CKTG-FM

Ralph H. Parker opened CFPA Port Arthur at 12:30 p.m. on September 3. He had been working for Fort William’s CKPR radio, and was a self-taught engineer. CFPA broadcast on a frequency of 1230 kHz and had a full-time, non-directional power of 250 watts. The station was an affiliate of the CBC Dominion network. Studios and offices were lactated in the Public Utilities Building. The transmitter and 300 foot tower were on Memorial Drive. The “PA” in the calls: Port Arthur. 

Margaret MacGregor was hired as book keeper and Edmund McKenzie joined the control room staff. He had worked in the past at CKAC and CKY.

CBC Dominion Basic Stations: CJFX, CHNS, CFCY, CKCW, CKNB, CJLS, CKCO, CHOV, CFBR, CJBC, CHEX, CFPL, CFCO, CFPA, CHLT, CFCF, CKRC, CJGX, CKX, CKRM, CHAB, CFQC, CKBI, CFCN, CFRN, CJRL, CHWK, CJOR, CJVI.

R.H. Parker was manager. Victor Price was an announcer at CFPA.

CFPA became a member of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters.

CFPA received permission for the use of an emergency transmitter.

An FM licence recommended for approval in December. CFPA-FM would simulcast CFPA-AM. 

Al Davidson got his start in radio at CFPA in late 1946 or early ’47. 

Al Davidson was doing sports play by play for the Port Arthur Bruins when they won the Memorial Cup. He left the station that summer.

Al Davidson returned to CFPA.

Al Davidson was production manager. Ken MacGray was a news man.

Approval was given for the change of licensee from Ralph H. Parker to Ralph H. Parker Ltd.

Studios and offices were now in a new building at 87 North Hill Street, Port Arthur.

CFPA-TV signed on the air.

Slogan: Telling and Selling The Lakehead.

Al Davidson left CFPA. 

Ownership of Ralph H. Parker Limited: Ralph H. Parker 97.6%, Mrs. K. Parker 0.2% and Miss M. C. McGregor 0.2%.

Ralph H. Parker was president of the company and CFPA’s manager. Mac MacGowan was assistant manager and commercial manager.

Robert (Paul) “Mac” MacGowan, former commercial manager at CFPA, became district sales manager of CJET Smiths Falls after his bid for a new AM station at Fort William was denied.

Application was made for a power increase on 1230 kHz, from 250 watts to 1,000 watts day and 250 watts at night. The application was recommended for deferral pending further evidence of improved local programming by the station in line with intentions previously expressed to the board by the applicant. The application was approved later in the year and the station soon ran ads that promoted: “soon 1,000 watts”.

CFPA increased power to 1000 watts day, 250 watts night (full-time, non-directional).

The Trans-Canada and Dominion networks consolidated into a single CBC radio service. 
CFPA had been the Dominion affiliate while CKPR was the Trans-Canada station. Following the consolidation, CKPR’s affiliation with the network ended while CFPA continued on as a CBC station.

Ralph H. Parker was president of Ralph H. Parker Ltd. and manager of CFPA. Margaret McGregor was assistant manager. 

CFPA dropped its CBC affiliation. Studios moved to 230 North Cumberland Street.

On November 4, Leader Broadcasting Corp. purchased CFPA from Ralph H. Parker, and the call letters changed to CJLB. Leader was owned by Saul Laskin (local businessman, former Mayor, and brother of Chief Justice Bora Laskin) and Harry McIntyre (formerly with Toronto’s CKFM). McIntyre was manager of the new station. The “LB” in the new calls: Leader Broadcasting.

With the sale of the station, Parker retired from the broadcasting business. Not only did he start his own AM station but he went on to build the area’s first FM and TV outlets as well. He was always active in programming and announcing. Parker broadcast the Royal visits locally and for the networks, since 1939. He planned to keep active in radio with his home amateur station.

