CKPT-FM

Peterborough Broadcasting Co. Ltd. (Bill Brennan and Bud Hayward) opened CKPT on December 1. Studios were in the Empress Hotel at 131 Charlotte Street. CKPT operated on 1420 kHz with 1000 watts day and 500 watts night (full-time) from a site on the east half of Lot 23, Concession 13, at Downer’s Corners, Otonabee Township. Three 178 foot (overall height) towers were used. The “PT” in the calls: Peterborough.

Allan F. Waters (president of CHUM Toronto) and Ralph Snelgrove (president of CKBB/CKVR-TV Barrie) signed a deal to purchase CKPT which only went on the air late last year. The sale was subject to BBG approval. Waters and Snelgrove would take over as controlling managers until the regulatory approval. Bill Brennan (president) and Bud Hayward (manager) left the station. Hayward ended up at CFCF-TV and Brennan, at CFRB-AM. CKPT was reportedly losing $5,000 a month. Gurston Allen, vice president of Peterborough Broadcasting Co. Ltd. said CKPT had a $40,000 loss since going on the air last year. Watergrove Investments (equally owned by Waters and Snelgrove) would acquire the station. Waters & Snelgrove planned to hold 52% of CKPT and Watergrove had already taken over management of the station. The BBG hearing was set for May. 

The BBG recommended for approval the transfer of CKPT to Watergrove Investments. The original application was withdrawn and an alternative one involving a larger local participation was submitted later.

The directors of Peterborough Broadcasting Co. Ltd. announced the appointment of Fred G. Sherratt as CKPT station manager (effective August 22). Sherratt was also a director. He was one of the founders of CFRS Simcoe and served as manager there since its inception. Also appointed: Ralph Snelgrove, president and director; Allan Waters, vice president and director; and Harold Scott, director. Snelgrove owned CKBB-AM and CKVR-TV Barrie and Waters was the owner of CHUM Toronto. Scott was a director of Victoria & Grey Trust Co.

Bob Kenny left CKPT after a short stay, to return to CKRC Winnipeg to host the 2-5 p.m. show. 

Ralph T. Snelgrove was president of Peterborough Broadcasting Co. Ltd. Allan F. Waters was vice president. Fred G. Sherratt was manager of CKPT. Other names of the time: George Franks (production manager), Bill Spenceley (sports director), Cameron Hunter (news director), and Don Percy was morning man and librarian. George Jones was chief engineer.

Fred Sherratt left to run CJCH-AM in Halifax as vice president and general manager, under that station’s new ownership – a 50-50 partnership between Finlay MacDonald (CJCH Ltd.) and Allan Waters (Radio CHUM 1050 Ltd.).

In June of 1965, CKPT applied to the Board of Broadcast Governors for a power increase from 1,000 watts day and 500 watts night to 5,000 watts full-time. The application was scheduled to be heard at a February, 1966 hearing but was withdrawn at the last minute because an objection was filed by CKFH (1430) Toronto. 

CKPT became concerned about an application by CHEX-AM for a power increase because CKPT’s application for an increase (which was submitted then withdrawn) was yet to be heard by the BBG. CKPT reported that it had been having a difficult time financially and was just now beginning to see some daylight. It was a relatively young radio station when compared to CHEX, which had been on the air since 1942. CKPT asked the BBG that the CHEX application be deferred from April until the June hearing when both applications could be heard together. In time, both stations had their applications approved.
Al Kingdon joined CKPT.

Radio CHUM 1050 Ltd. became CHUM Ltd. on May 12. Both CHUM LTD. and Ralph Snelgrove held 50% of Peterborough Broadcasting Co. Ltd. – through Watergrove Investments Ltd. (Watergrove for Allan Waters and Ralph Snelgrove). 

On May 18, CKPT increased power to 5,000 watts (full-time, DA-2) using four 178 foot towers from the same site.

J.J. Manol was manager. Johnny Gilbert was sports director.

Al Kingdon left for CKLB Oshawa. Del Crary joined from CHEX. Scott Alexander joined CKPT from CKCY Sault Ste. Marie.

CKPT co-founder Stephen Boyd (Bud) Hayward passed away July 13 at the age of 43. At the time of his death, he was vice president of Canadian Marconi Co. and manager of the company’s broadcasting division (CFCF Montreal).

