Okanagan Broadcasters

	7/07/19 - Former CBC Vancouver executive Elie Savoie died June 28 at Eagle Ridge Hospital in Port Moody at age 84. He held a number of positions with CFCR-TV Kamloops (now CFJC-TV) in the 1960s, then worked briefly as a Production Assistant for CHAN-TV Vancouver (now Global BC), before joining CBC Vancouver in 1964. In 1977, Savoie accepted the position of PD with CBC Regina, returning to CBC-TV Vancouver as PD in 1983, working with independent producers to develop regional programming. He retired from CBC in 1987. Sun/Province Obituary
	7/05/19 - Puget Sound Radio reports fourth generation broadcaster Roo Phelps will host evenings across Bell Media’s EZ Rock radio network, originating in Kelowna, effective Monday July 8th. She most recently co-hosted The Casey Clarke Show With Roo Phelps on New Country 100.7 CIGV-FM Penticton/Kelowna. PSR News
	6/27/19 - Craig Beauchemin, Director of Communications and Broadcasting with the Penticton Vees of the BCHL will be the new play-by-play broadcast voice of the WHL Swift Current Broncos. Before the Vees he was Director of Broadcasting and live-streaming play-by-play broadcaster for the BCHL Powell River Kings. Swift Current Broncos News
	6/20/19 - Effective June 24, The Casey Clarke Show will be added to mornings across Stingray stations in the Okanagan and Thompson Valley, including Penticton, Keremeos, Princeton, Kamloops, and Kelowna. Casey Clarke’s co-host will be Dana Thompson, who has been co-hosting mornings on Hot Country CKHZ-FM 103.5 Halifax since 2015. Connie Thiessen, Broadcast Dialogue
	6/17/19 - Former CFUN and CJOR Vancouver and CKOV Kelowna broadcaster Doug McIlraith died June 6 in Winnipeg at age 83, after a short battle with esophageal cancer. He joined CBC Edmonton in 1961, transferring to CBC Winnipeg in 1967, where he covered a number of major events across Canada. He retired as co-host of CBC Information Radio Winnipeg in 1990. According to his wishes, there will be no formal service. Winnipeg Free Press Obituary
	6/13/19 - The CRTC has authorized the shut-down of 44 Global TV translators in Canada. The list includes local stations in Oliver, Salmon Arm, Enderby, Skaha Lake/Penticton, Canoe, Apex Mountain, Revelstoke and Pritchard. CRTC Release
	5/31/19 - Shane Woodford is leaving CHNL AM 610 Kamloops to move to Denmark with his family. He has been News Director at CHNL since 2016, his second time at the station after a five-year departure to join CKNW AM 980 Vancouver as a reporter/anchor and fill-in talk show host.

	5/10/19 - Today is Bob Mills' final day on-air as part of the Power 104 CKLZ 104.7 Kelowna morning show, leaving after a dozen successful years of waking up Kelowna. Josh Duncan, KelownaNow

	5/08/19 - JJ Johnston, former GM of Corus Radio Vancouver will moderate a Masterclass Panel Discussion May 9 in Toronto during Canadian Music Week. Canada’s ratings service Numeris is about to make dramatic changes this Fall to how our diary markets are measured with a move to Continuous Measurement. The panel of successful programming experts will address some of the key issues facing the industry today. CMW Release

	5/07/19 - Global Okanagan has announced the retirement of Rick Webber, effective July 31. He has served as a news anchor in the Okanagan for almost 30 years, beginning his broadcast career more than 43 years ago. He landed his first media job in 1976 when he worked as a part-time DJ on CJRW radio in Prince Edward Island. In 1978, he moved across the country to B.C. and started working full-time at radio and TV stations around the province. Webber arrived in the Okanagan in 1990. Global News

	5/03/19 - Coming up to the first anniversary of the closure of Roundhouse Radio CIRH-FM 98.3 Vancouver, Canadian Broadcast Industry Hall of Famer Don Shafer has been spending a lot of time as a volunteer at Co-op Radio CFRO-FM 100.5. He's developing a new show The Conversation Lab, set to launch May 12. Shafer was Vice President & Regional Manager BC Interior Group for Bell Media based in Kelowna from 2003-13. Connie Thiessen, Broadcast Dialogue

	4/23/19 - Paul Larsen, who has been News Director and Station Manager of Global Okanagan since January, has announced he has resigned his position. For the previous 12 years, Larsen was co-founder and CEO of Clear Sky Radio, which was sold to Vista Radio last December. Larsen stated, "It would be good to take some time to unwind and discover what else is out there. Maybe 'semi' retirement isn’t such a bad plan after all!" Michael Easton, Puget Sound Radio

