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In 1947 CKNW received CBC approval to operate an FM station in Vancouver (101.1 MHz with power of 250 watts). The station never made it to the air. |
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On May 16, 1968 Radio NW Ltd. was granted approval to establish a new FM station at New Westminster on 101.1 MHz with effective radiated power of 100,000 watts and antenna height of 709 feet (EHAAT). A country and western music format was proposed. |
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Radio NW (Frank Griffiths) launched CFMI-FM on March 22, 1970. The format was "pop for adults" and the station was heavily automated with the "Fat Albert" system, using stereo cartridges. CFMI's transmitter was located on Mount Seymour. Studios and offices were at 815 McBride Plaza in New Westminster. |
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In 1987 CFMI-FM was given approval to decrease effective radiated power from 40,000 to 36,000 watts and to relocate the transmitter site slightly to the east on Seymour Mountain. |
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In 1990 CFMI-FM planned to move to a harder rock sound after the CRTC approved a change from 70:50 to 50:50 soft to hard pop and rock format. Cancon would increased from 20% to 30%. A decrease in news was denied. |
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Dave Rutherford was appointed vice president and assistant general manager of CFMI and CKNW. |
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On January 15, 1996 CFMI and CKNW moved to new studios in the TD Tower in downtown Vancouver. |
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In 1998 The Griffiths family holdings in WIC Western International Communications Ltd. were sold, subject to CRTC approval, to Shaw Communications Inc. and CanWest Global Communications Corp. |
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In 1999 Following months of negotiation, agreements were filed with the CRTC on the split of WIC assets between CanWest Global, Corus Radio Company (formerly Shaw Radio), and Shaw Communications. On October 18, CFMI was given approval to operate a transitional digital radio undertaking. The transmitters would be installed on Mount Seymour and Metrotown - Cantel Building in Burnaby and would employ the EUREKA-147 digital audio broadcasting system. The station would transmit on 1461.536 MHz with an effective isotropic radiated power of 3,381 watts from Mt. Seymour and 2,774 watts from Burnaby. |
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In 2000 Following an April hearing in Vancouver, in July, the CRTC announced the approval of the purchase of WIC Radio by Corus Radio Company, which included CFMI Vancouver. On June 19, CFMI was authorized to add a rebroadcast transmitter at Whistler, operating on 90.7 MHz with ERP of 50 watts. |
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On August 3, 2005 the CRTC approved the application by Corus Premium Television Ltd. to change the authorized contours of CFMI-FM transmitter VF2341 Whistler, by relocating the transmitter and increasing the antenna height. These changes reflect the actual technical parameters following construction of the transmission facilities. |
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The CRTC renewed CFMI's licence on August 24, 2006. This renewal included the transmitter VF2341 at Whistler. |
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On August 28, 2009 the CRTC renewed the transitional digital radio licence of CFMI-DR-1. |
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Doug Court passed away on March 5, 2010. He had spent 30 years at CKNW as an engineer. He started his radio career there. Court was part of the engineering team responsible for relocating the entire station after fire destroyed its original studios on Columbia Street. Over the years they took CKNW from a 5,000 watt community station to the 50,000 watt market leader. Court was part of the team that launched CFMI-FM. He officially retired in 1981 but continued to work at CKNW/CFMI part-time. |