Al Porteous joined CKPT in May. Scott Alexander left CKPT for London’s CFPL-AM.

CKPT was affiliated with CHUM Limited’s new Canadian Contemporary News System.

John Mariasine (“Little John”) joined to do sports and afternoon drive.

An agreement was reached on October 23 to disolve the partnership in Peterborough Broadcasting Co. Ltd. Under a new ownership structure, CHUM Limited would increase its holding from 50 to 80%. Key station employees would hold the remaining 20%.

On July 5, the 1973 application for ownership change was approved. CHUM acquired the shares in CKPT held by Barrie Broadcasting Co. Ltd. (CHUM and Barrie each held 50%).  CHUM would now have control but several local residents would hold an interest in order to become board members.

Plans were announced to move CKPT studios and offices to the brand new Peterborough Square complex.

In June, the CKPT studios moved from the Empress Hotel, across the street to the new Peterborough Square mall at 340 George Street North.

CKPT increased power to 10,000 watts day and 5,000 watts night (full-time) using the same site and towers.

Rick Kemp died at age 33 – he had been at station since 1975.

Jack Roe’s phone-in show was axed in January. In February, CKPT moved from Adult Contemporary to Favourites of Yesterday & Today. Jack Roe stepped down as program director but remained on the air. Dan Gall became PD. He had been the midday announcer. Newsman Al Porteous left in July.

Long-time morning man John Mariasine left the station.

Stan Genno left CKPT-CKQM where he was general manager. CHUM Ltd. vice president Bob Laine took over as acting GM. Jim Blundell moved from managing CHUM’s Alberta stations (recently sold to Nor-Net) – CKDQ-CKSQ-CIBQ – to management of CKPT-CKQM as of April 17. 

Jim Blundell, based in Kingston, became Market Manager for CHUM Kingston, Peterborough and Brockville.

Around this time, CKPT and CKQM moved studios and offices from Peterborugh Square to 59 George Street North.

On May 7 at 3:00 p.m., CKPT became TEAM 1420, an all-sports radio station. The format had been Soft Oldies. As a result of the format change, morning hosts Craig & Rita left CKPT in early April.

CKPT dropped the all-sports format at midnight on July 19. The station returned to a music format as “1420 Memories”, playing the best music of all time, from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s (Adult Standards).

Allan Waters, the founder of CHUM Limited, passed away at the age of 84, on December 3. 

On November 22, the CRTC approved the transfer of effective control of CHUM Limited from Mr. Allan Waters to his estate, following his death in December 2005. The approval represented the preliminary step to enable the transfer of CHUM’s shares to a trust, which received approval on July 12. This transfer was not related to the pending sale of CHUM to Bell Globemedia. Prior to his death, Mr. Waters was the sole shareholder of Allan Waters Ltd., which in turn, owned approximately 87% of CHUM’s voting shares. The executors of the estate were James Allan Waters, Ronald Allan Waters, Sheryl Bourne and Robert Sutherland.

CHUM Limited received approval on March 23 to convert CKPT 1420 to the FM band. The new station would broadcast on a frequency of 99.3 MHz with an effective radiated power of 5,700 watts. The new station would continue the same “soft oldies” music format offered by CKPT 1420. As a result of the frequency chosen by CHUM for CKPT, CKKK 99.5 would seek an alternate channel. CHUM agreed to provide CKKK with technical and marketing support to make the transition to a new frequency possible.  

A CRTC hearing on the CTVglobemedia application to acquire the assets of CHUM Limited was held on April 30. On June 8 the CRTC approved the acquisition of CHUM Ltd. by CTVglobemedia, on condition that CTV sell off its five City-TV stations, CITY-TV Toronto, CHMI-TV Portage La Prairie/Winnipeg, CKEM-TV Edmonton, CKAL-TV Calgary and CKVU-TV Vancouver. Rogers Communications announced on June 25th that a deal had been reached for them to buy these stations from CTV, subject to CRTC approval. Among the CHUM assets acquired by CTVglobemedia in the deal were seven television stations, 21 specialty channels and some 33 radio stations, including CKPT-FM. 

On August 20, CKKK-FM made the move from 99.5 MHz to 90.5 MHz, clearing the way for CKPT’s move to the FM band. The following day at 12:00 p.m., CKPT signed its FM frequency on the air. The station was now known as “Energy 99.3”. The new program format is Hot Adult Contemporary (“Today’s Best Music”). The 1420 AM format had been Adult Standards/Soft AC. 