CBQ purchased two Nautel transmitters: a 10,000 watt unit for regular use and a 1,000 watt standby unit. Both were expected to be installed in August.

On December 13, CJLB was authorized to increase night-time power from 250 watts to 1,000 watts.

On September 4, the CRTC approved an increase in the day-time power for CJLB from 1,000 watts to 4,000 watts. Night power remains 1 kW.

Station founder Ralph H. Parker died December 23 at age 71. 

CJLB received approval for a rebroadcaster at Nipigon/Red Rock, using 96.3 MHz with power of 89 watts.

George Rutherford was now doing news at CJLB.

Ray Erickson was CJLB’s general manager.

Sue Baker left CJLB to do morning news at CKSL in London.

John Mackey left CJLB where he had been general manager.

On April 22, the CRTC approved the sale of Leader Broadcasting Corp. Ltd. (Harry McIntyre and Ray Erickson) to NewCap Broadcasting Ltd. The purchaser undertook to maintain and improve the contemporary MOR format and the station’s community service. Capital improvements would include a new production facility, improvements to master control, an upgrade of the newsroom, a music computer system and completion of the FM rebroadcaster at Nipigon.

NewCap took ownership of the station on May 4. 

CJLB filed an application to change the frequency of its rebroadcaster at Nipigon-Red Rock from 96.3 to 96.1 MHz.

CJLB was given permission to move to a new transmitter site. 

CJLB 1230 moved to new studios and offices.

The station acquired an Arrakis 10,000 studio console. This was CJLB’s second such unit.

Newcap filed an application for the reduction in news on CJLB from 13 hours, 25 minutes to 4 hours, 15 minutes, weekly.

General Manager Remy Gagnon appointed midday host Bill Malcolm to the post of program director. Len Robinson, formerly of CIDC-FM Orangeville was named morning host and promotions manager. Darek Kortschaga came to CJLB from CKGB in Timmins to be senior swing announcer and music director.

On November 2, CJLB was given permission to move to the FM band, operating on 105.3 MHz with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts. The existing country format would move to FM as well. The decision to move to FM was made to address the technical problems of CJLB’s signal and concerns regarding leasing of the AM transmitter site. The AM site was leased from competitor Dougall Broadcasting and was due to expire in 1996 with no renewal options.

CJLB entered a local management agreement with Dougall Media (CKPR-AM / CJSD-FM) on January 6. CJLB’s studios and offices moved to the Dougall facility on Hill Street.

CKPR/Rock 94/KIXX 105 added Robert Watson as promotions/marketing manager. He had been with CIGV-FM Penticton.

CJLB-FM changed format from Country to Hot AC as “Hot 105” on May 17.

In October, Newcap ended its local marketing agreement with Dougall Media when it was announced that Newcap planned to purchase CJUK-FM from Big Pond Communications. CJLB moved its studios and transmitter from the Dougall Media building on Hill Street. The CJLB studios were relocated to the CJUK building on Memorial Avenue. The transmitter was moved to the top of the Waverley Park Towers apartment building on Waverley St. Industry Canada stepped in and shut the station down because of interference concerns from the new location. Until the technical issue was resolved, the station moved its transmitter to the CBC building on Miles St. Once it was determined that there were no interfernece concerns, CJLB was able to return to the Waverley St. tower. The station lost some air time and ad revenue.                                                                                            

”Hot 105” signed off the air January 27 to switch to “105.3 The Giant” with a classic rock format.  The call letters changed from CJLB to CKTG-FM.

On May 10, Newcap Inc., owner of CJLB-FM, was given approval to acquire CJUK-FM from Big Pond Communications 2000 Inc. 

Brent Preston, formerly general manager at MIX FM (CJRL), was promoted to GM at the company’s CJUK/CKTG Thunder Bay. Preston remained group sales manager for the Northwoods properties. In the Spring of 2007, he succeeded Hugh Syrja as general manager/general sales manager at MIX FM.

