CITE-FM-1

CITE-FM-1, Sherbrooke

StationYearFreq.PowerOwner/Info
CITE-FM2013102.7100,000Bell Media
CITE-FM2002102.7100,000Astral Media Inc.
CITE-FM1963102.7100,000Télémédia Inc.
CITE-FM1960102.762,000Senator Jacob Nicol

1960

Senator Jacob Nicol, owner of CHLT-AM and TV, and a daily newspaper (the Platform), opened CHLT-FM. The station operated on a frequency of 102.7 MHz and transmitted from a tower located on Mont Orford. (Another possible start date: September 15, 1963)
 

1965

By this time, CHLT-FM 102.7 was operating with an effective radiated power of 62,000 watts – in stereo. The station offered programs independent of CHLT-AM daily between 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. The owner was La Tribune Inc.
 

1967

CHLT-AM-FM-TV/CKTS opened new studios and offices on October 23 putting all four stations under one roof. Known as the RTS Broadcast Centre, located on Bourque Blvd. Bob Butler is promo manager. Three TV studios (80×50, 50×50 and 42×21 feet). Still to be officially opened at a later date. Stations had been in cramped quarters downtown.
 

1968

Philippe De Gaspe Beaubien, director of operations, Expo 67, was named president of Quebec Telemedia Inc., succeeding Claude Frenette, general counsel of Power Corp., the largest shareholder in QTI, which administers CHLT-AM-FM-TV and CKTS. The French stations operate under the name Radio-Television Sherbrooke (1967) Inc. with Jean-Louis Gauthier as president. CKTS is operated by subsidiary company, Telegram Printing & Publishing Co. Ltd. with Lt.-Col. John J. Dunn, president. 

1969

Jean-Louis Gauthier was president of CHLT-AM-FM-TV.

1970

Telemedia acquired CHLT-FM.

Undated

CHLT-FM became CITE-FM-1, rebroadcasting some of the programming of co-owned CITE-FM Montreal.

1976

The station erected a brand new tower on Mont Orford.

1978

On May 16, Telmed Ltee, CKCV (Quebec) Ltee, CKAC Ltee, CHLT Radio Sherbrooke Ltee, Metro-Media Communications (1977) Ltee and Telemedia Communications Ltee received approval to amalgamate under the 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.

1979

On March 22, CITE-FM-1 was given approval to open a rebroadcast transmitter at Sherbrooke (CITE-FM-2) to fill signal gaps in the downtown area of the city. The transmitter would operate on a frequency of 96.1 MHz with an effective radiated power of 50 watts.

1982

CITE-FM-1 received CRTC approval to increase effective radiated power from 62,000 watts to 98,900 watts.

1983

Telemedia received approval to change the frequency for the low power FM at Sherbrooke from 96.1 to 94.5 MHz in order to protect a new community station on 95.5 MHz.

1984

On January 11, the CRTC renewed CITE-FM-1’s licence until September 30, 1985.

CITE-FM-1 increased power to 98,900 watts. 

1986

The CRTC gave CITE-FM permission to continue using two frequencies. Despite a new antenna in 1976 and a power increase by CITE-FM-1 in 1984, nulls in the downtown area required the use of a second transmitter. 

1988

CITE-FM-1 was given approval to decrease power from 98,900 to 92,800 watts. The decrease was the result of plans to move to another tower (with a higher antenna height) on Mont-Orford.

1999

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

2001

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

2002

Astral Media Inc. purchased Telemedia’s stations in Quebec and Atlantic Canada.         

2010

On November 26, the CRTC renewed the licence for CITE-FM-1 Sherbrooke and its transmitter CITE-FM-2 Sherbrooke until March 31, 2011, subject to the terms and conditions of licence in effect under the existing licences. 

2011

On February 23, the CRTC approved the application to amend the licence for CITÉ-FM-1 Sherbrooke and its transmitter CITÉ-FM-2 Sherbrooke by deleting this condition of licence: The licensee shall broadcast not less than 63 hours of local programming each week and not less than 2 hours and 44 minutes of local news each week and to delete the conditions of licence relating to the provision of annual reports on the diversity of musical selections. The Commission also renewed the station’s licence until August 31, 2017. 

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

2013

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 CITE-FM-1.

The story continues elsewhere…
Effective September 1st 2019, we will only be adding new material to these station histories in exceptional circumstances. Our intent to chronicle the early days of these radio and television stations has been achieved, and many new sources and technologies, from the CRTC website to Wikipedia, and others, are now regularly providing new information in these areas.

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