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| OKANAGAN BROADCASTERS |
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Since 2000 - News you can trust for over-the-air radio
& TV stations in the BC Okanagan
+ Kamloops to Princeton
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After 22 years of operation, the Okanagan Broadcasters website is being retired. Our affiliated sites, Northwest Broadcasters and Vancouver Broadcasters
will continue. We thank all contributors and readers for their loyalty
over the years. There will be no further updates after Dec. 31, 2022,
but the site will remain online for the foreseeable future.
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12/31/22 - We
wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year and thank all our supporters for
your assistance in keeping our site running for the past 22 years.
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12/08/22 - Long
time Manitoba, Okanagan and Vancouver broadcaster Jim Watson passed
away Nov. 17 at age 80. He began his career at CFAR Flin Flon MB before
moving to the Okanagan to work for CJIB Vernon and then CKOV Kelowna. He
later worked for All Canada Radio & Television and then Western
Broadcast Sales in Vancouver. Obituary/ Biography
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11/04/22 - CBC Kelowna along with CBC Vancouver and Global BC are broadcast winners of 2022 Webster Awards recognizing excellence in B.C. journalism. Connie Thiessen, Broadcast Dialogue
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10/25/22 - Former Global Okanagan CHBC-TV news anchor Rick Webber
secured the third most votes of 32 candidates during Kelowna's civic
election by spending less than $2,400 of his own money during his
campaign. Speaking with Castanet, he said concern over crime was the number one issue he heard from voters. Nicholas Johansen, Castanet
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10/18/22 - The CRTC has approved an application by United Christian Broadcasters Media Canada
to operate specialty (religious music) FM radio stations in Kelowna and
a rebroadcasting transmitter in Kamloops. The new station in Kelowna
would operate at 88.1 MHz with an ERP of 4,200 watts non-directional at
an EHAAT of 500 metres. The rebroadcasting transmitter in Kamloops would
operate at 99.1 MHz with an ERP of 3,000 watts non-directional with an
EHAAT of 148.6 metres. CRTC Release
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10/18/22 - The CRTC has approved an application by the CBC to replace its current Radio One
AM station in Merritt with a new FM transmitter. CBUP-FM will operate
at 98.7 MHz with an ERP of 140 watts non-directional at an EHAAT of
599.8 metres. It will re-broadcast the programming of CBYK-FM 94.1 Kamloops. CRTC Release
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10/18/22 - Long time Global Okanagan CHBC-TV news anchor Rick Webber
has won a seat on Kelowna city council in Saturday's municipal
elections. He anchored news at the station for nearly 30 years until his
retirement in July 2019. Facebook Announcement
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10/06/22 - Multimedia journalist Stephanie Swensrude departs CFJC-TV Kamloops after ten months to join Global TV Edmonton. It's a return home for the 2021 Northern Alberta Institute of Technology Radio and TV program graduate.
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9/29/22 - Dana Thompson, who departed her position at New Country CIGV-FM 100.7 Penticton last week, teams up with Graeme Gordon to host p.m. drive on JR Country CJJR-FM 93.7 Vancouver. Twitter Announcement
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9/22/22 - CHBC-TV
Kelowna celebrates 65 years on air after what was described as an
arduous construction effort. Live broadcasting in Kelowna began on Sept.
21, 1957 and a few days later in Penticton and Vernon. Global News/ Video
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9/21/22 - New Country CIGV-FM 100.7 Penticton announces that Dana Thompson & MJ (Marissa Lyons) are leaving their positions with the Casey Clarke morning show this coming Friday. Facebook Posting Farewell Video
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9/17/22 - Jayden Wasney returns as the Kelowna Chiefs colour commentator for the 2022-23 KIJHL season. He left the team halfway through the season last year to pursue his TV broadcasting career. Twitter Announcement
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 | 9/10/22 - CTV News Vancouver has announced the addition of former Global Okanagan anchor/ reporter Lauren Pullen, who joins as a new weekend anchor. She worked at Global Okanagan from 2013-17 and most recently for Global Calgary. Twitter Announcement
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8/30/22 - CKPG-TV Prince George video journalist/ anchor Randi-Marie Adams is moving to Global Okanagan CHBC-TV
Kelowna effective Sept. 16, Her last day in Prince George is Sept. 9.
