CKQM-FM

Radio CKPT 1420 Ltd. (a division of CHUM Limited), received CRTC approval to operate a new commercial FM station at Peterborough. It would broadcast on a frequency of 105.1 MHz and have an effective radiated power of 50,000 watts (horizontal & vertical)

CKQM-FM signed on the air on September 16. Studios and offices for CKQM-FM and CKPT-AM were in Peterborough Square, 340 George Street North. CKQM had a “Quality Music” Middle of the Road format. The QM in the call sign: Quality Music. CKQM broadcast in stereo.

The station had an omnidirectional signal and shared a 250 foot cable tower on Green Hill, a city landmark, 950 feet above sea level, and located a mile and a half from the studios. CKQM used a Collins 17.5 kw transmitter and 4-bay antenna. Ed Crompton was chief engineer.

CKQM-FM switched to a country format in October, becoming Country 105.

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

Sean Eyre joined. He was last at CKLY Lindsay.

Newsman George Gall left CKQM for CHAY-FM in Barrie.

CKQM’s licence was renewed to August 31, 1991 but its request to reduce from two hours to one hour per week of traditional/special interest music was denied. CKQM was gven three months to develop additional initiatives to support local and regional talent.

On July 22, Gary Hahn & J. Murray Jones (was the production manager) teamed up for mornings. Hahn’s former co-host, Dale Sproule, moved to mid-days. Mid-day host Ray Hebert moved to PM Drive and afternoon driver Jim McLean became fulltime music director. The program director was Ric Johnson. 

Sean Eyre (weekend / swing) left in August. 

Stan Genno left Country 105 / CKPT 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 CKQM-CKPT as of April 17. Rick Walters left CKQM where he had been program director.

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

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

Allan Waters, the founder of CHUM Limited, owner of CKQM-FM, passed away at the age of 84, on December 3rd.

On July 12 it was announced that Bell Globemedia would pay C$1.7 billion for CHUM Ltd., in a deal that would see the company become part of the BCE-owned media conglomerate, subject to CRTC approval.  On August 31, the two companies announced that BGM had been successful in its offer to acquire approximately 6.7 million common shares and approximately 19.2 million non-voting Class B shares of CHUM.  The shares were to be placed in the hands of an independent trustee pursuant to a voting trust agreement approved by the CRTC.

On December 12th, it was announced that Bell Globemedia would henceforth be known as CTVglobemedia.

A CRTC hearing on the CTVglobemedia application to acquire the assets of CHUM Limited was held on April 30th 2007.  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 CKQM-FM. 

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

On March 24, CKQM-FM was authorized to decrease effective radiated power from 50,000 watts to 7,500 watts and increase antenna height (EHAAT) from 91.5 meters to 277.5 meters, from a new tower site. CTV told the CRTC the technical changes sought for CKQM would accommodate Corus Radio’s use of the proposed frequency for CKRU-AM in its move to the FM band.

On November 30, the CRTC renewed CKQM’s licence to August 31, 2017.

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.

On May 13, the CRTC denied an application by CTV to modify the technical parameters of CKQM-FM, by increasing effective radiated power from 7,500 watts to 14,000 watts (non-directional antenna) with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 277.5 metres. In 2009, the Commission approved an application to change CKQM’s contours by decreasing average ERP, increasing EHAAT and relocating the transmitter. CTV stated that these technical changes were requested in order to accommodate a change in frequency by CKRU-FM Peterborough, a station owned by Corus Entertainment Inc. Although the technical change requested in that decision resulted in an increase in coverage for CKQM-FM, CTV stated that it also created significant interference and reception issues in Peterborough and the surrounding area. The licensee stated that the amendment requested in the present application would improve the quality of the signal in the area served by CKQM-FM’s transmitter. Further, CTV indicated that the increase in ERP would maximize the protected coverage area of the station. After examining the application in light of applicable policies and regulations, and taking into account the interventions received and the applicant’s reply, the Commission considered that the issue to be determined was whether CTV demonstrated a technical or economic need for the amendment requested in the present application. The technical changes requested in the present application would result in an increase in the population served from 137,959 to 150,587 in the 3 mV/m service contour and from 361,101 to 499,300 in the 0.5 mV/m service contour, an increase of 9.2% and 38.3% respectively. It was the Commission’s view that CTV had not provided sufficient proof that it was not adequately serving Peterborough, the community it was originally licensed to serve, with its existing technical parameters.

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.

Ray Hebert, assistant Program/Music Director and afternoon host at Country 105 announced he would retire after 42 and a-half years in broadcasting. He began his career at CHSC St. Catharines, moved to CKPC Brantford and then CKQM-FM.

In May, Bell Media rolled out a rebrand (Pure Country) of 12 of its country stations. The stations offered local morning and afternoon drive shows with evening and weekend programming being syndicated. No jobs were lost as part of the changes, as former evening and weekend announcers were assigned new duties. CKQM changed from Country 105 to Pure Country 105.