edmonton - a living history - december 2005

it will be a nice town once they finish building it

Selected recent events in Edmonton's modern history.

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CHED takes to the air | there's magic in the air
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CHED Takes To The Air >permalink<


630 CHEDEdmonton will soon have airborne traffic reports for the first time in over a decade.


On February 6, 2006 CHED will launch "CHED Chopper Traffic," a modified Robinson R44 four-seat helicopter [photo link], to cover the morning and afternoon rush hours and as well as breaking-news events. CHED will anchor the coverage, sharing reports with its sister-stations CISN Country, 92.5 JOE FM and Cool 880.


CHED's chopper is one of six helicopters that Corus Entertainment has added or will be adding to the Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal markets (Hamilton will be getting a fixed-wing aircraft). With the exception of Calgary, Corus operates the only helicopter traffic service in those markets. Calgary's AM 770 CHQR already launched their craft, “CHQR Traffic 1” (also an R44) [photo link], on December 15th, joining Rogers-owned 66 CFR/96.9 Jack-FM who also operate a traffic chopper.


Doug Rutherford (Corus Vice-President, News-Talk, Corus Radio and General Manager, Corus Radio Edmonton) said, "With more Canadians tuning to a Corus radio station every week than any other private broadcaster, we have a responsibility to get them the information they need." Rutherford also said there are now more news choppers in Canada than police choppers, and that CHED won't hesitate to take some police officers up into the air to back up efforts with their Air-1 craft.


Edmonton Police Service Staff Sgt. Rick Milne, head of flight operations, said cops will talk to CHED to set some flightpath rules. Mayor Stephen Mandel said it will be up to the police and aviation authorities to make sure Air-1 and the CHED chopper can work safely together.


Edmonton last had air traffic reports in the early 1990s when CHQT newsman Murray Blakely flew his own plane above the city. Blakely had earlier flown while at CJCA when the craft was known as "The Flying Tiger."


There's Magic In The Air >permalink<


Magic 99At 2 p.m. on December 8, 2005 Edmonton's newest FM station officially signed on. CHMC - Magic 99 - hit the airwaves on the 99.3 mhz frequency promising a blend of jazz, blues and soft rock from overlooked artists. They're using the tag line "Because life's too short for ordinary music" which suggests they've been listening to CBC's Promo Girl.


Behind the microphones are familiar Edmonton voices. Back on local airwaves is Rob Christie, who ruled the morning show market for 18 years during CHED's and Power 92's Top 40 days. Christie spent the last decade in Toronto, Vancouver, then back in Toronto when in October this year his last station turned into "Jack FM" and went "personality-free." It was then that Christie decided to return to Edmonton to help launch CHMC.


The Rawlco Communications-owned station will be run by Susan Reade, better known as "Janet from another planet" from her CHED days. Rounding out the on-air staff are fellow Edmonton veterans Mike Sobel, Seanna Collins, Duncan Patterson, Kurt Leavins, Allison Bailer and Dave Shannon, along with new-to-Edmonton Jerry Steen, a Calgary radio veteran.


The station is programmed by Doug Pringle who helped bring rock to Edmonton's FM band when he launched K-97 (now K-Rock) in 1979. Pringle was also behind CHOM Montreal and CISS Toronto. Rawlco now owns and operates 12 stations in Saskatchewan and one in Alberta.


Magic 99's official sign-on brings an end to one of the most peculiar transmitter tests in recent memory. For three months beginning August 16th, people dialing in heard "Burning Bridge" by George Strait, "All I Need" by Matchbox 20 and a Vivaldi piece repeated over and over and over again.


Magic 99 was one of four new licenses granted in 2004. CHBN - The Bounce signed on February 17, 2005 and CHDI - Sonic-FM signed on in April, 2005. Still testing their frequency on a sporadic basis while awaiting funding is CFIE - Aboriginal Voices Radio rebroadcasting out of Toronto.


For more about Edmonton's dynamic radio market, visit the Edmonton Radio News page.



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