CFGL-FM

Roland Saucier received a licence to operate a new FM station at Laval. It would broadcast on 105.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts with antenna height (EHAAT) of 398 feet.

CFGL went on the air September 10. It was the first independent commercial FM station in Canada. The station was licensed to Stereo Laval Inc. which was owned by Jean-Pierre Coallier and Roland Saucier. Coallier was a radio and television performer and cartoonist. Saucier was president of National Sports Productions. 

Slogan: Now…The FM “that talks and sings”. CFGL-FM – the #1 French FM in Greater Montreal. 

Roland Saucier (Stereo Laval Inc.) purchased CKLM 1570 Laval.

With a new FM policy on the way from the CRTC, CFGL-FM was classed as an “independent” station. It was one of only two commercial FM stations in the entire country that operated without an AM counterpoart. The other station was CFMC-FM in Saskatoon.

On October 17, approval was granted for the transfer of effective control of Radio MF CIEL (1976) Inc. through the transfer of 89.1% of the shares of the parent company Sono-Sud Ltee to 87584 Canada Ltee as follows: 35,219 common shares from Sono-Sud to the numbered company and 27,555 common shares from 13 of 21 of the existing shareholders, to the numbered company. 87584 Canada Ltee was controlled by Stereo Laval Inc., owner of CFGL-FM Laval. The CRTC did have some concerns about one owner holding two FM licences in the same market, but allowed the deal to proceed. CFGL served the northern part of Metro Montreal while CIEL served the south shore, from St-Jean to St-Hyacinthe with transmitter at St-Bruno.

The purchase of CKLM-AM Laval by Stereo Laval Inc. (CFGL-FM and CIEL-FM) was approved by the CRTC. Also approved was a reorganization by which Stereo Laval would be wholly-owned by Placements Roland Saucier Inc., and CIEL-FM would operate autonomously as Radio MF CIEL (1981) Inc.

Saucier sold CKLM-AM.

CFGL was granted a decrease in effective radiated power from 100,000 to 41,000 watts and the relocation of the antenna to Mount-Royal.

A decrease in power to 34,300 watts was approved.

Cogeco Inc. purchased Stéréo Laval Inc. from Placements Roland Saucier Inc. Cogeco, headed by Henri Audet of Trois-Rivieres, controlled La Belle Vision Inc. (cable) and four television stations. The new owner promised increased news coverage, the addition of a community studio, and the appointment of a community affairs director. The CRTC also approved reductions in spoken word, foreground and French vocal content.

An increase in effective radiated power to 41,000 watts was approved (from 34,300 watts).

CFGL marked its 20th anniversary on September 20.

CFGL was granted a transitional digital radio undertaking to serve Montréal and Laval, operating on 1,454.56 MHz and an effective isotropic radiated power of 1,400 watts in Montréal and 1,594 watts in Laval. 

On August 23 the CRTC renewed CFGL-FM’s licence until August 31, 2013. 

On December 17, the CRTC approved the transfer of a number of commercial radio stations from Corus Entertainment to Cogeco Inc. Cogeco already owned CFGL-FM in Montreal. With the purchase of the Corus stations, the Montreal cluster would now include French-language CKOI-FM, CHMP-FM, and CKAC-AM (with CKAC-DR-2), as well as English-language CFQR-FM. The CRTC approved, by majority decision, Cogeco’s request to be granted an exception to the Common Ownership Policy in relation to the number of radio stations that it is authorized to operate in the Montréal radio market.

After the deal was closed for Cogeco’s purchase of Corus Quebec, these appointments were announced: Richard Lachance was promoted to senior VP, Radio; Monique Lacharite to VP of control, administration and human resources; André St-Amand to VP of programming; Jean-Luc Meilleur to VP of regional stations and general manager of 105.7 Rythme FM; Real Germain, GM of CKAC Montreal and Cogeco News; Daniel Dubois, VP, sales; and François Birtz, GM of technology, IT and operations. 

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.

In April, CFGL began broadcasting in HD (HD1) and offered the programming of CKAC 730 on HD2 and CIME 103.9 St. Jerome on HD3.

On September 27, the CRTC approved Cogeco Media’s applications to combine CKOI, CKBE, CKMP and CFGL’s services on a single, more efficient antenna owned by Cogeco on Mount Royal. Under the change, CFGL would increase ERP from 41,000 to 48,000 watts and decrease EHAAT from 297 to 276.6 metres.

The consolidation of Cogeco’s four Montreal-area FM antenna’s on to a single Mount Royal tower was completed in November. The stations involved were CKBE 92.5 Montreal, CKOI 96.9 Montreal, CHMP 98.5 Longueuil and CFGL 105.7 Laval.