CIMF-FM

La Cie Radiodiffusion CKCH de Hull Ltee. received approval to operate an FM station at Hull, operating on 94.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 74,000 watts. Antenna height would be 1077 feet (EHAAT) and the station would use a non-directional antenna.

CKCH-FM launched on January 1.

Power Corp. sold a controlling interest in CKCH-AM-FM (la Compagnie Radiodiffusion C.K.C.H. de Hull Ltee) and a number of other stations to Philipe de Gaspe Beaubien’s Telemedia (Quebec) Ltee (owned by Telemedia Communications Ltee, in turn owned by Beaudem Ltee). Power would retain through ownership debentures, a large financial interest in the new company for a period of time.

In approving a restructuring of ownership for CKCH and Trois-Rivieres station CHLN, the CRTC rapped the Hull station on several counts, including the fact CIMF-FM made major changes in programming without prior CRTC approval. The restructuring of the ownership: CKCH Radio Ltee would issue 9,000 common shares (90%) to Radio Trois-Rivieres Inc., while acquiring CHLN. Both stations are part of Telemedia.

On May 16, Metro-Media Communications Ltee was authorized to transfer 90% of the ownership of Metro-Media Communications (1977) Ltee from Radio Trois-Rivieres Inc. to Telemedia Communications Ltee. Radio Trois-Rivieres was a division of Telemedia

Telmed Ltee, CKCV (Quebec) Ltee, CKAC Ltee, CHLT Radio Sherbrooke Ltee, Metro-Media Communications (1977) Ltee and Telemedia Communications Ltee then amalgamated under the single name of Telemedia Communications Ltee., a wholly owned subsidiary of Beaudem Ltee. Telemedia would then become the direct licensee of the six AM and three FM stations it already controls in Quebec. 

CKCH-FM became CIMF-FM. 

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

CIMF was granted an increase in effective radiated power from 74,000 to 84,000 watts.  

CIMF had its licence renewed to August 31, 1994, and was given permission to reduce its weekly level of news programming from six hours and 49 minutes to five hours and 23 minutes. The station was also told it could change its vocal-instrumental ratio from 55-45 to 80-20. CIMF claimed this reflected the evolution of musical tastes; the decrease in the production of instrumental music and the need for more flexibility.

Sister station CKCH-AM left the air on September 30.

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

CIMF was given approval to add an FM transmitter at Hawkesbury but the station was advised to seek a frequency other than the selected 107.7 MHz.

CIMF was granted the use of 88.9 MHz with ERP of 759 watts for its proposed transmitter at Hawkesbury.

The corporate name changed from Telemedia Radio inc. to Télémédia Radio (Québec) inc.

Astral Media Inc. purchased Telemedia’s radio properties in Quebec and the Maritimes.
 
CIMF was given approval to operate a transitional digital radio undertaking. Three transmitters were used. One was located at the CBC’s site at Camp Fortune, Quebec. The other two transmitters were 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 operated in a single frequency network, using 1463.280 MHz (DRB channel 7) with an effective isotropic radiated power of 5,928 watts, 2,850 watts and 2,965 watts, respectively. The transmitters employed the EUREKA-147 digital audio broadcasting system. 

On August 31 the CRTC renewed CIMF-FM’s licence until August 31, 2011. Conditions: The licensee shall broadcast, in each broadcast week, a minimum of 63 hours of local programming and shall maintain the current level of 2 hours and 41 minutes of news. The licensee shall make an annual payment to MusicAction of $400. 

In August, Astral Media rebranded its “Rock Detente” stations as “Rouge FM,” with little change in the Adult Contemporary sound.

On June 27, 2013, after a previous such application had been denied in 2012, the CRTC approved an application by Astral Media Inc. to sell its pay and specialty television channels, conventional television stations and radio stations to BCE Inc., including CIMF-FM.

CIMF changed format in June from Adult Contemporary to CHR but retained the Rouge 94.9 branding.