CIKZ-AM

On May 14, Larche Communications Inc. was granted a licence for a Country music station, operating on 99.5 MHz with effective radiated power of 1,600 watts. Antenna height was 140.1 metres. Larche had originally planned to operate with 3,900 watts but had to reduce the power to protect CJBC-FM in London on 99.3 MHz.

CIKZ – KICX-FM (named after sister station CICZ Midland) began on the air testing on January 15 and signed on the air February 6 at 5:00 p.m. CIKZ’s studios and offices were in a new, state-of-the-art, digital facility at 490 Dutton Drive in Waterloo. The transmitter site was at St. Agatha (CBC tower).

On April 20, CIKZ was authorized to change frequency from 99.5 to 106.7 MHz, and to increase the average effective radiated power from 1,600 to 1,700 watts (Maximum from 3,300 to 6,000 watt) and the antenna height from 140.1 to 200.3 metres. The same transmitter site would be used.

The official move to 106.7 MHz took place on June 20 at 1:06 p.m. “KICX 99.5 FM” became “KICX 106”. The frequency change and increase in power and antenna height provided listeners with a better signal in the Tri-Cities, particularly in offices and high rises, and surrounding communities such as Guelph and Brantford.

On December 24, the CRTC approved applications by Rogers Broadcasting Limited, on behalf of itself and Larche Communications (Kitchener) Inc., for authority to exchange the assets of CICX-FM Orillia and CIKZ-FM Kitchener. Rogers is the current licensee of CICX-FM Orillia and a minority shareholder of Larche with a 29.9% voting interest. Larche is the current licensee of CIKZ-FM Kitchener. Larche is controlled by Larche Communications Inc., which holds 70.1% of the voting interest in Larche. Pursuant to an agreement between Rogers and Larche, Rogers would purchase the assets of CIKZ-FM Kitchener. Payment would include the transfer of CICX-FM Orillia’s assets to Larche. Some of the remainder would be paid through Rogers’ delivery of a promissory note that would, in turn, be used to redeem the 29.9% ownership interest held by Rogers in Larche.

On January 31, CIKZ-FM – Kix 106.7 FM – moved to 305 King Street West, joining the other Rogers owned stations in the market, CKGL-AM and CHYM-FM.

CIKX changed its name from KICKS Country to KIX 106.

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

Due to budget cuts in August at Rogers Kitchener, Ron Funnell’s sales manager position was eliminated.

Don Kollins, who had been Operations Manager/Program Director at 570 News and PD at KIX 106 (both Kitchener), moved to sister station Fan 590 Toronto as PD. Wendy Duff, the PD at CHYM-FM Kitchener, succeeded Kollins as PD at KIX. Pete Travers returned to Kitchener as PD at 570 News. He had been a PD at CHUM Kitchener for 23 years before moving in the summer of 2008 to Astral’s The Bear Ottawa. Thirteen months later, his job at Astral ended.

Paul Ski, chief executive officer, Rogers Radio, announced two changes to the senior management team in March: Chuck McCoy would assume the role of VP and cluster manager for Toronto/Kitchener and Julie Adam would take on the role of VP programming & national program director for the Radio Division. She would also retain the role of program director of either 98.1 CHFI or Kiss 92.5.

On May 6, the CRTC renewed the broadcasting licence for CIKZ-FM Kitchener from 1 June 2010 to 31 August 2016. The Commission, however, denied the applicant’s request to reduce the minimum percentage of Canadian musical selections in content category 2 broadcast between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday to Friday from 40% to 35%. The Commission notes that the previous licensee, Larche Communications Inc., made a commitment to broadcast a minimum 40% level of Canadian musical selections in category 2 as part of a competitive process that led to the licensing of CIKZ-FM in Broadcasting Decision 2003-153. In that decision the Commission cited the higher level of Canadian music as a factor that set the Larche application apart from other applications that were denied. Rogers assumed the higher Canadian content level when it acquired CIKZ-FM in 2007. The Commission further examined the record of this proceeding as well as the station’s financial data and listening levels and does not consider that Rogers has presented sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the CIKZ-FM has failed to attract sufficient revenues and listeners due to the level of Canadian music that it is required to play.

Ron Combden, regional engineering manager for Rogers Broadcasting in the Toronto/ Kitchener markets, was no longer with the company.

CIKZ 106.7 changed its branding from KIX 106.7 to COUNTRY 106.7.