CJEB-FM

On July 2, Cogeco Radio-Télévision inc. was awarded a licence for a new commercial French-language FM station at Trois-Rivières, operating on 100.1 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 43,050 watts. The station would be part of Cogeco’s Rhythm FM network (originating from CFGL-FM Laval) and provide an adult contemporary format composed primarily of hits from the 1970s to today.

CJEB-FM signed on the air in September.

On May 28, the CRTC renewed the licence of CJEB-FM 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 CJEB-FM in Trois-Rivieres. With the purchase of the Corus stations, the Quebec cluster would now include CHLN-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. CFEL inc. was the licensee of CFEL-FM Québec. Radio Sherbrooke inc. was the licensee of CJTS-FM Sherbrooke, at the time of this approval.

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.