CKOF-FM

In June, The Board of Broadcast Governors gave Mutual Broadcasting Ltd. and associates (Raymond Crépeau, Marcel Joyal, Robert Campeau and Gerard Moreau) permission to open CJRC on 1150 kHz with 10,000 watts day and 5,000 watts night, using four 200 foot towers at a site on part of lot 22, concession 1, Rideau Front, Gloucester Township, Carleton County. 

Jacques Filteau, executive assistant to the general manager of CFCM-TV/CKMI-TV in Quebec City, left those stations to become general manager of CJRC, the first French-language private station in Ottawa. The appointment would be effective in the early spring of 1968. Marcel Joyal was president of CJRC.

The corporate name, CJRC Radio Capitale Ltee., was adopted January 31. 

CJRC signed on the air on June 3. It was the first new French-language voice in Ottawa since 1933. CJRC was also the 4th station in the Mutual Broadcasting chain. The company already owned CJMS Montreal, CJRS Sherbrooke and was awaiting CRTC approval on the purchase of CKTR Trois-Rivieres. Studios and offices were at 78 Sparks Street in Ottawa. The station was on the air 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It offered a “Pop-pourri” of music especially selected for French-speaking listeners. CJRC was known as Radio Capitale, also represented in it’s corporate name and call letters (the RC in CJRC).
Jacques Filteau was general manager. He had been general administrator at CFCM-TV Quebec City. Donat Bazinet was sales manager. Paul-Emile Beauline was program director. Laval Provencher was morning show host. Claude LaFrance (formerly of CHLT-TV Sherbrooke) handled 9:30 a.m. to noon. Robert Arcand (formerly of CJMS Montreal) did early afternoons and the 9 p.m. to midnight shift. Gaeten Santerre did 4-6 and 6:30 to 9 p.m. Yolanda Lisi handled overnights. 

Mutual Broadcasting Ltd. was headed by Raymond Crepault.

Appointments and changes effective January 14: Paul-Emile Beauline, who was program director and production manager at CJRC, was named program director of CJMS Montreal. Don Bazinet, commercial manager at CJRC, was named new general manager of the station. Pierre Lambert, became CJRC program director. He had been in the CJMS Montreal creative department.

On July 8, CJRC Radio Capitale Ltee was granted a daytime power increase from 10,000 to 50,000 watts. Night power would remain at 5,000 watts and CJRC would continue to use separate day and night directional patterns. 

On July 26, CJRC was authorized to move its studios and offices from 78 Sparks Street to 681 Belfast Road in Ottawa.

Andre Bonneau joined CJRC as chief engineer from CJET in Smiths Falls.

On August 30, the CRTC approved the following changes: (A) Mutual Broadcasting 1980 Canada Ltd. was authorized to acquire CKMF-FM from Supervox Corp. Ltd. (B) Mutual Broadcasting Ltd. – upon disolution of Mutual Broadcasting 1980 Canada Ltd. and Mutual Broadcasting Ltd., was licensed to continue the operation of CJRP-AM and CHIK-FM (CJRP Radio Provincialle Ltee), CJRS-AM (CJRS Radio Sherbrooke Ltee), CJTR-AM (CJTR Radio Trois-Riviere Ltee) and CJRC-AM (CJRC Radio Capitale Ltee). (C) Amalgamate Mutual Broadcasting 1980 Canada Ltd. (CJMS-AM, CKMW-AM and CFNY-FM), Supravox Corp. Ltd. and Mutual Broadcasting Ltd. into Mutual Broadcasting Canada Ltd. (Radiodiffusion Mutuelle Canada Ltee)

On September 22, CJRC received approval to move its studios and offices from 681 Belfast Road in Ottawa to St-Louis Street in Gatineau. 

Jean-Guy Gorley was named general manager at CJRC.

On August 28, approval was granted for the transfer of effective control of Mutual Broadcasting Canada Ltd. (CJRC Gatineau, CKMF-FM and CJMS Montreal, CHIK-FM and CJRP Quebec City, CJTR Trois-Rivières, and the Radiomutuel network), through the transfer of all of the issued and outstanding shares from Radiomutuel Inc., the parent company of Mutual Broadcasting Canada Limited, to Communications Radiomutuel Inc., a corporation ultimately controlled by Normand Beauchamp and Paul-Emile Beaulne. Radiomutuel Inc. and Communications Radiomutuel Inc. would then amalgamate into one company, to be known as Communications Radiomutuel Inc., and a share issue of subordinate Class A voting shares of the amalgamated company, representing an aggregate consideration of $12 million, would be offered to the public. Ultimately, the ownership structure of Communications Radiomutuel Inc. would be as follows: 130170 Canada Inc. (a holding company owned equally by Beauchamp and Beaulne) 63.4%, and the public, 36.6%. The company had been owned by the family of the late Raymond Crepault. Before the sale, Normand Beauchamp was the company’s president and Paul Emile Beauline was executive vice president. 

