Broadcast History - November 8

[jon]

In 1971, CKIQ Kelowna signed on to 1150 KHz with 1000 watts and the same directional pattern both day and night. The station was owned by Bob Hall and Walter Gray, under the corporate name Four Seasons Radio Ltd., which already owned stations in Salmon Arm, Revelstoke and Golden. One of CKIQ's first employees hired was Nick Frost, whose last shift at CHQM Vancouver was in early September 1971. In his absence, Jurgen Gothe and then Gary Barclay turned all night Saturday nights into a jazz show, simulcast on CHQM AM & FM. Nick stayed with CKIQ until 1975, moving to CHIM-FM for the next 10 years on-air then Manager, until fulfilling his dream of owning a radio station in 1985, with CILK-FM. He later pioneered Internet services as an ISP, selling out just before the Dot Net bubble burst. Nick sold CILK-FM and retired in 2006, with no regrets, except perhaps not retiring earlier. When I knew him at CHQM, he would spend his vacations travelling in his beloved roadster, and visiting every radio station along the way. Nick began as an announcer at CJIB Vernon in 1969.



In 1995, CKSW-AM Swift Current received CRTC approval to purchase financially ailing competitor CIMG-FM. CKSW obtained a second FM license in 2005, for CKFI-FM.

In 2000, Red Robinson retired from daily broadcasting, doing his last weekday morning show on CISL Vancouver. 60 years later, no one has challenged his position as Canada's first DJ to play Rock & Roll on a regular basis; his first show on CJOR Vancouver was on November 12, 1954. My recording of his CISL morning show on his 45th anniversary (November 12, 1999) refutes criticisms of his self-promotion: he never once mentions the fact it was his 45th anniversary on the air. One little known, but verified, fact has recently surfaced: Red had actually been hired by KJR Seattle in the summer of 1960, gave his notice at KGW Portland, but before he had worked through his notice period, he was drafted, and never was able to show up for work at KJR. Instead, he reported for duty, but was able to continue on-air on weekends at KMBY Monterey, when it was the current home of Robert W. Morgan and future home of Robert O. Smith.



Also in 2000, the CRTC approved a 50 watt FM specialty station in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, on 93.5 MHz. CIHS-FM mixed Traditional Country with Gospel Country music. By 2006, a second power increase put CIHS at 5120 watts to fully cover Westaskiwin. The station was sold to Sukhdev S. Dhillon in 2007 after continuously losing money since it first signed on.

In 2001, CJIB Vernon moved to FM. The station had 46,000 watts on 107.5 MHz. Today the station is back to being CJIB-FM as "Beach Radio". CJIB-AM first signed on in September 1947 on 940 KHz with 1000 watts.