CFGE-FM

On July 2, Cogeco Radio-Télévision inc. was awarded a licence for a new commercial French-language FM station at Sherbrooke. It would operate on 93.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 1,650 watts. A rebroadcast transmitter would operate at Magog on 98.1 MHz with effective radiated power of 360 watts. The format would be adult contemporary composed primarily of hits from the 1970s to today, and would be part of Cogeco’s Rhythm FM network (originating from CFGL-FM Laval).

CFGE-FM 93.7 signed on the air on July 16.

On August 28, CFGE-FM was authorized by the CRTC to increase average effective radiated power from 2,750 watts to 7,412 watts (maximum ERP from 5,612 watts to 25,550 watts), increase the effective height of the antenna above average terrain from 158.9 to 207.1 metres, and to relocate the antenna. The station hoped the changes would improve signal quality in its central market – Sherbrooke.

On May 28, the CRTC renewed the licence of CFGE-FM (and its transmitter CFGE-FM-1 Magog) until August 31, 2016.

On December 17, the CRTC approved the transfer of a number of commercial radio stations from Corus Entertainment to Cogeco Inc. Cogeco already owned CFGE-FM in Sherbrooke (with transmitter CFGE-FM1 Magog). With the purchase of the Corus stations, the Sherbrooke cluster would now include CHLT-FM and CKOY-FM. 

The CRTC approved an intra-corporate reorganization, including the transfer of the shares of Cogeco Diffusion inc. from Cogeco inc. to Cogeco Diffusion Acquisitions inc. and of the shares of CFEL inc. and Radio Sherbrooke inc. from CDAI to CDI. Cogeco Diffusion inc. was the licensee of CJMF-FM Québec, CJEB-FM Trois-Rivières, and CFGE-FM Sherbrooke and its broadcasting transmitter CFGE-FM-1 Magog, Quebec. CFEL inc. was the licensee of CFEL-FM Québec, Quebec. Radio Sherbrooke inc. was the licensee of CJTS-FM Sherbrooke, Quebec, at the time of this approval. (now silent)

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-Riviére. 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.