CIDG-FM

On August 26, the CRTC approved new radio stations for Ottawa, to be operated by Astral Media Radio inc. and by Frank Torres, on behalf of a corporation to be incorporated. The Torres station would be an English-language commercial FM radio programming undertaking, operating on 101.9 MHz (channel 270A) with an average effective radiated power of 1,300 watts. The format would be Blues/Blues-rock based – 20% category 3 weekly with a target audience of 25-54 years; core/median: 40 years. Local programming per broadcast week: 120 hours per week on average; reserve remaining 6 hours per week to broadcast either local syndicated or other syndicated music programming when available and deemed appropriate to format. News programming per broadcast week: 3 hours, 54 minutes (news) (60% local) and 1 hour, 51 minutes (weather, sports and traffic surveillance material). commissioner Michel Morin issued a dissenting opinion, in which he stated that Corus Entertainment’s competing proposal for a new talk radio station served a greater need in the market. He called attention to the fact that very few other radio stations in North America offer a primarily blues-based format, suggesting that there may not be sufficient audience demand to support the station in the long term.

On November 21, 2008, federal Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages James Moore issued a statement calling on the CRTC to review its approval of both CIDG and Astral Media’s new adult contemporary station CJOT-FM. Moore asked the commission to assess whether the francophone population of the Ottawa-Gatineau area was sufficiently well-served by existing French radio services, and to consider licensing one or more of the French language applications. In the resulting round of hearings, Torres proposed that a new francophone station could be licensed on 94.5 FM, although such a station would be second-adjacent to Astral’s CIMF-FM. Torres and Astral subsequently aired a testing signal on 94.5 in May 2009 to determine whether the signal could be used without affecting CIMF. The test found that the signal could be used without causing significant interference to CIMF, and Astral consequently gave its consent to the use of the frequency as long as the company retained its license for CJOT.

On August 11, the CRTC confirmed with changes Broadcasting Decision 2008-222 in which it approved applications by Astral Media Radio inc. and by Frank Torres, on behalf of a corporation to be incorporated (now known as Torres Media Ottawa Inc.) for broadcasting licences to operate new English-language commercial FM radio stations to serve Ottawa and Gatineau.

On April 8, the CRTC approved the application by Torres Media Ottawa Inc. regarding the English-language commercial FM radio programming undertaking CIDG-FM Ottawa/Gatineau, authorized in Broadcasting Decision 2008-222 and confirmed in Broadcasting Decision 2009-481. The licensee proposed to change the authorized contours of CIDG-FM, by decreasing the average effective radiated power from 1,300 watts to 934 watts, by increasing the maximum ERP from 3,000 watts to 4,500 watts (effective height of antenna above average terrain of 98 metres), and by relocating the antenna. The licensee submitted that the changes were necessary because it was unsuccessful in its negotiations with the owners of the building where the antenna was originally supposed to be located. The Commission noted that the population served within the station’s 3 mV/m contour would increase from 305,381 to 462,901. The population served within its 0.5 mV/m contour would increase from 592,972 to 765,086.

CIDG-FM began on-air testing on June 1. The first song during the station’s test phase was “Test Song” by Canadian Blues artist Colin Linden. The station’s antenna was located atop a building at the corner of Bank Street and Holmwood Avenue in Ottawa. 

101.9 DAWG FM launched June 7 at 7:30 a.m. with “Tiger in Your Tank” by the local group, Monkey Junk. Retired CTV Ottawa news anchor Max Keeping was there as DAWG’s first celebrity, helping to get the 4,500-watt Blues Rocker on the air. Geoff Winter (formerly with CHEZ-FM) and Laura Mainella hosted the morning show. Other members of the on-air team: midday announcer “Ali Kat” (Ali Misener, formerly of CHRI), afternoon host J-man, and “Black at Night” with Dylan Black, as well as weekender Carly D. 

