2012. On August 28, the licence was administratively renewed to December 31, 2012. On December 20, the licence was renewed to August 31, 2017.