The 2016 Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) graduate has
been at CKPG since January 2021. Twitter Announcement
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8/26/22
- Long-time British Columbia newscaster David Biro died
peacefully at home in Victoria on Tuesday, August 23rd at age 70 after a
long bout with cancer. During his career he worked at CJIB Vernon, CKIQ
Kelowna and CFVR Abbotsford, then at radio and TV stations in Vancouver
and Victoria. Biro received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the
Radio-Television News Directors Association in 2011. The family will
hold a private celebration of life. Times Colonist Obituary |
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8/19/22 - The BC Hockey League
has renamed its Broadcaster of the Year award the Jim Hughson Award.
The 65-year-old Hughson, who retired last September, worked Vancouver Canucks
games on radio from 1990-98, on TV from 1999-2007 and was a
play-by-play broadcaster for Hockey Night in Canada, where he worked
from 2005-21. Hughson began his long sports broadcasting career by
calling games for the Penticton Vees and the Kelowna Buckaroos in the BC
junior league during the 1970s. He currently serves as chairman of the
board for the BC Hockey Hall of Fame. Nick Greenizan, Peace Arch News
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8/15/22 - The Junior A West Kelowna Warriors hockey team has announced a partnership with AM1150 CKFR
to broadcast select away games during the 2022/23 season. This is the
first ever local radio partnership in Warriors history, with the first
broadcast set for the regular season opener against the Cowichan Valley Capitals in Duncan on Friday, September 23. Warriors Release AM1150 Release
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8/17/22
- Ian Speckman, a face and voice very familiar to TV and radio
consumers, died August 3 in Kelowna. He was 60. Speckman was a celebrity
businessman from Maple Ridge, who produced and starred in his own
commercials for his car dealership. His ads played during such
high-profile events as the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the World Series. A
celebration of life will be held at noon August 27 at the Evangel Church
in Kelowna. Neil Corbett, Maple Ridge News Sun/ Province Obituary Perry Lefko Backgrounder
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7/29/22 (Updated) - Veteran Kelowna broadcasters Andy & TJ, Andy James and Tamara Lindsay, are retiring after 19 years on the air. Their morning show has been running on The Lake CKOV-FM 103.9 since May 2021. Their previous show was cancelled on CILK-FM 101.5 when its branding was changed from EZ Rock to Move in December 2020. Tim Black will host the morning show in the interim following the long weekend. Facebook Announcement Wayne Moore, Castanet
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7/25/22 - Long time Western Hockey League Kelowna Rockets broadcaster Regan Bartel will still be calling the games following the recent announcement that they are moving to The Lizard CKLZ-FM 104.7. He became the voice of the Rockets in 2000. Josh Duncan, Kelowna Now
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7/22/22 - The Vernon Community Radio Society has been given a one year extension by the CRTC to start broadcasting its new station Valley FM
CFAV-FM 97.9. The application for an extension cited a combination of
obstacles created by the pandemic and wildfire environmental events in
2020 and 2021 as factors. Darren Handschuh, Castanet
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7/10/22 - Big changes at Pattison Kelowna on Monday. Big Ginger (Kieran Wilkie) moves from morning drive on The Lizard CKLZ-FM 104.7, to afternoon drive on Beach Radio CKQQ-FM 103.1. At the same time, Chris Roach moves from morning drive to afternoon drive on The Lizard. Ryan Connop moves from afternoon drive on Beach to morning drive on Lizard to team up with Sarah Nick.
