CKFS-TV, TQS, Sherbrooke
Remstar Diffusion Inc.
| Station | Year | Channel | Network Affiliate | Owner/Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CKFS-DT | 2011 | 30.1 (30) | TQS | Remstar Diffusion Inc. |
| CKFS-TV | 2008 | 30 | TQS | Remstar Diffusion Inc. |
| CKFS-TV | 2001 | 30 | TQS | Cogeco/Bell Globemedia |
| CKFS-TV | 1986 | 30 | TQS | Cogeco Inc. |
1986
On March 4, Télévision St-François Inc. (owner of CKSH-TV) was issued a licence for a net television station at Sherbrooke, operating on channel 30 with effective radiated power of 125,900 watts.
On June 30, CFKS-TV was authorized to decrease ERP to 92,300 watts.
On September 7, CFKS-TV signed on the air as a TQS affiliate. It was a semi-satellite of CFKM-TV in Trois-Rivieres. The new TQS (Television Quatre Saisons) network began broadcasting on the same day.
1992
Around this time, the corporate name changed to Cogeco Radio-Télévision Inc. (Cogeco Inc.) from Télévision Saint-François Inc.
1997
On August 22, Consortium Quebecor was authorized to acquire effective control of TQS inc. Communications Quebecor inc. would hold 58.52% in Consortium Quebecor. The other shareholders were Canadian Satellite Communications Inc. (19.49%), Cogeco inc. (19.99%), and the other affiliates of the “Télévision Quatre Saisons” network.
2001
On December 7, Cogeco Radio Television Inc. (60%) and Bell Globemedia Inc. (through subsidiary CTV Television Inc.) (40%) were given approval to acquire TQS Inc. The shares had been held in trust by Mr. Pierre Hébert. The sale of TQS came about because of the purchase of TVA by Quebecor Média Inc. The CRTC imposed a condition precedent requiring that the control of TQS be transferred to a third party not associated with Quebecor.
2008
On June 26 the CRTC approved the application to change the effective control of TQS inc., licensee of CFJP-TV Montréal, CFJP-DT Montréal, CFAP-TV Québec, CFKM-TV Trois-Rivières, CFKS-TV Sherbrooke and CFRS-TV Saguenay, and of the TQS network, through the transfer of all of the issued and outstanding shares of 3947424 Canada Inc., the parent corporation of TQS, currently held by Cogeco Radio-Télévision inc. (60%) and CTV Television Inc. (40%), to Remstar Diffusion inc., a corporation owned and controlled by Julien and Maxime Rémillard. The Commission also renewed the licences for these stations until August 31, 2015.
2011
On August 15, the CRTC approved the application by V Interactions inc. to amend the licence for CFKS-TV to add a post-transition digital transmitter to serve the population of Sherbrooke. The new post-transition digital transmitter, CFKS-DT Sherbrooke, would operate on channel 30 with an average effective radiated power of 2,620 watts (maximum ERP of 4,630 watts with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 591.19 metres).
The deadline for the conversion of analog television to digital in mandatory markets was August 31. CFKS-TV made the switch early – on August 1. Analog CFKS-TV channel 30 was shut down and replaced by digital CFKS-DT on the same channel (virtual channel 30.1). It operated at reduced power until September 19 when it was scheduled to begin full-power operations.
2012
On April 26, the CRTC reviewed certain conditions of licence for V Interactions inc.’s television stations (CFJP-DT Montréal, CFAP-DT Québec, CFKM-DT Trois-Rivières, CFKS-DT Sherbrooke and CFRS-DT Saguenay) and network. The Commission noted that this process represented a review solely of V Interactions’ conditions of licence regarding local programming and priority programming. In light of the expectation set out in Broadcasting Decision 2008-129 that the licensee could improve its news offering for the remainder of its licence terms, the Commission maintained the same conditions of licence with respect to local programming and priority programming until August 31, 2015.
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.
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.