CKTO-FM

Colchester Broadcasting Co. Ltd., owner of CKCL-AM, opened CKCL-FM in March. It broadcast on a frequency of 100.9 MHz with an effective radiated power of 360 watts. It broadcast a mono signal. J. Arthur Manning was President of Colchester Broadcasting.

On May 31, CKCL-FM was given permission to increase effective radiated power from 360 to 11,500 watts. The antenna pattern would remain omni directional and a new transmitter site would be used. The sale of Colchester Broadcasting Co. Ltd. by J. A. Manning to a company represented by Mervyn C. Russell was denied on June 20. The proposed purchaser was controlled by Jack Schoone and J. Irving Zucker. The application was denied because this company already had a strong presence in the region.

Permission was granted March 14 for the sale of Colchester Broadcasting Co. Ltd. from J. A. Manning to Bathurst Broadcasting Co. Ltd.

CKCL-FM became CKTO. The station became a CBC affiliate.

CKTO disaffiliated from the CBC on February 4.

On January 11, the CRTC renewed CKTO-FM’s licence until September 30, 1985.

Colchester Broadcasting Co. Ltd. became Radio Atlantic (CKCL) Ltd. (owned by Bathurst Broadcasting Co. Ltd., owner of CKBC Bathurst, N.B.). Roy Publicover was general manager at CKCL/CKTO-FM.

Mike Trenholm was news director.

CKTO had its licence renewed to August 31, 1992 but had its request to eliminate its weekly three hour classical music program denied. CKTO-FM and CKCL-AM began operating from new studios and offices on September 1. CKTO made the change at 10:00 a.m. and CKCL changed over at 11:00 p.m. Some of the CKTO-FM employees at this time: Roy Publicover (vice president and general manager), Doug Branscombe (program director), Lorne Breckon (music director), Bob Bartlett (production engineer), Mike Trenholm (news director), Frank MacDonald (morning man and farm news director), Jackie Murphy (news). Chief engineers were Harold Thompson (Radio Atlantic) and Don Jardine (CKCL-CKTO). On November 3, approval was granted for authority to transfer effective control of Radio Atlantic (CFNB) Ltd. licensee of CFNB Fredericton, Radio Atlantic (CKBC) Ltd. licensee of CKBC Bathurst, and Radio Atlantic (CKCL) Ltd. licensee of CKCL and CKTO-FM Truro, through the transfer of 40% of the common voting shares of Radio Atlantic Holdings Ltd. from Win Trust Ltd. to Force Holdings Ltd. Radio Atlantic is the sole shareholder of Radio Atlantic Management Ltd. which in turn is the sole shareholder of the three licensee companies mentioned above. Force Holdings presently owns 46.7% of Radio Atlantic. As a result of this transaction, Radio Atlantic will be directly controlled by Force Holdings (86.7%), which is ultimately controlled by the Eddy family.

On February 12, CKTO-FM was given approval to increase effective radiated power from 11,500 watts to 50,000 watts and to relocate the transmitter site form Young Street to Nuttby Mountain, approximately 25 km north of the present site. The changes would improve service along the Northumberland Strait.

Radio Atlantic (CKCL) Ltd. was purchased by Radio Atlantic (1997) Ltd. Roy Publicover left CKTO/CKCL as general manager and was replaced by Dan Cormier from Fredericton. Alan Johnson became news director at CKTO/CKCL.

Radio Atlantic (1997) Ltd. was purchased by Telemedia Communications Inc.

Dan Barton left his position as morning man and operations manager of CHER Sydney to be program director at Mix 100.9 and CKCL-AM. On April 27 at midnight CKTO “The Mix 100.9 FM” became “EZ Rock FM”. Sister station CKCL-AM became CKTY-FM as “99.5 Cat Country FM” a few hours later.

Astral Media Inc. purchased Telemedia Radio Atlantic Inc. In June, CKTO “EZ Rock” became “Big Dog 100.9” with a hot adult contemporary / classic rock format.

On July 22 the CRTC renewed CKTO-FM’s licence until August 31, 2010.

On August 31, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CKTO-FM until March 31, 2012.

On March 20, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CKTO-FM to August 31, 2012. On July 10, the licence was administratively renewed to March 31, 2013.

On February 6, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence of CKTO-FM to August 31, 2013. On June 27, 2013, after a previous such application had been denied in 2012, the CRTC approved an application by Astral Media Inc. to sell its pay and specialty television channels, conventional television stations and radio stations to BCE Inc., including CKTO-FM.

In February, 100.9 Big Dog CKTO changed format from a mix of Classic Rock, Hot AC and CHR to a full rock sound.