CKOR (AM)

Infobox Radio Station


name=CKOR
airdate=1946 (rebroadcaster of CKOV)
September 1948 (separate station)
frequency=800 kHz (AM)
area=Penticton, BC
format=adult contemporary
owner=Astral Media
erp=10 kW (daytime)
500 watts (night)
branding=EZ Rock
slogan=Today's Soft Rock with Less Talk
class=
website= [http://www.penticton.myezrock.com/ Official Site]
callsign_meaning=
former_callsigns=CKOK (1946-1991)|

CKOR is a Canadian radio station in Penticton, British Columbia. Astral Media owns the station, which operates at 800 AM with 10,000 watts of transmission power in the daytime and 500 watts at night, and airs an adult contemporary music format under the EZ Rock brand.

History

CKOR was first signed on in 1946 by Okanagan Broadcasters Ltd., the owner of Kelowna radio station CKOV, as CKOK, a rebroadcaster of the Kelowna station, at its original frequency of 1450 AM with 250 watts of power. In 1948, CKOK moved to its current spot on the AM dial, and in September that year, became autonomous from CKOV as it began airing its own schedule.

In 1950, CKOK increased its power to 1000 watts in the daytime and 500 watts at night. By 1957, CKOK Ltd. was established as the station's owner, and it was an affiliate of CBC Radio's Dominion Network. Two of the principal owners were Maurice Finnerty and Roy Chapman. CKOK's daytime power was increased to 10 kilowatts in 1960, and on June 1, 1965, station parent CKOK Ltd. signed on CKOK-FM, which mostly simulcast its AM sister's programming in the beginning. On April 14, 1972, ownership of CKOK, CKOK-FM and parent company Okanagan Radio Ltd. (the successor of CKOK Ltd.) was transferred to Fraser Valley Broadcasters Ltd. (the owner of CHWK Chilliwack and CFVR Abbotsford). In September 1974 Fraser Valley Broadcasters sold Okanagan Radio Limited to Dennis Barkman, Ken Davis and Gerald Pash.

CKOK disaffiliated from the CBC in 1977. In 1985, the CRTC granted CKOK permission to move to 780 AM and to increase its power to 20,000 watts in the daytime and 10,000 watts at night, but the station never made the move as it remained at its present frequency and power. The former CKOK-FM, which changed its call sign to CKOR-FM sometime earlier, changed again to its present calls of CJMG-FM in 1986. In 1988 Okanagan Skeena Group acquired the interest of Barkman and Pash and then in 1990 the interest of Ken Davis. CKOK adopted its present call sign of CKOR (taken from the former calls of its FM sister) in 1991.

In 1999, Telemedia purchased Okanagan Skeena Group and its broadcasting assets (including CKOR); shortly after, CKOR adopted Telemedia's EZ Rock brand. In 2002, CKOR and the other former Okanagan Skeena stations were purchased by Standard Radio, which in turn was purchased on September 27, 2007 by Astral Media, the current owner of CKOR.

External links

* [http://www.penticton.myezrock.com/ Official Site]
* [http://www.penticton.myezrock.com/player/player Listen Live]
* [http://www.bcradiohistory.com/Names/CKOKindex.htm History site - BC Radio History]
* [http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/radio/histories.php?id=97&historyID=565 CKOK/CKOR history] at CCF website
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