	4/12/19 - Gerry Forbes, who retired last year after 25 years at CJAY 92 CJAY-FM 92.1 Calgary and 43 years in radio, is among the 2019 inductees into the Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame. Forbes started his career in 1975 at CHNL Kamloops before moving back east and then landing in Calgary. The awards will be presented during Canadian Music Week at the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards Gala Dinner on Thursday, May 9 in Toronto. Broadcast Dialogue Magazine

	4/11/19 - RTDNA Canada has recognized journalistic excellence with the winners of the West Region RTDNA Awards of Excellence. RTDNA Canada Awards honour the best journalists, programs, stations and news gathering organizations in radio, television and digital. RTDNA Release

	4/06/19 - Vancouver-based Glacier Media Inc. has announced the acquisition of Castanet Media, which operates Soft 103.9 CKOO-FM Kelowna and several digital news sites in the Okanagan. Castanet News Connie Thiessen, Broadcast Dialogue

	4/04/19 - AM 1150 CKFR Kelowna has inked an agreement with the Kelowna Rockets to provide broadcast coverage of all Rockets’ regular season and playoff games through the 2021-22 sesason. Veteran AM 1150 sportscaster Regan Bartel returns as play-by-play, marking 20 years of game coverage and his 25th year covering the Western Hockey League. Joining Bartel is commentator Kent Simpson.

	4/04/19 - Radio West reports long time CKXL and CJAY Calgary DJ John Clark passed away March 27th. He got his start at CHNL Kamloops in 1970, moving to CKXL Calgary in 1974 and CHAY-FM Calgary in the 1980s. Radio West News

	4/04/19 - iHeartMedia Y100 WHYI-FM 100.7 Miami has named former Kelowna and Vancouver broadcaster Taylor Jukes PD, effective immediately. She previously held on-air and management positions at both Kelowna and Vancouver stations and has most recently been Senior Manager, National Content for iHeartRadio in Toronto. All Access Music Group

	4/03/19 - Boyd Leader moves to Kelowna to assume the Group PD Role for Bell Media, BC Interior. He starts on April 15th after a six year, eight month run as Director of Radio for Windspeaker Media (AMMSA) and the CFWE Radio Network based in Edmonton. Puget Sound Radio

	3/29/19 - Stephen Keppler moves to host afternoons at EZ Rock CILK-FM 101.5 Kelowna, in addition to voice tracking the midday shows on several other iHeartRadio stations. He has been with Fresh Radio/The Chuck CKNG-FM 92.5 Edmonton since 2015.

	3/23/19 - Stingray has named Jenn Dalen Regional Program Director for their stations in Kelowna, Kamloops, Red Deer and Rural Alberta. Twitter Announcement

	3/23/19 - Gerry Forbes will be inducted into The Canadian Broadcasting Hall of Fame on May 9 during Canadian Music Week in Toronto. The 62 year old Forbes started his broadcasting career in 1975 at CHNL Kamloops, eventually landing at CHUM Toronto where he did middays and mornings before moving to Calgary. Twitter Announcement

	2/28/19 - Bob Mills is leaving his position at Power 104 CKLZ-FM 104.7 Kelowna, where he has been hosting the morning show for 12 years. His final day on-air will be Friday, May 10. Mills started his career at CBC Vancouver in 1972, followed by positions in the Okanagan, Red Deer and Calgary, then back to Vancouver on-air and PD of CFOX-FM 99.3 before moving to CKLZ/CKOV Kelowna in 2002. Josh Duncan, Kelowna Now

	2/25/19 - Former CKWX Vancouver Technician/Engineer Dick Williams died in the Penticton Hospital on February 19. He celebrated his 100th birthday at Cherry Park Retirement Residence last September. Williams started at CKWX in 1939 and later moved to CFGP Grande Prairie AB. He moved to Penticton in 1990, and in 2008 moved to the Cherry Park Retirement Residence. Puget Sound Radio 100th Birthday Backgrounder

	2/21/19 - Earl Seitz is being inducted into the Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame. He started his career in 1968 as a DJ in Cranbrook. In 1974, he bagan play-by-play for the Kamloops Chiefs on CFJC radio, before becoming the TV face of CFJC Sports. Seitz celebrates 51 years in broadcasting this year and was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the RTDNA in 2011. Chad Klassen, CFJC Today

	2/10/19 - Former Vancouver broadcaster Mike Cleaver died February 10 in Vancouver just short of his 73rd birthday, after fighting kidney disease for the past few months. His career began at CKOV Kelowna in 1961 followed by positions in Lethbridge, Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton and Ottawa. He returned to BC in 2000 and worked for CJNW, CKNW and CTV Vancouver before retiring. Cleaver was also an accomplished technician and operated Mike Cleaver Broadcast Services for the last 12 years. There will be no funeral or celebration of life per his request. Donations in his memory can be made to the Kidney Foundation of Canada

	2/05/19 - Peach City Radio CFUZ-FM 92.9 Penticton hit the airwaves Friday. The community station was founded locally and has been broadcasting online since 2014. Programming is "exceedingly diverse" and the station is actively searching for new programmers. Gord Goble, KelownaNow