On December 2, the CRTC approved an application by Northwoods Broadcasting Limited for authority to acquire from Newcap Inc. the assets of radio stations CKTG-FM and CJUK-FM Thunder Bay. Northwoods is a wholly owned subsidiary of Acadia Broadcasting Limited, a corporation wholly owned and controlled by Ocean Capital Investments NB Limited, which in turn is wholly owned and controlled by its sole shareholder and President/CEO, Mr. John Ernest Irving. The proposed transaction involves the acquisition of the assets of two stations: CKTG-FM and CJUK-FM. In Broadcasting Decision 2005-192, the Commission approved an application by Newcap for authority to acquire from Big Pond Communications 2000 Inc. the assets of CJUK-FM. Consequently, the acquisition of CJUK-FM will occur shortly after a previous change in control. CJUK-FM was originally licensed in 2000, as a low-power English-language commercial FM radio station to serve Thunder Bay. Since it was still in its first licence term in 2005, the Commission was concerned about potential licence trafficking issues including the extent of the financial gain associated with the proposed transaction. A fter having examined the proposal which included Big Pond’s rationale for the sale of the station, the Commission found that in the circumstances it was unreasonable to infer that the primary motivation of Big Pond’s owner in selling CJUK-FM was to make a significant financial gain. Furthermore, the Commission concluded that any financial gain that would accrue to Big Pond as a result of the transaction would not be unreasonable. In the present application, Newcap explained that despite concerted efforts to run the station successfully, the location of the station, isolated from Newcap’s other stations, has made its operation more complicated. Newcap also indicated that finding a qualified, motivated and stable general manager has been difficult and that it has employed four general managers in the span of three years. Northwoods indicated that it is very motivated to own and operate these stations. It argued that the transaction is in the public interest as it clearly sees how these stations fit with its cluster of stations in Kenora, Dryden, Fort Frances, Red Lake and Sioux Lookout. Moreover, Northwoods highlighted that the addition of Thunder Bay to its Northern Ontario group would create administrative and programming synergies among its services, notably, by allowing them to share news and information relevant to these communities. Northwoods stated that CKTG-FM and CJUK-FM would remain autonomous, full-service radio stations, dedicated to serving Thunder Bay on a daily basis. Production, sales, traffic and day-to-day administration would all reside in Thunder Bay. Northwoods further indicated that there would be some cross-station support for commercial production, the sharing of skills, voice talent within commercials and promotional announcements and that it would promote a free flow of ideas and concepts between the stations, which would allow each station to use new and refreshing ideas and improved processes. The Commission notes that the sale of CJUK-FM is also part of an application involving CKTG-FM, a station that is not in its first licence term and that has not undergone a recent change in control. CKTG-FM is a well-established station that was purchased by Newcap in 1988 and the sale of CJUK-FM must be examined in this context.

THE GIANT and the morning team Dave & Dave parted ways early in the year. Russell Mackenzie joined The Giant from FX 101.9 (CHFX-FM) in Halifax where he had been drive time host.

Northwoods Broadcasting Thunder Bay Program Director Sandra Dolynchuk, who resigned that position, was now PD at Newcap’s CHNK-FM Winnipeg. Stepping into the job was Jim Hamm, formerly of Rogers Radio Sudbury. He oversee both Magic 99.9 FM and 105.3 The Giant.

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

On March 20, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CKTG-FM to August 31, 2012.

The CRTC approved the change in the effective control of Acadia Broadcasting Limited from John E. Irving to a joint control exercised by John K.F. Irving and Anne C.I. Oxley, following the death of John E. Irving in 2010. Acadia was the licensee of radio stations in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Ontario, following the amalgamation of Northwoods Broadcasting Limited with its mother company Acadia on February 3, 2012.

On August 28, the CRTC administratively renewed CKTG-FM’s licence to December 31, 2012. On December 21, the licence was renewed to August 31, 2016.

Classic Hits CKTG 105.3 flipped to Country 105 on March 31.