CISS-FM

CKOY-AM received permission to operate an FM station in Ottawa, operating on 105.3 MHz with an effective radiated power of 74,000 watts with antenna height (EHAAT) of 1,077 feet. An omni-directional signal would be transmitted. The new FM station would simulcast some programming from CKOY-AM.

CKOY Ltd. opened CKBY on October 29 with an album oriented rock format.

Nelson Davis was CKBY’s program director.

On July 27, the application to transfer 28,700 common shares of CKOY Ltd. from Southam Press Ltd. to Selkirk Holdings Ltd. was denied. The CRTC stated that approval of the application would result in a further increase in the Southam holdings of Selkirk Class A shares to 40.1%.

CKBY switched from AOR to full-time country on July 2.

On October 31, approval was granted for the transfer of 31% of CKOY Ltd. from the estate of the Hon. Carine Wilson and Carine R. M. Wilson to a numbered company owned by four Ottawa residents. The four new shareholders would now control 54.3% of CKOY Ltd. Southam Press would still hold 37.86%.

On October 14, the transfer of 480 common shares of CKOY Ltd. to Selkirk Holdings Ltd. from the treasury of the numbered company mentioned in 1973, was denied. The numbered company now controlled 31% of CKOY Ltd.

Moffat Communications applied to the CRTC for the purchase of CKOY and CKBY-FM. The application was denied as the Commission would not accept Moffat’s proposed reduction in news and public affairs, lack of variety in music programming and use of computerized music control. A revised application was expected to be filed later in the year.

After failed attempts to sell CKOY and CKBY to Moffat Communications, 
Maclean-Hunter subsidiary CKEY Limited of Toronto was given approval to purchase the stations. CKEY’s Stu Brandy would head the Ottawa operations and new studio facilities were a high priority for the new owners. 

Bill Lee was on-air at CKBY.

CKOY and CKBY leased space in a downtown office tower for new studios and offices. The new facilities would be similar to those of sister station CKEY in Toronto.

Ted Daigle, Mark Papousek, Doug Anderson, Carey Jenson, Mike Beard and Andrew Dickson were on the air at CKBY. 

On January 16, at 2.00 pm, CKBY began broadcasting from new studios at Tower B., Place de Ville, 112 Kent Street, Suite 1900.

Also in January, CKOY Ltd. and CKEY Ltd. merged to form Key Radio Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Maclean-Hunter Ltd.

Hal Blackadar was named vice president and general manager of CKOY and CKBY. He had held the same position with CHNS and CHFX-FM in Halifax.

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

On February 13, the CRTC approved the application by CFCF Inc. for an English-language radio network licence consisting of CFCF Montreal, CKBY-FM Ottawa, CKPE-FM Sydney and CHFX-FM Halifax for the purpose of broadcasting the hockey games of the Montreal Canadiens during the 1983-1984 to 1986-1987 National Hockey League seasons. 

On May 9, the CRTC gave CKBY permission to increase effective radiated power from 74,000 to 84,000 watts. 

Helen Lenthal left CKBY to become promotions manager at CJSB.

Clyde Ross moved from retail to general sales manager. 

John Bartrem joined CKBY/CKOY as sales manager. He had been with CJAD/CJFM-FM in Montreal. 

Hal Blackadar, vice president and general manager of W1310/CKBY was added to Key Radio’s executive team.

Kerry Jansen was an announcer at CKBY. Brian Crawford was news director for CKBY/CIWW.

The CRTC denied a bid by CKBY to reduce its Canadian content level from 35 to 30%. The station had argued that there was a limited amount of Canadian country music available and that competing stations in the market have lower Cancon requirements. The Commission noted CKBY was the only station in the market with a country format and had both a strong revenue base and share of tuning.

The corporate name changed to Key Radio Ontario Limited. 

On December 19, the CRTC approved the purchase of Maclean-Hunter Ltd. by Rogers Communications Inc. CKBY became a property of Rogers Broadcasting Ltd.

