CJKC-FM

On July 21, the CRTC announced that it had received an application for a broadcasting licence to provide a commercial radio service to serve Kamloops and called for applications from other parties.  Applications were received from NL Broadcasting Ltd., Standard Radio Inc. and Evanov Radio Group Inc.

On July 21, the CRTC approved the NL Broadcasting application for a licence to operate an English-language commercial FM station with a country music format, to operate at 103.1 MHz. non-directional, with an effective radiated power of 5000 watts.  In December, broadcast equipment had arrived and was awaiting installation, along with updating of the studios of sister stations CHNL “Radio NL” and CKRV-FM “The River”.  The on-air name was announced as “Country 103”. 

On January 16, NL Broadcasting announced that Industry Canada had approved the new call letters CJKC, the “KC” which could be construed as an acronym for Kamloops Country.  On March 4 it was announced that Kelly Moore, former play-by-play voice of the Kamloops Blazers in the 1980s and early 90s would be the new Program Director.  He was hired after a 12-year term at CJOB Winnipeg.  Transmitter testing began May 3 and ended at noon on May 23.

Official sign-on took place at 1:03 p.m. Friday, August 11, where “Country 103” pledged to play 40% Canadian content.  Then Kamloops Mayor Terry Lake pressed the button to play the first song, “Play Something Country” by Brooks and Dunn, starting 1031 continuous country favourites in a row, which ran over the weekend.  On the following Monday at 6 a.m., Howie Reimer began hosting mornings with news from Brett Mineer.  Program Director Kelly Moore hosted middays with Brad Russell in afternoons.  Benchmark weekend shows included Bob Kingsley’s “Country Top 40”, “The Country 103 Canadian Countdown”, “The Jeff Foxworthy Countdown”, and Hugh McLennan’s “Spirit Of The West”. 

Andrew Hopkins, formerly of NL Broadcasting Kamloops, moved to the Peace Region as News Director at Astral Media Radio Fort St. John.

Peter Angle, the Sales Manager at NL Broadcasting’s three Kamloops radio stations (CHNL, CJKC and CKRV) moved to Astral Media Radio Kelowna (CHSU, CILK, CKFR) as General Sales Manager. Angle began his radio career at CKOV Kelowna 25 years earlier. He began with Astral on July 2.

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.

Chris Wilson became local sales manager at Country 103. He was promoted from his account executive role.

Howie Riemer was promoted to Program Director at Country 10s. He was the original morning host when the station signed-on in 2006 and had been with NL Broadcasting for 18 years. Riemer would continue doing mornings. The new Music Director at Country 103was Tim Tyler, who also does mid-days.

The new Program Director/midday host at 100.1 Moose FM Fort St. John was 18-year veteran Brad Russell. He had been with Country 103 Kamloops.

Chris Wilson, who was promoted from his account executive role to Local Sales Manager at Country 103 in June of last year, left the station. The sales team was now reporting to General Sales Manager Gerry Pigeon.

Robbie Dunn, president/GM of NL Broadcasting stepped down from the operational role after 32 years as GM. Succeeding him as GM was Garth Buchko, who would take an ownership stake in NL and also be VP of the company. Dunn would retain the president’s mantle.

NL Broadcasting completely rebuilt its studios and offices. On September 22, a grand re-opening saw Premier Christy Clark, Mayor Peter Milobar, and others on hand for the ribbon-cutting.

In the spring, Newcap Inc. received CRTC approval to acquire 100% of the shares of NL Broadcasting Limited, which owned and operated CHNL-AM, CJKC-FM, and CKRV-FM.

On August 18, CJKC listeners woke up to a new sound as the station switched to country music as the New Country 103-1.

On October 23, the CRTC approved an application by Newfoundland Capital Corporation Limited, on behalf of Newcap Inc. and its licensed broadcasting subsidiaries, for authorization to effect a change in the ownership and effective control of various radio and television broadcasting undertakings in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, so that effective control of the undertakings would be exercised by Eric Boyko (Stingray Digital Group Inc.). Stingray took ownership of the stations just a few days later.