CJVR-FM

CJVR 1420 signed on the air on October 8.

On March 14, M. Lefebvre, W. Hurd, R. Treleaven, V. Miner, and F. Bealby were given approval to sell Radio CJVR Ltd. to M. Chase, M. Kokken, K. George and L. Enns.

CJVR changed its format to country.

Al Nagy did sports at CJVR.

Bill Wood became CJVR’s program director. Former PD John Carter moved to CJCY Medicine Hat.

On September 27, approval came for the sale of 75% of Radio CJVR Ltd. by Gary Fitz to the Fabmar family.

CJVR began broadcasting in stereo.

On February 22, the CRTC approved the application to amend the licence for CJVR, by relocating the transmitter to a site approximately 25 kilometres southeast of the existing site and by changing the frequency from 1420 kHz to 750 kHz. An opposing intervention submitted by Central Broadcasting Company Ltd., licensee of CKBI and CFMM-FM Prince Albert, stated that the profitablity of these stations would be negatively affected should this application be approved. In its reply, the licensee noted that based on predicted service contours, the quality of reception in Prince Albert would not significantly change. In this regard, the Commission was of the opinion that CJVR would not attract a substantially greater amount of advertising revenue from Prince Albert than was currently the case.

CJVR was granted a power increase from 10,000 to 25,000 watts day and night, on October 9.

Ken Singer became sales manager at CJVR, succeeding Ray Telford who moved back to CKNL in Fort St. John, BC. Telford took up the General Manager post at CKNL on May 1. Singer had been a sales rep at CJVR.

On December 7, Radio CJVR Ltd. was granted a licence for a new FM station at Melfort, operating on a frequency of 105.1 MHz with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts. Additional transmitters would be located at Dafoe (100.3 MHz with 100,000 watts) and Waskesiu Lake (106.3 MHz with 7,100 watts). The musical format would be a mix of Adult Contemporary, Contemporary Hits, Pop, and Classic Rock.

On March 1, CJVR-FM 105.1 signed on with the successful country format, which had been on CJVR-AM for 36 years, bringing the first major FM signal to the northeastern part of Saskatchewan. The rebroadcast transmitters also went on the air this year. CJVR-FM-1 (100.3 MHz) was located 20 miles south of Watson and CJVR-FM-2 (106.3 MHz) operated from the Prince Albert National Park near Waskesiu.

The company retained the 750 kHz AM frequency and it became CKJH – “CK750 – Just the Hits” – playing oldies and classic rock.

On October 22, Radio CJVR Ltd. received approval to increase effective radiated power for CJVR-FM-2 Waskesiu Lake, from 7,100 watts to 11,000 watts.

On August 16, Radio CJVR Ltd. was authorized to add a transmitter for CJVR at Carrot River. The new re-transmitter would operate on 99.7 MHz with effective radiated power of 44.78 watts. CJVR stated the existing Melfort signal reaches the general area of Carrot River, but is sporadic, and that the new transmitter would improve signal reception for the residents of this community.

CJVR morning host Bill Wood marked 40 years with the Melfort stations. He began as afternoon announcer but was soon doing the breakfast show and later became the music and program director.

Ken Singer, Fabmar Communications VP of Broadcast Operations, retired in the fall after five decades in broadcasting. Singer started his broadcasting career in 1967 in Saskatoon and held roles on-air and in sales, in addition to upper management over the years. He most recently oversaw the sale of Fabmar’s four radio stations to the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.

On August 15, the CRTC approved an application by Fabmar Communications, on behalf of the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group, for corporate reorganization. The reorganization would see Fabmar amalgamated into JPBG, including CIXM-FM Whitecourt, CHWK-FM Chilliwack, CJVR-FM Melfort and its transmitters CJVR-FM-1 Dafoe, CJVR-FM-2 Wakesiu Lake, CJVR-FM-3 Carrot River, and CKJH Melfort.