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7/09/22 - After a year in afternoons at The Lizard CKLZ-FM 104.7 Kelowna, Sarah Nick
moves to mornings on Monday, July 11. She will team up with Ryan Connop
weekday mornings 5:30-9:30. Chris Roach will replace her in
afternoons. Twitter Announcement
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7/08/22 - AJ Ashley Pirhonen, who announced her departure from Move CJMG-FM 97.1
Penticton in early May to take a weekend position at The River CKKN-FM 101.3 Prince George, is moving again. She will be joining newly reformatted 89.5 JR Country CHWK-FM Chilliwack in afternoons beginning next month. Twitter Announcement |
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7/07/22 - Former Global Okanagan CHBC-TV news anchor Rick Webber
has announced he is running for Kelowna council. He joined Global
Okanagan in 1990 and retired in 2019. He had hinted then that he may run
for city council. Webber landed his first media job in 1976 at a radio
station in PEI. He moved to B.C. in 1978 and worked at several radio and
TV stations before landing at Global. Doyle Potenteau, Global News
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7/06/22 - The WHL Kelowna Rockets are leaving Bell Media's AM 1150 CKFR for Pattison Broadcasting's The Lizard CKLZ-FM 104.7. The Rockets have been broadcast on AM 1150 for over two decades, most recently signing a three-year agreement in March 2019. Regan Bartel
has been the voice of the Rockets for the vast majority of that period,
though it is unknown at this time whether he will continue under the
new contract. Rob Gibson, Castanet
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6/16/22 - Jayden Taylor Wasney has returned to the Okanagan to join CHBC-TV Kelowna as a reporter. He previously was a reporter for Castanet before joining CTV Lethbridge as a video journalist. Twitter Announcement
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6/08/22 - Veteran
broadcaster Roy Hennessy, who got his start in radio at CKOK Penticton
in the early 1960s, passed away last night in Toronto following a stroke
on May 27. He hosted a very highly rated morning show at CKLG Vancouver
back in the 1960s and '70s, held a number of management positions on
the Prairies, Toronto and then back in Vancouver as President of Shore
104. Connie Thiessen, Broadcast Dialogue Penticton Herald
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6/04/22 - Just over a year after the launch of The Lake CKOV-FM 103.9 Kelowna by Paul Larsen, Broadcast Dialogue editor and podcast host Connie Thiessen speaks with him about being a stand-alone owner in a highly competitive small market. BD News/ Podcast |
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6/02/22 - Video journalist Darrian Matassa-Fung moves from Global Okanagan to Global BC as an online journalist. The 2019 BCIT Broadcast Journalism graduate joined Global Okanagan in 2019. Twitter Announcement |
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5/19/22 - Former Kelowna broadcaster Jasmin Doobay is leaving her current position with Pattison Media in Prince George to move into the role of PD at the company's Country 95 CHLB-FM 95.5 and B-93 CJBZ-FM 93.3
Lethbridge AB. Doobay was in morning news then News Director/ Assistant PD at
CKOV/ CKLZ-FM Kelowna from 2003-17. Connie Thiessen, Broadcast Dialogue
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5/19/22 - Former Okanagan broadcaster and current The Drive CHWK-FM 89.5 Chilliwack morning host Sadie Hesketh moves into the role of PD at The River CKKN-FM 101.3 and Rewind Radio CKDV-FM 99.3 Prince George. She held positions in Vernon, Kelowna and Salmon Arm from 2002-05. Connie Thiessen, Broadcast Dialogue
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5/08/22 - AJ Ashley Pirhonen, who announced her departure from Move CJMG-FM 97.1
Penticton just over a week ago, has landed a weekend position at The River CKKN-FM 101.3 Prince George. Twitter Announcement
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5/02/22 - Award winning Global BC anchor/ reporter Neetu Garcha joins Global National as a new correspondent effective May 9. The BCIT graduate began working at Global Okanagan in 2014 and joined Global BC in 2017. Global National is Canada's early evening national newscast. Global Release
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4/30/22 - AJ Ashley Pirhonen has hosted her final show at Move CJMG-FM 97.1
Penticton. She's headed to Prince George to spend more time with
family, but says she hopes to "be back inside a radio soon". Twitter Announcment
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4/28/22 - Russell James leaves his position as Sr. Program Director for the Pattison Media Okanagan Group to join JR Country CJJR-FM 93.7 and The Peak CKPK-FM 102.7 Vancouver
