CKRY-FM

Robert E. Redmond received a licence to operate a new FM station at Calgary. An application by Robert K. Whyte was also approved. Whyte proposed a progressive format while Redmond’s application called for a Contemporary Country music format. Redmond was the owner of stations in St. Catharines and Simcoe, Ontario. Mike Hanson would move from St. Catharines to Calgary to manage the new station which would be 60% owned by Calgarians.

On July 9, CKRY-FM “Country 105” signed on the air. It broadcast on a frequency of 105.1 MHz with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts. 

On January 11, the CRTC renewed CKRY-FM’s licence until September 30, 1985.

Gene Constaine left CKRY for CKAN in Newmarket, ON.

Hal Gardiner became news director at CKRY-FM.

The corporate name was noted as Redmond Communications Calgary Ltd. 

CKRY-FM received a two year licence renewal. The station had some shortfalls in meeting its foreground / mosaic levels – the highest in the province. The CRTC approved a reduction in those levels.

In May, CKRY-FM moved its studios and offices from #300 – 609 14th Street N. W. to #500 – 1121 Centre Street North. 

On December 16, the CRTC approved the sale of CKRY-FM by Redmond Broadcasting Inc. to Shaw Radio Ltd. 

Shaw Radio’s purchase of CKRY-FM closed on January 1.

In January, the CKRY-FM studios and offices moved to Shaw Court, #105 – 630 – 3rd Avenue S. W.

Paul Larson joined Country 105 as assistant program director/music director. He had been with Nornet Edmonton.

Corus Entertainment Inc. was formed September 1, from the media assets of Shaw Communications Inc. Corus became a separate and distinct, publicly traded corporation. The Shaw family continued to hold the majority of voting shares in Corus.

On April 20, the CRTC approved the addition of an FM transmitter at Banff for CKRY, operating on 93.3 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 92 watts.

Country 105 afternoon drive host Murray Vair left the station. It was the first daytime on-air change at the station in eight years.

Robert E. Redmond, founder of CKRY-FM passed away on May 7.

Natasha Rapchuk, News Director at Corus Radio Calgary, resigned after 10 years with the company. She moved to Toronto for family reasons. Her last day on the job at QR77 was December 11. 

Stacey Walyuchow was the new National Account Manager at Corus Radio Calgary. Her previous experience was outside of broadcasting.

Gerry Pigeon, who’d been with Corus Radio Calgary the past nine years, the last six as Retail Sales Manager, moved August 3 to NL Broadcasting in Kamloops to become General Sales Manager for NL’s three stations there – CHNL, CKRV-FM and CJKC-FM. 

Joe McFarland, News Director at 102.1 FM The Lounge Medicine Hat since its launch in 2008, left at the end of July to join Corus Radio Calgary as a reporter.

There were a number of changes at Corus Entertainment related to its organization review to streamline decision-making and clarify roles and mandates. Among the changes: Reporting to Hal Blackadar, Executive Vice President and interim President of Corus Radio was Doug Rutherford, VP/GM, Corus Radio Alberta (now GM at Calgary). Garry McKenzie, GM of Corus Radio Calgary, now held the same post at Corus Radio Vancouver.

Kathy Thompson joined the Vista Radio management team November 29 in the combined role of Jet FM Retail Sales Manager and as Vista’s Regional Sales Manager. She moved from Corus Calgary where she has been a Senior Account Manager for the past 12 years.

Niki Harris moved from the Corus Interactive department to Promotions Director at Corus Radio Calgary.

Corus Entertainment announced the appointment of Garry McKenzie as regional general manager for Corus Radio Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg, effective April 2. In his new role, Garry would provide leadership, strategic direction and vision to the three markets, bringing over 20 years of solid operating experience, a strong sales and marketing background and results-driven success to 10 radio stations. Most recently, Garry was general manager of Corus Radio Vancouver.

Doug Rutherford, after a combined 38 years with WIC/Shaw/Corus, left his vice president and general manager post with Corus Radio Alberta at the end of March. Rutherford was President/CEO of WIC in Vancouver from 1998 to 2000. In 2000, Shaw purchased the company and Rutherford was retained in the position of VP for the West and held that role when Shaw’s broadcast properties were moved under a Shaw-held new company, Corus. 

On the afternoon of July 11, Shaw Court, home to QR77, Country 105 and Q107, was evacuated due to an explosion and fire. The power had to be shut off and the stations were unable to broadcast. The fire forced the relocation of the stations, at least temporarily. QR77, Q107 and Country 105, said General Manager Garry McKenzie, would likely be out of the Shaw building for about a year.

Following the fire that hit Shaw Court, Corus Calgary (CFGQ, CHQR, CKRY) announced it would temporarily move the stations to Eau Claire Market on November 5.

Greg Heraldson Passed away In January. The long-time Calgary programmer (with a stop at CKLG Vancouver) died just before his 63rd birthday. Heraldson had spent time at CKXL, CHQR and COUNTRY 105.

Corus Entertainment’s three Calgary stations began broadcasting from the second floor of the new Corus Centre at 200, 3320 17th Avenue S.W. in the fall. Corus was using all of the 24,000-square-foot second floor, plus a reception area, meeting and board room and street-level studio.

Late in the year, CKRY began broadcasting in HD with a power of 1,256 watts. CKRY-HD1 simulcast CKRY-FM while CKRY-HD2 offered a simulcast of sister station CHQR 770.

Rick Meaney, 71, died on November 15. Meaney and Bob Redmond started Country 105 in 1982. The station was sold to Shaw in 1997. Meaney was the station’s GM for over 18 years and in his final two years in the business, GM for Corus Radio Calgary (CKRY, CHQR and CFGQ).