CJRQ-FM

Cambrian Broadcasting Ltd., owner of CKSO-AM-TV received a licence to operate an FM station at Sudbury.

CKSO-FM signed on the air in September. It broadcast on a frequency of 92.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts. 

CKSO-FM 92.7 was authorized to change its antenna site and increase antenna height from 230 to 908 feet (EHAAT). Power remained 100,000 watts.

Cambrian Broadcasting sold CKSO and CIGM-FM to United Broadcasting Ltd.

Eckard Dell left CKSO Radio’s engineering department for the new CBC stations in Sudbury. Helmet Frauscher would continue to look after AM and FM operations.

On February 28, W. B. Plaunt on behalf of a company to be incorporated (would be known as United Broadcasting Ltd.) was given approval to acquire Cambrian Broadcasting Ltd. (CKSO-AM and CIGM-FM). There was no change in ownership. This change related to the sale of Cambrian’s television operations (including CKSO-TV).

Bill Schofield was now chief engineer at CKSO and CIGM. He installed new studio equipment, including a McCurdy 8650 console, Studer tape and cart machines for CIGM-FM.

Bill Schofield left CKSO-CIGM as chief engineer to take up the same position at Huron Broadcasting in Sault Ste. Marie. 

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

Pelmorex and Telemedia entered into a management agreement for the operation of their stations in North Bay and Sudbury, effective September 1. In North Bay, Pelmorex’s CHUR moved in to the Telemedia broadcast facility (CFCH/CKAT-FM). In Sudbury, the programming staff at the five stations would now work at one facility while the administrative/support staff worked from another building.

On September 10, the sale of CKSO and CIGM-FM to Telemedia Communications Inc. by United Broadcasting Ltd. was approved.

In May, CIGM-FM and CKSO-AM picked up new formats. FM adopted a soft rock format as CJRQ while AM took the FM’s country format and CIGM call sign.

Studios and offices were moved to 880 LaSalle Boulevard. 

William Plaunt, 78, died November 6. His business interests over the years included the Sudbury Star and CKSO Radio and Television.

The corporate name changed from Telemedia Communications Inc. to Telemedia Radio Inc.

Telemedia Radio VP Braden Doerr, most recently vice president of the Ontario regional group, assumed responsibility for the Southern Ontario cluster (London, Hamilton and St. Catharines). Rick Doughty, VP of Telemedia Northern Ontario (Sudbury, North Bay, Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie, Pembroke and Orillia) would continue in that assignment but also added responsibilities as a member of the executive committee of the Ontario division, reporting to Claude Beaudoin, Telemedia executive VP for Ontario region.

Jim Hamm became GM at Telemedia’s four Sudbury stations. He continued to hold on to his director of programming duties for Ontario north and remained a member of Telemedia Ontario North’s management team.

On April 19, the purchase of several Telemedia radio and television stations by Standard Radio Inc. and then the spin-off of some of these properties to NewCap and Rogers, was approved. Among the stations purchased by Rogers Broadcasting Limited: CIGM-AM, CJRQ-FM and CJMX-FM Sudbury.

Early on the morning of December 2nd, Ted Rogers, founder and former Chief Executive of Rogers Communications, owners of CJRQ-FM, died at his home in Toronto, after having suffered from congestive heart failure for some time. 

Al Campagnola, the Ontario North Radio Programming Manager for Rogers Radio, announced Q92 would celebrate its 20th anniversary on the May long weekend. He invited anyone who ever worked at the station to join the Facebook group, Q 92 Sudbury 20th Anniversary Alumni. 

Peter Hobbs resigned his Cluster Sales Manager position at Rogers Sudbury to take on General Sales Manager duties at Astral Media Radio Hamilton as of April 5. In Sudbury, Rick Doughty, Vice President Ontario North for Rogers Radio, took over the GSM duties.

Rick Doughty, the Vice President of Rogers Radio Ontario North, who had been in the position on an interim basis at CJRQ/CJMX Sudbury, added Market Sales Manager to his other responsibilities. Mike Leclair and Dave Collins were promoted to Sales Supervisors.

Chris McEwin, the former midday host on the Rogers Ontario North Rock network, moved across the hall to become Music Director at CHUR North Bay (though based in Sudbury) and midday host on the Ontario North EZ Rock network. Succeeding McEwin at the Rock net was Niall Knutson.

Mike Leclair was promoted to Market Sales Manager for CJRQ/CJMX. He had been the Sales Supervisor. 

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

Rick Doughty, vice president for Rogers Ontario North’s radio cluster and general manager of Sudbury Radio, announced his retirement. Doughty, who joined Telemedia 22 years ago and carried on when Rogers purchased the stations, set his departure date for March of 2012.

Justin Sweeney joined Sudbury’s Best Rock Q92 as evening/weekend swing announcer. He’d been with BOB-FM London. 

Rick Doughty, Rogers Radio vice president and general manager for the company’s Northern Ontario stations (North Bay, Sault Ste Marie and Timmins), and GM at Rogers Sudbury, retired March 31. Doughty was with Telemedia and Rogers for a combined 22.5 years, 12 and a-half of them with Telemedia before it was purchased. He divided his time between, first, North Bay and then Sudbury.

Peter McKeown was named vice president & general manager Ontario North Radio & GM Sudbury Radio. He would oversee operations of Rogers Radio stations in the Northern Ontario. McKeown had been general manager for North Bay Radio (102 The Fox, 600 CKAT, and 100.5 EZ Rock). He assumed the responsibilities previously held by Rick Doughty, who retired. 

On August 7, the CRTC approved the applications by Rogers Broadcasting Limited to change the authorized contours of CJRQ-FM and CJMX-FM Sudbury, in order to change the polarization of CJRQ-FM’s antenna, and to increase CJMX-FM’s effective height of antenna above average terrain from 227.5 to 285 metres. All other technical parameters for both stations would remain unchanged. Rogers requested these technical changes in order to consolidate the towers used to broadcast both CJRQ-FM and CJMX-FM. The applicant stated that the use of a new signal antenna for both stations would improve their coverage and should alleviate future signal failures, which had occurred in the past, due to aging equipment and the severe weather in the Sudbury area. 

On August 28, the CRTC administratively renewed CJRQ-FM’s licence to December 31, 2012. On December 21, the licence was renewed to August 31, 2019.

Al Campagnola, product manager of Rogers Ontario North Radio Group, was no longer with the company. He began with Rogers North in August of 2005. Before that, he was Program Director for five years at Rogers Ottawa.

Peter McKeown became VP & General Manager for Rogers Radio Northern Ontario.

CJRQ changed its branding from Q92 to 92.7 Rock.

Joe Gaughan died at age 38 on May 29. He had been hosting a show Thursday and Friday nights for Rogers’ rock stations in North Bay, Sudbury and Timmins.