In 1946, CHAT Medicine Hat signed on to 1270 KHz with 1000 watts. Owner Monarch Broadcasting was controlled by J.H. "Hop" Yuill. He had originally applied for the license in the late 1930s, but World War II had begun before the application was processed. Hop reapplied in 1945 and quickly recieved a license.
In 1954, at 4:30 p.m., CFCW Camrose "was able to commence continuous broadcasting following receipt of an official O.K. from the Department of Transport. Officials of the company presented a brief program, with station manager Tom Shandro coming on the air promptly at 7:00 p.m. with an official message for the listeners throughout the district. Sales manager and promoter of the station, Hal Yerxa, also spoke during the opening program." (The Camrose Canadian, page 1, November 3, 1954). Within seven years, the station moved from 1230 KHz and 250 watts, to 790 KHz and 10,000 watts, and also became Canada's first full-time country music station. Today, with 50,000 watts and licensed to both Camrose and Edmonton, CFCW has more listeners than any other music-based AM station in Canada.
Also in 1954, CKYL Peace River signed on with 1000 watts on 630 KHz. A complicated set of frequency swaps in the years ahead saw CKYL move to 610 KHz, CHED Edmonton move from 1080 to 630, and CKSA Lloydminster move from 1150 to 1080.
In 1963, that disaster known as CJQM signed on in Winnipeg. It was a clone of CHQM Vancouver, with CHQM on-air staff voice tracking and production staff creating the ten and half inch reels of music on tape. An early IGM (International Good Music, Bellingham) automation machine, rumoured to be Serial #5, was used to produce the on-air product, with the beginning of a 20 Hertz stop tone triggering the next event and the tone's end stopping the tape drive. It took less than two years before the late Jack Stark pulled the plug and sold the station, which became CFRW. But CFRW was bankrupt by 1970 when it was purchased by CJOR/Jim Pattison. CHUM agreed to buy CFRW AM & FM in October 1973.
Meanwhile, IGM #5 was shipped to Vancouver, all of the CHQM-FM operators were fired, and the AM announcer forgot to start it on its first day. Once it was started, it failed within the first five minutes, and the FM operators were immediately re-hired. Tape drives kept being added until it had six by the end of 1971, plus one fixed cart machine and a cart carousel. A Fisher stereo receiver was used as the only available monitor within ear shot when you were actually at the automation machine. I would occasionally tune it to CKLG-FM when I got bored, or wanted to freak out passing staff.
In 1980, CKER Edmonton signed on to 1480 KHz with 10,000 watts. The station was licensed as a multilingual station and was owned by O.K. Radio Group. O.K. already owned CJOK-AM Fort McMurray, founded by owners Roger Charest and Stu Morton.
In 1985, CKWA Slave Lake (Alberta) signed on 1210 KHz with 1000 watts. Other than a local morning show six days a week, all programming was simulcast from CFOK Westlock, to whom the original CKWA license was issued. In the 1960s, CKWA's frequency had been a 1-A clear channel, with WCAU Philadelphia the only station on 1210 KHz at night in North America.
In 1995, Nor-Net Communications received CRTC permission to buy CIBQ Brooks, CKDQ Drumheller and CKSQ Stettler from CHUM.
In 1996, A-Channel was born, with TV station licenses issued by the CRTC to Craig Broadcast Systems.
In 2005, Jim Pattison announced agreement had been reached to purchase Island Radio, subject to CRTC approval. The stations involved were CHWF-FM and CKWV-FM Nanaimo, CIBH-FM and CHPQ-FM Parksville, CKLR-FM Courtenay and CJAV-FM Port Alberni. The sale was approved June 27, 2006.
