CKCH-FM is a

radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based rad ...

broadcasting at 103.5 FM in

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...

, Canada. The station was one of several new radio stations approved in 2007 for the

Atlantic Provinces Atlantic Canada, also called the Atlantic provinces (), is the region of Eastern Canada comprising four provinces: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. As of 2021, the landmass of the four Atlantic pr ...

and is also one of two new radio stations for the

Cape Breton Regional Municipality Cape Breton Regional Municipality (often referred to as simply "CBRM") is the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia's second largest municipality and the economic heart of Cape Breton Island. As of 2021 the municipa ...

Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2007-220
/ref> along with sister station CHRK-FM. The station airs a

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...

format branded on-air as ''New Country 103.5''. The station is owned by

Stingray Group Stingray Group Inc. (formerly Stingray Digital and Stingray Digital Group) is a Canadian music, media and technology company based in Montreal, Quebec, with offices in Toronto, Ontario, as well as in the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, ...

which also owns sister station CHRK as well as numerous other radio stations across Canada. The station license was originally awarded to a Cape Breton group that included local investor / businessman Barry Martin, and broadcasters, Jay Bedford and Alex Morrison. In late 2012, the CRTC approved the application by Newcap Radio to purchase the remaining 70.1% of the shares from Barry Martin. In November 2018, Stingray Digital acquired Newcap Radio.

History

CKCH was formerly a call sign for an AM station in

Hull, Quebec Hull is the central business district and oldest neighbourhood of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of Canada's ...

from 1933 to 1994 and also its sister station CKCH-FM from 1970 through 1978. The station began a required three week Industry Canada test period on May 15, 2008 by playing television theme songs until its official launch on June 17 of that year. The station opened with a variety based country format but switched to a top 40 country approach in 2010. CKCH airs ten newscasts every weekday with the focus on local and regional news items. Veteran broadcaster Don Sharpe joined the on air staff in July 2016 as the host of the afternoon drive show. Sharpe can now be heard as the morning show host Monday-Friday and the weekend feature: The All Canadian Countdown! In February 2017, CKCH-FM dropped the moniker The Eagle and adopted the name New Country 103.5. This was done in conjunction with the re-branding of three other Newcap country stations in Moncton, Fredericton and Kamloops.

References

Article from Nova Scotia Business Journal

RadioWest December Newsletter

External links

New Country 103.5

CKCH-FM
at The History of Canadian Broadcasting by the

Canadian Communications Foundation The Canadian Communications Foundation (CCF) was a Canadian nonprofit organization which documented the history of broadcasting in Canada, particularly radio and television networks, programs and broadcasters. The organization was established in ...

* {{coord, 46, 05, 55, N, 60, 18, 41, W, type:landmark_region:CA, display=title KCH KCH KCH Radio stations established in 2008 2008 establishments in Nova Scotia