CKXD-FM

On July 27, Newfoundland Broadcasting Co. (Don Jamieson & Geoff Stirling) was given approval to open an AM station at Gander on 1350 kHz.

CJCR 1350 signed on the air. Power was 1,000 watts. The station was a semi satellite of CJON-AM St. John’s.

Don Jamieson sold his 49% interest in NBC to Geoff Stirling (from 51 to 100%). NBC would retain CJON-TV and its rebroadcast transmitters and would be allowed to launch a network of FM transmitters to serve the province – CHOZ-FM. Jamieson would keep the AM operations through a blind trust controlled by A.C. Lloyd Hudson and Allan F. Waters (CHUM Limited). Jamieson’s brother Colin, who was fired by NBC a year earlier, was hired to be a director and President of the newly formed Radio CJYQ-930 Ltd.

Jamieson took full ownership of Radio CJYQ-930 Ltd. on September 1. The call letters for the AM stations were changed to reflect the separation from NBC/CJON-TV. CJCR became CFYQ. Flagship station CJON-AM became CJYQ.

On October 18, CFYQ received approval to establish studios in Gander. Up until now, the station had received its programs part-time from CIYQ Grand Falls (simulcast) and part-time from studios in Grand Falls.

On January 28, CFYQ was denied a change of frequency from 1350 kHz to 850 kHz with an increase in power from 1,000 watts day and night to 5,000 watts day and 2,500 watts at night. The 850 kHz frequency was awarded to VOCM for use a Spaniards Bay (Carbonear). CFYQ was directed to investigate a power increase on the present 1350 kHz frequency.

CFYQ was authorized to change frequency from 1350 khz to 1010 kHz and to increase full-time power from 1,000 watts to 5,000 watts.

CHUM Limited agreed to buy Don Jamieson’s Radio CJYQ 930 Ltd. (CJYQ St. John’s and the Q group of stations across the province). Don’s brother Colin agreed to remain as president. The purchase was approved by the CRTC.

CHUM took ownership of Radio CJYQ 930 Ltd. on January 15.

Radio CJYQ 930 Ltd. and all CHUM Group radio and television companies were amalgamated into CHUM Limited. CFYQ became a direct division of CHUM Ltd.

CFYQ was told by the CRTC to either implement a power increase to 5,000 watts, approved in 1984, or apply to remain at 1,000 watts.

On July 19, CHUM Limited sold the CJYQ stations to NewCap Broadcasting Limited (owned by Harry Steele’s Newfoundland Capital Corp.).

CFYQ moved from 1350 to 1010 kHz. Power remained 1,000 watts.

On February 12, CFYQ changed main program feed from CJYQ-AM to CKIX-FM (St. John’s) and changed call letters to CKXD.

In March, CKXD was given approval to change its program source from studios located at Gander and CJYQ St. John’s to studios located at Gander, CKIX-FM St. John’s, CKXG Grand Falls and CFIQ Harbour Grace; and to increase power from 1,000 to 5,000 watts. The power  increase was approved in June 1981, but was not implemented by the previous licensee.

In May, CKXD was given permission to change its program source from studios at Gander, CKIX-FM St. John’s, CKXG Grand Falls and CFIQ Harbour Grace, to studios at Gander and CKXG Grand Falls.

On September 30, CKXD was given approval to convert to the FM band, operating on 98.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 6,000 watts. The old AM equipment was nearing the end of its life-cycle so Newcap decided this was an opportune time to convert the station to the FM band to take advantage of the trend to FM tuning. 

NewCap announced plans to buy all VOCM Radio Newfoundland Ltd. radio stations (VOCM-AM/Magic 97 St. John’s, CKVO Clarenville, CHVO Carbonear, CHCM Marystown, CKGA Gander, CKCM Grand Falls/Windsor and CKIM Baie Verte). The deal would bring together two groups that had different audiences and mandates. 

On August 8, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CKXD-FM until August 31, 2013.

On October 23, the CRTC approved an application by Newfoundland Capital Corporation Limited, on behalf of Newcap Inc. and its licensed broadcasting subsidiaries, for authorization to effect a change in the ownership and effective control of various radio and television broadcasting undertakings in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, so that effective control of the undertakings would be exercised by Eric Boyko (Stingray Digital Group Inc.). Stingray took ownership of the stations just a few days later.