Gary Perrin was named General Sales Manager at 101.9 DAWG FM. Perrin, who had experience in the capital city as GSM at CHEZ-FM, joined General Manager Todd Bernard, who was also VP/GM of Skywords Ottawa and Eastern Operations.

On April 19, the CRTC approved the application by Torres Media Ottawa Inc. to change the authorized contours of CIDG-FM by increasing the effective radiated power from 934 to 1,793 watts (maximum ERP from 4,500 to 5,500 watts with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 98 metres). Torres requested this technical change in response to listener complaints of weak or inconsistent signal reception in the Ottawa/Gatineau region.

On September 12, 101.9 DAWG FM began broadcasting at full power. Average effective fadiated power increased by 92%, and the station’s signal now reached an additional 31% of the region’s population. “In addition we expect improved reception in buildings throughout the downtown core which is welcome news for our listeners,” said general manager, Todd Bernard. 

Gary Perrin left 101.9 DAWG FM for the new CJGM-FM in Gananoque, where he would be general manager and general sales manager. 

Carly D left DAWG FM to become afternoon drive host and Assistant Music Director at KIX 93.5 Kingston.

Morning show host Dylan Black was appointed Assistant Program Director at 101.9 DAWG FM.

The CRTC approved the corporate reorganization within Torres Media Ottawa Inc. through the transfer of Torres Media voting shares held by Edward Torres and Francisco Torres to their respective family trusts. This transaction did not affect the effective control of Torres Media, which continued to be exercised by its board of directors. Torres Media was the licensee of CIDG-FM.

On December 22, the CRTC approved applications by Torres Media Ottawa Inc. and Pontiac Community Radio to amend the broadcasting licences for the English-language commercial radio station CIDG-FM Ottawa and the French-language community radio station CHIP-FM Fort-Coulonge by exchanging their frequencies, and in the case of Torres Media, by moving the transmission site and changing the technical parameters of CIDG-FM. This exchange would improve the quality of the signal that CIDG-FM provided to listeners in the Ottawa-Gatineau market and support the ongoing operations of CHIP-FM and the programming it offered to listeners.

CIDG-FM would move from 101.9 to 101.7 MHz, increase the effective height of the antenna above average terrain from 98 to 99.6 metre, and increase maximum effective radiated power from 5,500 to 19,500 watts (average ERP from 1,793 to 5,360 watts). CHIP-FM would move from 101.7 to 101.9 MHz. It would continue to operate with an effective radiated power of 11,900 watts with effective antenna height above average terrain of 90.5 metres.

On August 23, the CRTC approved an application by Torres Media Ottawa Inc. to change the authorized contours of CIDG-FM. Although Torres was unable to secure a new transmission site, CIDG-FM would still be able to carry out the frequency exchange with CHIP-FM Fort-Coulonge that was approved in Broadcasting Decision 2015-575. Torres would operate CIDG-FM at 101.7 MHz (channel 269A), at its existing transmission site and under its existing technical parameters, namely, with an average ERP of 1,793 watts (maximum ERP of 5,500 watts with an EHAAT of 98 metres).

On August 26 at 7:00 p.m., 101.9 Dawg FM became Rebel 101.9. The station switched formats from Blues-Classic Rock to Active Rock. It was hoped the change of frequency to 101.7 MHz would take place at the same time. Technical issues prevented this from happening. The move to 101.7 MHz took place on August 30. The frequency had been used by CHIP Fort-Coulonge. That station moved to CIDG’s old 101.9 MHz.

On September 6, the CRTC approved CIDG’s application to relocate the transmission site, change the transmitter class from A to B1, increase EHAAT from 98 to 99.6 metres and increase ERP from 1,792 to 5,316 watts (maximum ERP from 5,500 to 19,340 watts).

On April 8, the CRTC approved Torres Media’s application to increase the power at CIDG 101.7 from 19,500 to 21,000 watts. EHAAT would be lowered from 99.6 to 98 metres. The existing tower on the roof of the Crosswinds building would continue to be used.