CKTF-FM launched. 

CJRC satisfied the CRTC that its apparent non-compliance with Canadian content was the result of human error. Radiomutuel vice-president Paul-Emile Beaulne explained that there was confusion with the FM policy, and that the company now had a computer system which handled requirements for each of the company’s stations.

The CRTC had concerns with a number of Radiomutuel stations. In the case of CJRC it was a matter of too little Canadian content.

The corporate name changed to Mutual Broadcasting Canada Limited from Radiomutuel Inc.(the parent company Mutual Broadcasting Canada Limited, to Communications Radiomutuel Inc.). Shares in the company were offered to the public.

Radiomédia S.E.N.C. was formed as a general partnership owned equally by Télémédia and Radiomutuel to operate the AM stations in Quebec, owned by both companies.

In March, CJRC and CKTF came under the same roof at a new facility, located at 105 Bellehumeur. 

Astral Communications inc. purchased the radio stations owned by Radiomutuel.

CJRC was given approval to operate a transitional digital radio undertaking. Three transmitters were used. One would be 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 January 21, the CRTC approved an exchange of assets between Corus Entertainment Inc. and Astral Media Radio Inc. Corus acquired from Astral: CKAC Montréal, CHRC Québec, CJRC Gatineau, CKRS Saguenay, CHLN Trois-Rivières, CHLT and CKTS Sherbrooke, and CFOM-FM Lévis. Astral  acquired from Corus: CFVM-FM Amqui, CJDM-FM Drummondville, CJOI-FM and CIKI-FM Rimouski, and CFZZ-FM Saint-Jean-Iberville.

On November 24, approval was given for the conversion of CJRC to the FM band.  The new station would offer a specialty talk-based format. It would operate on a frequency of 104.7 MHz with an average effective radiated power of 2,900 watts.

After 39 years on the AM dial, CJRC made the move to the FM band as CJRC-FM Le FM parlé de l’Outaouais on April 16 at 7:00 a.m.

Studios and offices are noted at this time as being located at 150, rue Edmonton in Gatineau. 

On June 12, CJRC-FM received approval to increase average effective radiated power from 2,900 to 36,000 watts, decrease effective antenna height from 94.9 to 41.5 metres, and to relocate the transmitter from downtown Ottawa to a site north-east of Gatineau airport. 

In April CJRC-FM switched from a news-talk format to oldies music (“souvenirs grantis”). The FM simulcast period for CJRC 1150 was to come to an end on March 16 but the AM station remained on the air awhile longer while FM technical issues were resolved. 

On August 27, the CRTC renewed CJRC-FM’s licence until August 31, 2016. Conditions indlude: The station shall be operated within the Specialty format as defined in A Review of Certain Matters Concerning Radio, Public Notice CRTC 1995-60, 21 April 1995, and Revised content categories and subcategories for radio, Public Notice CRTC 2000-14, 28 January 2000, as amended from time to time. The licensee shall devote more than 50% of the programming broadcast during the broadcast week to programming drawn from category 1 (Spoken Word). The licensee shall broadcast, in each broadcast week, not less than 21 hours of spoken word programming of direct and particular relevance to the community served. This programming shall include local news, weather and sports and the promotion of local events and activities. Commitment: The licensee commits to broadcasting 4 hours and 33 minutes of local news each week.

On August 28, the CRTC renewed the transitional digital radio licence of CJRC-DR-2.

On April 30th, Corus Entertainment Inc. announced that they had reached an agreement with Cogeco Inc. for Cogeco to purchase the Corus Quebec radio stations: CKOI-FM , CKAC-AM, CHMP-FM and CFQR-FM Montreal , CFOM-FM102.9 and CFEL-FM Quebec City, CJRC-FM Gatineau , CIME-FM St-Jérôme, CHLT-FM and CKOY-FM Sherbrooke, and CHLN-FM Trois Rivieres. 
The deal would be subject to CRTC approval. 

