CHGO-FM-1

CHGO-FM-1, Rouyn-Noranda

Radio Nord (RNC Media Inc.)

StationYearFreq.PowerOwner/Info
CHGO-FM-12007104.3100,000RNC Media

1938

La Cie de Radiodiffusion Rouyn-Noranda Ltee was granted a licence for 100 watts on 1370 kHz with the CKRN call sign. 

1939

The Association of Independent Stations of the Province of Quebec was formed at the end of January, with CKAC, CHLP and CFCF Montreal; CHRC and CKCV Quebec; CKCH Hull; CJBR Rimouski; CHNC New Carlisle; CHLT Sherbrooke; CHLN Trois-Rivieres; and CKRN Rouyn as members. Phil Lalonde of CKAC was elected president; Narcisse Thivierge, CHRC, vice-president; Alex Dupont, CKCH and Marcel Lefebvre, CHLP, directors. 

1940

CKRN began subscribing to the Transradio Press news service.

1941

Under the Havana Treaty CKRN moved from 1370 to 1400 kHz (Class IV) on March 29. Power was 250 watts.

Roy Thomson purchased CKRN, giving the company its fifth radio station in the Northern Ontario-Quebec gold mining belt. Ownership changed hands on April 1. The station was operated by Thomson’s Northern Broadcasting & Publishing but controlling interest was vested in the personal names of Roy Thomson and Jack Cooke, general manager of Northern. Jean Legault was appointed manager of CKRN, succeeding J. O. Tarviff, who became secretary treasurer. Legault had been with CKGB Timmins. Murray Morrison, CKGB commercial manager, took up the same post at CKRN. Don Insley, CKVD Val d’Or (also owned by Northern) program director, took up the same post at CKRN. Wib Perry joined CKRN as announcer-writer.
Jean Legault was named manager of CKRN.

1942

Program director Russ Nickle left for the RCAF. He was replaced by Al fitzgerald of CFCH North Bay. Jean Legault, manager of CKRN, was now also running CHAD Amos and CKVD Val d’Or.

1943

Cooke sold CKRN for $100,000 – five times what he paid for it. (In 1944, Cooke would move on to purchase CKEY-AM in Toronto). 

Lee Allen of Toronto joined the announce staff of CKRN. 

1944

Kondrick B. Crossley joined CKRN as program director. He would also be responsible for CHAD Amos and CKVD Val d’Or and had been senior announcer at CKGB in Timmins.

The sale of the Northern Quebec Broadcasting System (CKRN Rouyn, CHAD Amos and CKVD Val d’Or) was reported. The stations were owned by Roy H. Thomson, president of National Broadcasting & Publishing Ltd. The purchasers were expected to be Hector Authier, M.P. from Amos and Roland Beudry of Montreal (president and vice president of the new company). The new owner was Radio Rouyn-Abitibi Ltee.
Announcer John Knox left CKRN for CKGB in Timmins. 

1945

CBC Quebec Regional Network Supplementary Stations: CKCH, CHGB, CHNC, CKRN, CHVD, CHAD.

J. Legault was manager and L. Rogerson was commercial manager. 

1946

Radio Rouyn Abitibi Ltd. (Hector Authier) was listed as owner of CKRN, along with CHAD Amos and CKVD Val d’Or. 

1947

J. Linklater was manager and J. Fox was commercial manager.

1948

The CBC recommended for approval the application by Radio Rouyn Abitibi Ltee to transfer CHAD, CKVD and CKRN to Northern Radio – Radio Nord. The board said it understood control would remain with D.A. Gourd, J.J. Gourd and R. Charbonneau.

John Fox left CKRN-CKVD-CHAD for Omer Renaud & Company’s (rep firm) Toronto office.

CKRN was on 1400 kHz and had a power of 250 watts, but would soon increase to 1,000 watts.

1949

D.A. Gourd was manager and L. Duchesnay was commercial manager.

1952

CKRN became a CAB member.

1957

David-Armand "Bobby" Gourd

By this time, CKRN was owned by Radio Nord Inc. (Jean J. Gourd 46.1%, David A. Gourd 33.3%, Roger Charbonneau 0.1%, Jean Monette 5.1%, Paul E. Riverin 12.7%, Richard Staines 2.6%, two other shareholders 0.1%) and was affiliated with the CBC’s French language radio network.. David A. Gourd was president & general manager.

CKRN-TV signed on the air.

1967

Approval was given for the transfer of 39,705 common shares to Assurgo Ltee.

1969

Alain Gourd

On July 25, Radio Nord was authorized to increase the daytime power of CKRN 1400 from 250 to 1,000 watts. Night-time power would remain 250 watts and CKRN would continue to operate with a non-directional pattern.

1973

Alain Gourd was appointed President of Radio Nord Inc.

1979

CKRN was affiliated with the Telemedia network.

1984

On February 13, the CRTC approved an application by Radio Nord Inc. for a French-language AM radio network licence consisting of CKRN Rouyn-Noranda and CKLS La Sarre, for the purpose of broadcasting programs originating from CKRN.

CKRN was given approval to increase night-time power from 250 to 1,000 watts.

1998

Radio Nord was granted a licence for a new FM station at Val d’Or, operating on 104.3 MHz with effective radiated power of 100,000 watts. There would also be a transmitter at Rouyn-Noranda. These new FM transmitters would replace AM stations CKVD Val d’Or, CHAD Amos and CKRN Rouyn-Noranda.

1999

CKRN, CKVD and CHAD were replaced by the new FM transmitters in the fall. They were known as “Go-FM” CHGO 104.3 Val d’Or and CHGO-FM-1 95.7 Rouyn-Noranda. CHGO-FM-2 102.1 would replace CKLS-AM La Sarre.

2007

Radio Nord became known as RNC Media. 

2009

In March CHGO 104.3 (and CHGO-1 95.7 Rouyn Noranda, CJGO 102.1 La Sarre) changed format from Classic Rock (GO FM) to Alternative Rock (Go Radio X).

2012

CHGO-FM changed format from Alternative Rock/Talk (GO RADIO X) to Classic Rock/ Sports (CAPITALE ROCK).CHGO-FM changed format from Alternative Rock/Talk (GO RADIO X) to Classic Rock/ Sports (CAPITALE ROCK).

The story continues elsewhere…
Effective September 1st 2019, we will only be adding new material to these station histories in exceptional circumstances. Our intent to chronicle the early days of these radio and television stations has been achieved, and many new sources and technologies, from the CRTC website to Wikipedia, and others, are now regularly providing new information in these areas.

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