effective May 2nd. He replaces Dustin Collins, who is returning to
Corus Entertainment this summer as PD-Classic West, overseeing Rock 101 CFMI-FM 101.1 Vancouver and stations in Edmonton and Calgary. Broadcast Dialogue |
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4/21/22 - Former Power 104 CKLZ-FM 104.7 Kelowna midday host Darren Worts moves from his position as p.m. drive host at STAR CKSR-FM 98.3 Chilliwack to join JACK CHTT-FM 103.1 Victoria as morning show host. His show debuts May 9th. Twitter Announcement |
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4/07/22 - CIFM-FM 98.3 Kamloops afternoon show host Nicole Welsh has announced she’s leaving to join the new Power 97 CJKR-FM 97.5 Winnipeg morning show with a yet-to-be announced co-host. Her last day on-air will be April 22. Instagram Announcement
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3/19/22 - After 13 months working in Winnipeg, Chanine Carr is back home at Bell Media Kelowna. She's will be back on air Monday. Twitter Announcement |
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3/16/22 - Global Okanagan CHBC-TV Kelowna anchor/ reporter Yasmin Gandham leaves to join CBC Vancouver
as a reporter. The 2020 BCIT Broadcast Journalism graduate has been in
Kelowna for nine months and was previously an anchor/ producer at News
1130 CKWX Vancouver. Twitter Announcement
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3/15/22 - Long-time Kelowna personality Susan Knight is taking over p.m. drive from Crystal Darche on The Lake CKOV-FM 103.9
Kelowna effective March 21. Darche has been doing afternoons since the
station launch and is going to pursue a new opportunity outside of
radio. She will move to hosting weekends. Radio West |
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3/03/22 - Former Kelowna personality Robbin Reay has parted ways as p.m. drive host on KiSS 105.3 CISS-FM Ottawa after four years. She hosted a syndicated radio show broadcast across the province from Sun FM (now Virgin Radio) CHSU-FM 99.9 in 2009 & '10. Twitter Announcement |
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1/31/22 - Some people involved with community radio station CKVS-FM 93.7 Salmon Arm are concerned a recent uptick in new memberships may be an attempt at a takeover. Martha Wickett, Salmon Arm Observer
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1/24/22 - Former Kelowna and Vancouver broadcaster Taylor Jukes has been named a CHR Brand Coordinator at iHeartMedia. She is currently PD at Y100 WHYI-FM 100.7 Miami and was previously Music Director/ midday host at The Juice CJUI-FM 103.9 Kelowna (now The Lake CKOV-FM) from 2008-09 before moving to programming positions at stations in Vancouver. All Access Music Group
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1/23/22 - Former
CBC Kelowna radio host Christy Luke died December 18, 2021 at Kelowna
General Hospital. She was 71. Luke hosted Daybreak South on CBC
Radio in the early 1990s and had also worked as a radio host in Prince
Rupert and Charlottetown. A Celebration of Life will be held when it is
once again safe to travel and gather. Grand Forks Gazette Obituary
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1/13/22 - CityNews 1130 CKWX Vancouver Reporter/ Producer Paul James is leaving at the end of the month. He will be taking over the News/ Program Director position at Radio NL
CHNL AM 610 Kamloops in early February. James joined CKWX in August
2019 after 14 years in Beijing where he was a host for China Radio
International. Twitter Announcement |
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1/06/22 - Trevor Chikowski has recently joined as afternoon host at K97.5 CKRV-FM Kamloops and K96.3 CKKO-FM Kelowna. He joins from The Bull CKBL-FM 92.9 Saskatoon where he was Music Director and midday host. Twitter Announcement
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1/06/22 - Former Q101 CKMQ-FM 101.1
Merritt station owner Elizabeth Ann Laird (nee Futter) has died after a
valiant effort to overcome cancer. She passed away Friday December 31st
at age 73. Services will be announced at a later date. Michael Reeve, CFJC Today
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1/01/22 - After 54 years in broadcasting, 73 year old Earl Seitz has retired from his Sports Director position at CFJC-TV Kamloops. His last sportscast was December 31st. Seitz was inducted into the Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame in 2019. CFJC News/ Video
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1/01/22 - Radio NL CHNL AM 610 Kamloops PD Howie Reimer, who announced his departure from the station last month, has now concluded a 34-year career in broadcasting. He joins the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association as Executive Director. Twitter Announcement
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