After 23 years as Ottawa’s country music station, CKBY reformatted to become Canada’s first “Young Country” station, Y105, on August 28. The format had been traditional country.

Scott Parsons was Vice President and General Manager.

Ken Geiger joined the CKBY staff. He had been program director at CIOC in Victoria. Gates Cooney joined CKBY/CIWW on April 4 as general sales manager.

The Ottawa radio scene was changing dramatically, with CHEZ 106 and Lite 101/CJET AM Smiths Falls being purchased by Rogers Broadcasting (Y105/Oldies 1310 Ottawa).

The Rogers Ottawa stations moved to new studios and offices in the Southern Ottawa Business Park, 2001 Thurston Drive (at Conroy, between Walkley & Hunt Club).

On November 13, CKBY was granted a licence to operate transitional digital radio undertakings (DRU) to serve Ottawa. Three transmitters would be used: one would be located at the CBC’s site at Camp Fortune, Quebec. The other two transmitters would be located in Ottawa, one at the CBC’s building on Lanark Avenue and the other at the Time MCI Las Brisas building. All three transmitters would operate in a single frequency network, using 1487.696 MHz (DRB channel 21) with an effective isotropic radiated power of 5,928 watts, 2,850 watts and 2,965 watts, respectively. The transmitters would employ the EUREKA-147 digital audio broadcasting system.

On January 9, at 12 noon, CKBY 105.3 (Y105) moved its country format to 101.1 Smiths Falls, as Y101. 105.3 Ottawa became Kiss 105.3 with a contemporary-hot adult contemporary format. Sister station CIOX Smiths Falls ended its Xfm rock format to become country.

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

Morning show co-host Andrew Boyle left KISS FM. Boyle along with Carter Brown and Sandra Plagakis first hit the Ottawa airwaves together on Hot 899. They moved to KISS on August 13, 2004. Carter and Sandra would continue to host the KISS morning show. 

KISS FM afternoon host Jeff Graham added the title of music director to his duties.

Former CKOY/CKBY sports director & general manager, John Daly, passed away on December 8. He worked at the stations from 1951 to 1979. Former CKBY broadcaster Hal “The Bear” Lee passed away at 71. When CKBY went country in 1972, Hal moved became morning newscaster and senior news editor, a job he held until 1987.

On June 30, the CRTC renewed the broadcasting licence for the English-language commercial radio station CISS-FM Ottawa from 1 July 2010 to 31 August 2013. This short-term licence renewal will enable the Commission to review, at an earlier date, the licensee’s compliance with its conditions of licence. In Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2009-786, the Commission stated that the licensee may have failed to comply with its conditions of licence relating to contribution to Canadian talent development for the 2008 broadcast year.

Steve Kennedy became afternoon drive announcer at 105.3 KISS FM. He had been with EZ Rock in Ottawa. Kennedy’s first show was December 13. Jeff Graham (also music director) moved from afternoons to mid-days. These changes completed the station’s announcer line-up. Carter & Sandra did the morning show and Jenny From the Block was heard in evenings. 

Ronald W. Osborne died at age 66, in Florida. His broadcasting background included the presidency of Maclean Hunter Ltd. In 1994, he fought off a hostile takeover bid from Rogers Communications. After a protracted battle, a deal was inked for $3.1-billion. 

Danny Kingsbury, General Manager for the Rogers Radio stations in Kingston and the Maritimes, added GM responsibilities for the Ottawa cluster in November. This was upon the retirement of Vice President/GM Scott Parsons, a 36-year Rogers vet whose position at retirement was EVP, national capital region, Ontario north and Atlantic Canada. Parsons had been with the Ottawa stations since 1995. Kingsbury, now based in Kingston, would move to Ottawa.

Danny Kingsbury became VP & General Manager for Rogers Radio in Ottawa, Kingston and Halifax.