Jim Blundell left CHUM Kingston-Peterborough-Brockville to become Vice President and General Manager at CHUM London.

On February 27, CTV Ltd. received approval to change the frequency for CKPT-FM from 99.3 MHz to 99.7 MHz and decrease average effective radiated power from 5,700 watts to 3,700 watts. Effective antenna height would also be reduced. CTV indicated that these changes would resolve third adjacent interference with CBCP-FM which operates at 98.7 MHz. 

CKPT 1420 left the air for good on May 5. 

On June 2, the AM four tower array on Crowley Line was taken down. Two of the towers were actually toppled earlier. On the same date, CKPT-FM made the move from 99.3 MHz to 99.7 MHz.

On March 7, the CRTC approved an application by BCE Inc. on behalf of CTVglobemedia Inc., for authority to change the effective control of CTVgm’s licensed broadcasting subsidiaries to BCE.

The Commission concluded that the transaction would be beneficial to the Canadian broadcasting system by ensuring the long-term stability of a significant Canadian television network and advancing the Commission’s objective of providing relevant high-quality Canadian programming to Canadians through conventional and new media distribution channels. BCE was a public corporation and controlled by its board of directors. Before this approval, BCE held 15% of the voting interest in the capital of CTVgm. The other shareholders were 1565117 Ontario Limited (a corporation ultimately controlled by Mr. David Kenneth R. Thomson) (40% of the voting interest), Ontario Teacher’s Plan Board (25% of the voting interest) and Torstar Corporation (20% of the voting interest). Under the transaction agreement dated September 10, 2010, BCE would acquire the remaining 85% of the voting interest in the capital of CTVgm and would therefore exercise effective control.

On March 15, CTV Inc., CTV Corp., CTV Limited and CTVglobemedia Inc. amalgamated to continue as CTV Inc.

BCE Inc. announced on April 1 that it had completed its acquisition of CTV and that it had launched Bell Media (replacing CTVglobemedia), a new business unit that would make CTV programs and other Bell content available on smartphones and computers as well as traditional television. In addition to CTV and its television stations, Bell Media now also operated 29 specialty channels, 33 radio stations, Dome Productions, a mobile broadcast facilities provider, and dozens of high-traffic news, sports and entertainment websites, including the Sympatico.ca portal.

The CRTC approved a change to the ownership of Bell Media Inc., from BCE Inc. to Bell Canada. This transaction would not affect effective control of Bell Media Inc. and of its licensed broadcasting subsidiaries, which continued to be exercised by BCE Inc. Bell Media Inc. held, directly and through its licensed broadcasting subsidiaries, various radio and television programming undertakings as well as specialty and pay-per-view television services.

On August 22, the CRTC approved the applications by BCE Inc., on behalf of Bell Media Inc. and 7550413 Canada Inc., carrying on business as Bell Media Ontario Regional Radio Partnership, for authority to acquire, as part of a corporate reorganization,

CFJR-FM and CJPT-FM Brockville, CKLC-FM and CFLY-FM Kingston, CKPT-FM and CKQM-FM Peterborough, and CKLY-FM Lindsay. Bell Media, the managing partner holding 99.99% of the voting interest in the general partnership, is wholly owned by Bell Canada and controlled by BCE. 7550413, the other partner holding the remaining 0.01% of the voting interest in the general partnership, is wholly owned by Bell Media and is also controlled by BCE. BCE submitted that the purpose of this corporate reorganization was to realize tax efficiencies. The Commission noted that this transaction would not affect the effective control of the undertakings which would continue to be exercised by BCE.

Ed Crompton, the Engineer at CKPT/CKQM/CKLY, after close to 43 years and three studio moves, retired at the end of December. He began at then CHUM-owned CKPT August 24, 1970. Ben Yardley, formerly of Sun News Network Toronto and, before that, of Jim Pattison Broadcast Group Prince George, was hired to succeed Crompton. 

John Manol passed away October 30 at age 79. The former Vice President and GM of Energy 99.7 and Country 105 worked for CHUM (former owner of the stations) for more than 35 years before retiring. Current VP/GM Steve Fawcett was hired by Manol in the 1980s.