On December 17, the CRTC approved the transfer of various commercial radio programming undertakings from Corus Entertainment Inc. to Cogeco inc. The Commission received an application by Corus Entertainment Inc., on behalf of its wholly owned subsidiaries 591991 B.C. Ltd. and Metromedia CMR Broadcasting Inc., to transfer their shares and effective control from Corus to Cogeco inc. or one of its wholly owned subsidiaries (the proposed transaction). 591991 B.C. was the licensee of the French-language commercial radio programming undertakings CFOM-FM Lévis, CFEL-FM Lévis/Québec, CHLT-FM and CKOY-FM Sherbrooke, CKAC Montréal, CJRC-FM Gatineau and CHLN-FM Trois-Rivières. Metromedia was the licensee of the French-language commercial radio programming undertakings CKOI-FM Montréal, CHMP-FM Longueuil, CIME-FM Saint-Jérôme and its transmitters CIME-FM-1 Val-Morin and CIME-FM-2 Mont-Tremblant, and CFQR-FM Montréal, an English-language commercial radio programming undertaking. Following the proposed transaction, effective control of 591991 B.C. and Metromedia would be exercised by Cogeco, a corporation controlled by Gestion Audem inc. Since Cogeco had no radio stations in the Ottawa-Gatineau market prior to the transaction, the Commission considered that the acquisition of CJRC-FM Gatineau by Cogeco was in compliance with the Policy and did not raise any additional concerns. Regarding the regional stations CHLN-FM Trois-Rivières, CHLT-FM Sherbrooke and CJRC-FM Gatineau, the Commission considered that Cogeco’s proposal of enhanced conditions of licence relating to hours of local programming, spoken word material and the broadcast of local news was not only acceptable but would make it possible for the radio programming offered in these localities to distinguish itself fully from the programming offered by its Montréal flagship.

Paul Arcand, who had been doing the morning show for several years at News/Talk (CHMP-FM) 98,5 FM Montreal was now be heard via simulcast on four more Corus Quebec stations: CJRC 104,7 FM Outaouais, CHLT 107,7 FM Estrie, CHLN 106,9 FM Mauricie and CKRS 98,3 FM Saguenay, beginning in February. Three employees were affected by the change.

In February, CJRC-FM dropped “Souvenirs Garantis” (Oldies-Classic Hits/Talk) in favour of the growing CKOI-FM-based Hot Adult Contemporary format.

On June 17, the CRTC approved applications by 591991 B.C. Ltd. to amend the broadcasting licences for CHLT-FM Sherbrooke, CJRC-FM Gatineau and CHLN-FM Trois-Rivières, by amending or adding certain conditions of licence relating to the broadcast of local programming, spoken word programming and news. To reflect the licensee’s commitments, these conditions of licence, which should apply to all three stations, shall read as follows: In each broadcast week, the licensee shall broadcast no less than 50 hours of local programming. In each broadcast week, the licensee shall broadcast no less than 24 hours and 46 minutes of spoken word programming. In each broadcast week, the licensee shall broadcast no less than 4 hours and 20 minutes of news programming.

In late summer CJRC 104.7 became CKOF. The new calls reflected the station’s participation in the CKOI network, based in Montreal.

On August 31, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CJRC-DR-2 to April 30, 2012.

On April 23, the CRTC administratively renewed the broadcasting licence for digital radio programming undertaking CJRC-DR-2 until August 31, 2012.

It was announced that CKOF-FM would change format from Hot Adult Contemporary-CHR to Talk as of August 20 as 104.7 FM.

In November, Henri Audet, founder of Cogeco cable died at age 94. Trained as an engineer, Audet left a job at the CBC to launch a TV station in Trois-Riviéres. He sold his house and raised $100,000 from friends and other investors as seed money. From that single television station the company became Canada’s fourth-largest cable company and one of Quebec’s largest media companies. Audet served as president of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters from 1961 to 1964, and was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 1984. Control of Cogeco Inc. and its direct and indirect subsidiaries was held by Gestion Audem Inc., a holding company whose shares were held entirely by the members of the family of Henri Audet.

On December 19, the CRTC approved an application by Cogeco Diffusion inc. for authority to acquire from Cogeco Diffusion Acquisitions inc., as part of a corporate reorganization, the assets of CFOM-FM Lévis, CKOY-FM Sherbrooke, CKOB-FM Trois-Rivières, CKOF-FM Gatineau, and CIME-FM Saint-Jérôme. Cogeco Diffusion inc. was wholly owned by Cogeco Diffusion Acquisitions inc., which in turn was wholly owned by Cogeco inc.

Richard Proulx died at age 70. The legendary morning host began at CJRC 1150 Ottawa-Hull when the station launched in 1968. He later was morning host at CKCH 970 Hull-Ottawa. He returned to CJRC in mornings, retiring from there in 1998.

On July 8, the CRTC approved the joint applications by Cogeco Diffusion inc. and RNC MEDIA Inc. to amend their respective licences to add a condition of licence authorizing them to operate their French-language commercial radio stations CKOF-FM and CHLX-FM Gatineau in accordance with a local sales agreement. The LSA would remain in effect until August 31, 2019 as both licences expire at different times. The Commission considered that this was a reasonable period and that it would be sufficient to evaluate the impact of the LSA on the stations’ financial results. The licensees would be required to obtain Commission approval if they wished to extend the validity of the condition of licence after that date.