CFLN-AM

Dr. Noel Murphy and a group of Corner Brook, Newfoundland businessmen were awarded a licence for an AM station, CFCB, and formed the Humber Valley Broadcasting Company Ltd. The company would later acquire a licence for a station in Stephenville.

Humber Valley was granted a licence by the CRTC for a new AM station in Goose Bay, Labrador. CFLN-AM Goose Bay went on the air for the first time on September 28th, on 1230 kHz.

On July 25th, Humber Valley received CRTC approval to change the program origination of CFLN from studios located in Goose Bay and CFLW Wabush, to studios located in Corner Brook. The Commission noted that the applicant had made a convincing argument that the proposed moves were necessary due to the current “economic depression” in Newfoundland/Labrador, but expected the licensee to make every effort
“to continue to offer a radio service that is locally-oriented and responsive to the needs of the Labrador audience.”

On December 13th CKLN-AM received approval to increase its night-time power, effective December 15th, from 250 watts to 1000 watts.

On July 4th the CRTC renewed CFLN-AM’s license for a further four-year term, October 1st 1986 to September 30th 1990. The station was encouraged to continue its efforts in support of Canadian talent.

On April 13, the CRTC approved the application to amend the licence for CFLN Goose Bay (the originating station), by authorizing the licensee to add, as transmitters, CFLW Wabush and CFLC-FM Churchill Falls. 

On July 6th, the Commission renewed the licence for CFLN-AM and its two rebroadcasters for a seven-year period from September 1st 1995 to August 31st 2002.

On April 2nd, the CRTC approved the transfer of control and ownership of the Humber Valley Broadcasting Corporation, and with it ownership of CFLN-AM Goose Bay, to Newcap Inc. This deal gave Newcap control of 15 of the 16 commercial radio stations serving Newfoundland and Labrador. In issuing its decision, the CRTC made a point of saying: “The Commission expects Newcap to ensure that each of the radio stations that it has acquired from Humber Valley continues to serve the interests and reflect the diversity of the local community and allows for a variety of views and opinions to be aired”.

On August 27th, Newcap received renewals of its licences for CFLN-AM, CFLW-AM and CFLC-AM for a seven-year term, from September 1st 2001 to August 31st 2008.

On June 16 the CRTC approved the replacement of CFLN-AM and the conversion to the FM band of its transmitter CFLW Wabush. The new station would maintain the existing Country music format with a strong emphasis on spoken word programming. Of the broadcast week, 62 hours would be devoted to spoken word programming, including 7 hours and 20 minutes of pure news content. CFLN would offer 126 hours of local programming each broadcast week. CFLN would broadcast on a frequency of 97.9 MHz with an average effective radiated power of 1,000 watts (non-directional), with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 25.4 metres. CFLW would broadcast on 94.7 MHz with an ERP of 1,000 watts (non-directional), with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of -26.4 metres. The Commission noted that the transmitter CFLC-FM Churchill Falls, presently authorized as a transmitter of CFLN, would be part of the new FM licence.

On May 28, the CRTC renewed the licence of CFLN until August 31, 2016. The renewal included CFLW Wabush and CFLC-FM Churchill Falls.

CFLN made the switch from AM 1230 (Radio Labrador) to FM 97.9 (Big Land FM). The change in name also involved CFLC 97.9 Churchill Falls and CFLW 94.7 in Wabush. Note: CFLW also moved to the FM dial – from 1340 AM to 94.7 FM.

On February 7, the CRTC approved the application by Newcap Inc. to amend the licence for CFLN-FM Goose Bay, to add an FM transmitter at Northwest River. The transmitter would operate at 95.9 MHz (channel 240LP) with an effective radiated power of 50 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 22.2 metres). The licensee stated that the addition of the new transmitter would allow it to adequately serve the population of Northwest River.

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.