CFIN-FM

Clement De Laat began his quest for a local radio station to serve L’Estrie (Eastern Townships), an area dominated by U.S. radio stations.

Local resident Michael Dougherty teamed up with De Laat with hopes of applying to the CRTC for an FM licence. They would use the 104.5 MHz frequency as it was reserved for Coaticook. Power would be 710 watts. The proposed transmitter site would be Mont Tanguay.

The first application was filed with the CRTC by Coaticook FM Inc. It proposed to operate on 104.5 MHz with a power of 710 watts. A public hearing was held in June.

Coaticook FM Inc.’s application for a new FM station was denied. The CRTC questioned the economic viability of a commercial operation, suggesting a revised application for a community station. Coaticook (PQ) FM Inc. applied for a new FM station at Coaticook, operating on a frequency of 104.5 MHz with power of 710 watts. The applicants proposed a totally different program format – country & western music – the first such station on FM in Quebec. The investment would be smaller and more realistic. A public hearing was held in June. On November 3, the CRTC approved the application.

The CFIN-FM call letters were assigned in February. CFIN-FM signed on the air in October, marking the culmination of five years of determination by Clement De Laat, the station’s manager.

On February 13, the CRTC approved the application to amend the licence for CFIN-FM by decreasing the effective radiated power from 710 watts to 450 watts. This decrease in power was not expected to change the coverage area of the station since the licensee also intended to increase the height of its antenna.

CFIN was given a short-term licence renewal – just one year. The CRTC said CFIN must meet requirements such as 55% French vocal music, despite its sizeable audience south of the border.

CFIN-FM left the air on July 4, in the midst of financial and non-compliance difficulties. Radio CFIN Inc. applied to resurrect CFIN – 104.5 MHz with 450 watts. The application was denied by the CRTC. The commission said it remained unconvinced that the proposed station could achieve either its projected revenue or meet its programming commitments.

CFIN-FM remained silent. The CFIN-FM call letters were later reallocated to a new station in Lac Etchemin.