CBRX-FM

CBRX-FM, ICI Musique, Rimouski

Canadian Broadcasting Corp.

StationYearFreq.PowerOwner/Info
CBRX-FM1998101.550,000Canadian Broadcasting Corp.
CJBR-FM1977101.550,000Canadian Broadcasting Corp.
CJBR-FM1970101.520,000Telemedia Inc.
CJBR-FM1957101.5570Central Public Service Corp. Studios
CJBR-FM1947101.5570Central Public Service Corp. Studios

1947

CJBR was issued an FM licence, and CJBR-FM began broadcasting in November. It was owned by Central Public Service Corp. which also owned CJBR-AM which had been on the air since 1937. CJBR-FM had a power of 570 watts and operated on a frequency of 101.5 MHz. Studios were at 1 St. John Street. The “JBR” in the calls – for founder Jules. A. Brilliant.

1954

CJBR Television signed on the air.

1957

CJBR-FM was operating on 101.5 MHz with a power of 570watts. CJBR-AM-FM was an affiliate of the CBC’s French radio network and was owned by Central Public Service Corp. Ltd. (T. A. Bernier 0.02%, Jacques Brilliant 19.98%, Aubert Brilliant 19.98%, Carol Brilliant 20.00%, N. Gendreau 0.02%, Suzanne Brilliant 20.00%, and Madeleine Brilliant 20.00%).

1960

Ad – CJBR has added a new separate FM Radio Service to the already existing CJBR Radio and Television facilities. 101.5 mhz 20 kW.

1965

By this time CJBR 101.5 had increased effective radiated power to 20,000 watts and programming was separate from CJBR 900 for 58 hours a week. The stations were now owned by Lower St. Lawrence Radio Inc. (La Radio de Bas St-Laurent Inc.). The Brilliant family were still in control with Jacques Brilliant being president. Studios and offices were at 13 rue Saint Jean Baptiste.

1970

Power Corp. sold a controlling interest in CJBR-AM-FM and CJBM Causapscal (La Radio du Bas St-Laurent (1966) Inc.) 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. Philipe de Gaspe Beaubien would control more than 80% of the votes of the company (to be known as CJBR Radio Ltee).

1977

Andre Lecomte, who for many years was associated with CJBR (he was manager), was granted a licence for a new station at Rimouski. It would broadcast with a power of 10,000 watts day and night on a frequency of 1000 kHz. Competing applications were denied. They were by Roch Demers (representing Telemedia interests) for Rimouski and Amqui; and La Voix Laurentienne Ltee for Rimouski and Mont-Joli; and Benoit Santerre for Mont-Joli. The CRTC deferred action on any further licences for the region including Mont-Joli, Amqui and Cuaapscal.

1978

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation was given approval to purchase CJBR Radio and Television on May 16. CJBR-AM-FM and CJBM Causapscal were acquired from CJBR Radio Ltee while CJBR-TV was purchased from CJBR-TV Ltee.

1995

On August 17, the CBC was authorized to add some local programming (weather reports and a cultural events billboard) on CJBR-FM 101.5 (50,000 watts). Until now, CJBR-FM rebroadcast, in its entirety, the programming of the CBC French-language Stereo (FM) network originating from CBF-FM Montréal.

1997

The Radio-Canada network was renamed “Première Chaîne” on September 1.

Undated

CJBR-FM became CBRX-FM when CJBR-AM moved to the FM dial as CJBR-FM.

2001

CBRX-FM broadcast approximately 20 minutes of local arts billboard programming each week from Rimouski. At this time, CBRX-FM operated no rebroadcast transmitters.

2002

On April 30, CBRX-FM received approval to add transmitters at Matane (107.5 MHz with effective radiated power of 31,700 watts), Sept-Îles (96.1 MHz with ERP of 84,800 watts) and Rivière-du-Loup (90.7 MHz with ERP of 56,900 watts). 

CBRX-FM-1 Matane signed on the air on December 10.

2003

CBRX-FM-3 Rivière-du-Loup commenced operations on April 23.

2004

CBRX-FM-2 Sept-Îles began broadcasting on April 28. 

La chaîne culturelle was renamed Espace musique in September. 
 

2009

On May 12 the CRTC renewed CBRX-FM’s licence. The renewal included the following rebroadcast transmitters: CBRX-FM-1 Matane, CBRX-FM-2 Sept-Iles, and CBRX-FM-3 Riviere-du-Loup.

2010

On August 9, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence of CBRX-FM (and its transmitters) to August 31, 2011.

2011

On August 25, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CBRX-FM and its transmitters to March 1, 2013.

2013

On February 22, the CRTC administratively renewed the licences for CBRX-FM Rimouski and its transmitters to August 31, 2013.

On May 28, the CRTC renewed the licence of CBRX-FM Rimouski and its transmitters CBRX-FM-1 Matane, CBRX-FM-2 Sept-Îles and CBRX-FM-3 Rivière-du-Loup, for a five year term, to August 31, 2018. The Commission considered that it was appropriate to impose conditions of licence on Espace Musique that: permit the broadcast of a maximum of four minutes of national paid advertising, as currently defined by the Commission, in any clock hour; and limit the number of times that programming can be interrupted for advertising to no more than twice per clock hour. The broadcast of advertising by Espace Musique was for a three-year trial period from September 1, 2013 until August 31, 2016.

On December 5, the CRTC gave approval to the CBC to introduce advertising on the Radio 2 and Espace Musique networks. Advertising would be limited to four minutes every hour. The CBC would need to seek permission to continue airing commercials on the two networks after three years.

2016

On August 31, the CRTC denied the CBC’s application to continue commercial advertising on Radio 2 and ICI Musique beyond the initial three-year licence amendment. The CRTC found that CBC had failed to maintain satisfactory investment in radio and failed to meet ad revenue projections.

The story continues elsewhere…
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