CICS-FM

On July 12, the CRTC approved the application by Larche Communications Inc. for new FM station to serve Sudbury. Competing applications by JOCO Communications Inc., William Wrightsell, Newcap Inc., Connelly Communications Corp., and The Haliburton Broadcasting Group Inc., were denied. The Sudbury radio market consists of five FM stations and one AM station. Rogers Broadcasting offers the formats Rock (CJRQ-FM), Adult Contemporary (CJMX-FM) and Country (CIGM). Newcap Inc. offers Classic Hits on CHNO-FM. CJTK-FM is a Christian music service owned by Eternacom Inc. The Haliburton Broadcasting Group Inc. operates CHYC-FM, a French-language radio station. Larche proposed a station that would offer a New Country format targeted to an audience between 25 and 64 years of age. The station would broadcast on a frequency of 91.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 50,000 watts.

CICS-FM began on-air testing without audio at the end of June. Official testing with audio began on the morning of July 28.

Greater Sudbury’s new FM country music station – KICX 91.7 FM – signed on the air August 18 at 7:00 a.m. KICX featured “hot, new country” — country music no older than seven years, 70 per cent of the time, in order to reach the younger country music listener. Mick Weaver was station manager and general sales manager. Studios and offices were at 60 Elm Street, in the former Burger King building (northwest corner of Elm and Durham), downtown.

The station’s original announcer line-up: Luke Nugent & Shannon Dowling (5:30-9), Luke Nugent (9-noon), Trinette Atkinson (noon-6), and Heather Klages (6-midnight). Kayla Rienguette was the weekend and fill-in announcer. Kyle Foley was among those that made up the news team.

It was announced that Brad and Shannon would take over KICX 91.7’s morning show from 5:30 to 9:00 a.m.

Larche’s “The KICX Hot New Country Brand” was awarded Canada’s station of the year seven times by the Canadian Country Music Association. 

Brad and Leanne Hulme became the new morning team at KICX 91.7. While the married couple has previously worked as a duo in radio, this was the first time they’d done mornings. Brealfast with Brad & Leanne aired weekdays betwen 5:30 and 9:00 a.m.

Spenser Shaw was appointed Promotions Director at 92.3 The Dock Owen Sound, moving from sister property KICX 91.7 Sudbury where she was an Advertising Specialist.

On February 14, the CRTC approved the application by Bell Media Inc. to acquire CICZ-FM Midland, CICX-FM Orillia, CJOS-FM Owen Sound and CICS-FM Sudbury from Larche Communications Inc. The Commission considered the transaction to be in the public interest.

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. CICS changed from Kicx Country to Pure Country 91.7.