	2/03/19 - Hundreds gathered Saturday afternoon to bid farewell to Angelo Iacobucci at a memorial service in Kamloops, seven weeks after he passed away suddenly just two weeks before his 61st birthday. Although he was based in Kamloops during his 39 years in broadcasting, he was well known to many BC radio listeners, as he filed numerous news reports that ran on a number of stations over the duration of his career. Adam Donnelly, CFJC Today

	2/02/19 - Testing of Peach City Radio CFUZ-FM 92.9 Penticton took place over a period of four weeks in December/January and now the station has a broadcast certificate from the CRTC. Peach City Radio makes its home in the Cannery Trade Centre and the tower and antenna are visible atop the eastern end of the building. Volunteers have been operating a 24/7 online stream of radio content since 2014 and this will continue in tandem with the new FM signal. A formal grand opening and open house will take place in the Spring. PCR Release

	1/30/19 - The CRTC is calling for comments on the capacity of Vernon to support a new station and on whether it should issue a call for applications for new radio station, following an application by Vernon Community Radio Society for a licence to operate a new community radio station to serve the city. The application specifies 97.9 MHz with an ERP of 1,000 watts. CRTC Release

	1/17/19 - Leo Baggio has been named General Manager of the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group Kamloops Division, adding to his GSM duties. Baggio returned to Kamloops last year to take over as GSM for CIFM-FM 98.3, CKBZ-FM 100.1, and CFJC-TV & Radio. He was previously GM/GSM of Pattison’s East Kootenay operations, based in Cranbrook, and before that was director of radio programming and operations in Kamloops. Baggio replaces Rod Schween, who previously held the GM position in addition to serving as president of the group. He steps away from day-to-day management in order to focus on strategic growth of the group. Pattison Release

	1/15/19 - Former Vancouver and Barriere broadcaster Steve Shannon (Steven Castonguay) died of cancer December 26 in St-Jérôme, Québec at age 71. He worked at a number of stations in Montréal, Toronto, Hamilton, Calgary and Edmonton before joining CIMA AM 1040 (now CKST) Vancouver circa 1990. He also ran a public speaking coaching business for executives in Vancouver. In 2013, he became the owner of The Bear CHLW-FM 93.1 Barriere until 2017 when illness struck.

	1/14/19 - Power 104 CKLZ-FM 104.7 Kelowna has announced the lineup for Powerball 2019. Breaking Benjamin will headline this year’s show, which will take place at the South Okanagan Events Centre on Saturday, April 13. Josh Duncan, Kelowna Now

	1/11/19 - Roo Phelps, former co-host of the New Country CIGV-FM 100.7 Penticton nationally syndicated radio show with Casey Clarke is getting noticed for her detailed tell-all book about the devastating impact of the breakup of a relationship. 11 Weeks is a book written in real time as Phelps came to grips with her split-up. Kent Molgat, Kelowna Now

	1/11/19 - Okanagan Oldies CKOO-FM 103.9 Kelowna has rebranded to Soft 103.9, familiar favourites. The station has added artists like Adele, Ed Sheeran and James Blunt to its oldies playlist. It’s also introducing a new weekend show Sunday Sixties.

	1/11/19 - Paul Larsen has assumed the role of News Director and Station Manager of Global Okanagan, effective January 8. For the last 12 years, Larsen was co-founder and CEO of Clear Sky Radio, which was sold to Vista Radio last month. Global News Release

	1/10/19 - A Celebration of Life for legendary Kamloops news reporter Angelo Iacobucci will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 2nd at the Coast Kamloops Hotel and Convention Centre. The event will be hosted by former NL Radio CHNL AM 610 Kamloops Program Director Jim Reynolds. There will also be a number of speakers and special guests. Iacobucci passed away suddenly on December 14th at age 60. Although he was based in Kamloops during his 39 years in broadcasting, he was well known to many BC radio listeners, as he filed numerous news reports that ran on a number of local stations over the duration of his career. Shane Woodford, Radio NL Tim Petruk, Kamloops This Week backgrounder

	1/10/19 - TJ of Andy & TJ in the Morning on EZ Rock CILK-FM 101.5 Kelowna was diagnosed with breast cancer in November and had surgery a week before Christmas. She will be absent from the show for the foreseeable future. Music director and midday host Chanine Carr has been filling in for TJ. Josh Duncan, Kelowna Now

	1/06/19 - A celebration of life has been planned for Kamloops radio legend Angelo Iacobucci. It will take place Saturday, February 2, at the Coast Kamloops Hotel and Convention Centre. Iacobucci died suddenly on December 14 at age 60. He was a 39-year broadcasting veteran, mostly at NL Radio CHNL AM 610 Kamloops. His news reports were heard on numerous BC stations over the years. CFJC Today Kamloops This Week Obituary

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