CKXJ-AM

Newfoundland Broadcasting Co. (Don Jamieson & Geoff Stirling) opened CJON-2 on 710 kHz with a power of 1,000 watts. The station was a semi-satellite of CJON-AM St. John’s.

By this time CJON-2 had become CJOX.

CJCN sought a network licence to carry its programming on sister station CJOX Grand Bank during certain times of the day.

Geoff Stirling (chairman of the board) appointed Colin Jamieson as president of the company. He would also continue on as general manager of the company’s radio and television stations.

Effective February 1, the network licnece linking CJCN and CJOX was canceled.

On July 27, Newfoundland Broadcasting Co. was given approval to move CJOX from 710 to 610 kHz and to increase power from 1,000 to 10,000 watts.

The trustees for the Hon. Donald C. Jamieson, the federal cabinet minister who is a 49% shareholder in Newfoundland Broadcasting Co. Ltd., applied to take over CJON-AM and its four sister radio stations. In a counter-application, Geoff W. Stirling, majority shareholder, with 51%, applied to take over 100% control of the entire company. In a CRTC statement, concern was expressed over recent changes which had occurred in the programming of the Grand Falls, Gander and Grand Bank radio stations and the Grand Falls television station. The company reportedly closed its studios at these locations in retaliation for what it considered unfair competition from the CBC for television advertising.

The above applications were approved by the CRTC. Jamieson sold his 49% interest in NBCL to Stirling (who went from 51% to 100% ownership). NBC retained CJON-TV and its rebroadcast transmitters and was given approval to launch a network of FM transmitters to serve the province – CHOZ-FM. Jamieson kept the AM operations across the province. 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. The CRTC approved the applications on August 9. 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 NBCL/CJON-TV. CJON 930 St. John’s became CJYQ, CJNW 670 Musgravetown became CHYQ, CJCR 1350 Gander became CFYQ, CJCN 680 Grand Falls became CIYQ, and CJOX 610 Grand Bank became CKYQ.

The Q radio licences were renewed for four years. The CRTC expressed satisfaction
with the resumption of local programming at Grand Falls and Grand Bank, and Radio CJYQ had since resumed separate programming at Gander.

On January 15, Don Jamieson sold the CJYQ stations to Radio CJYQ 930 Ltd., a division of CHUM Limited.

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

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

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

On May 14, CKXJ was given approval to change its program source from studios located at Grand Bank and St. John’s (CJYQ), to studios located at Grand Bank, St. John’s (CKIX-FM), Grand Falls (CKXG) and Harbour Grace (CFIQ).

Later in the year, the Grand Bank studios of CKXJ were closed and the station began simulcasting CKIX-FM St. John’s on a full-time basis.

Early in the year, Newcap announced the closure of two Q Radio Network stations – CKXJ and Harbour Grace’s CFIQ. Newcap vice president Jim MacLeod said the closures were due to economics and five staff members were offered severance packages. He said it had been 15 years since CKXJ had been profitable and that CFIQ had never been profitable.

At Newcap’s request, the licence for CKXJ was revoked by the CRTC on May 1.