Manitoba

CKMM-FM, Winnipeg, Astral Media Inc

1979
On March 13, Armadale Communications Ltd. was awarded a licence for a new FM station at Winnipeg, broadcasting on 103.1 MHz with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts. Armadale was the owner of CKRC 630 in the city. Armadale's CKWG-FM would be adult oriented with a balance of news and information, entertainment and good music. A competing application by CKND-TV owner CanWest Broadcasting Ltd. (102.3 MHz, 100 kW) was denied. The CRTC said Winnipeg could not support another station but it would call for further applications after assessing CKWG's impact on the market.

1980
CKWG-FM on began broadcasting on February 14. The “WG” in the call sign: WinnipeG.

1985
Bill Gorrie succeeded Gary Miles as general manager of CKRC and CKWG-FM.

1988
George Youngman was named general sales manager for CKWG / CKRC. Richard W. Jackiw became marketing manager for the two stations.

1989
Late in the year, CKWG became CHZZ-FM.

CHZZ-FM had its licence renewed for only two and a half years because of previous problems with foreground programming. The CRTC turned down the station's request to eliminate its commitment to traditional and special interest music, but approved a reduction in enrichment material to eight hours a week from 12 hours and 29 minutes.

1990
It was announced that Western World Communications would purchase CHZZ-FM / CKRC-AM and CKIT-FM / CKCK-AM from Michael Sifton's Armadale Communications of Markham, Ontario. Sifton said Armadale planned to retain CKOC-AM / CKLH-FM in Hamilton but would focus more strongly on newspaper publishing.

1991
On January 22, Clint C. Forster's Western World Communications Ltd. received CRTC approval to acquire Winnipeg's CHZZ-FM / CKRC and Regina's CKIT-FM / CKCK from Michael Sifton's Armadale Communications Ltd. Western World, based in Saskatoon, was licensee of CJWW Saskatoon, SK and CKST Langley, BC, and owned 100% of Balsa Broadcasting Corp., licensee of CHMG St. Albert, AB. CKCK and CKRC were two of the oldest radio stations in Western Canada.

CHZZ-FM became CKLU-FM in September.

1992 
Western World Limited Partnership acquired CKCK and CKIT-FM Regina, and CKRC and CKLU-FM Winnipeg from Western World Communications Corp.

CKLU-FM and CKRC-AM moved to new studios and offices on the 17th floor of a high rise building at 155 Carlton Street. This was just three blocks away from the old facility in the historic Winnipeg Free Press Building. CKRC-AM had operated from that building for over fifty years. The new FM and AM control rooms featured Soundcraft SAC-200 boards. The production studio had a new Soundcraft 6000 stereo board. A Tascam 8-track recorder and Denon CD player were also added to the production room. The newsroom was equipped with Nakamichi cassette decks and IBM 386 computers. The move went smoothly as CKRC lost no air time and CKLU lost one second at the most.

Some of the management at this point in time: Bill Gorrie (general manager), Bryan Zilkey (general sales manager), Daryl Braun (news director), Ken Porteous (senior producer) and Ray Patterson (chief engineer).

1994
Craig Broadcast Systems Inc. received permission to purchase an interest in CKLU and to manage the station.

CKLU-FM became CKMM-FM.

1995
On August 25, the sale of CKMM to Craig Broadcast Systems Inc. from Western World Communications Limited Partnership was approved. In turn, Western World purchased CFQX in suburban Selkirk from Craig.

2000
Craig Broadcast Systems Inc. became Craig Music & Entertainment Inc.

2002
On February 1, Craig Music & Entertainment Inc. was given approval to sell CKMM-FM Winnipeg, CFQX-FM Selkirk, CKXA-FM and CKX-FM Brandon to Standard Radio Inc.

CKMM and CFQX moved studios and offices to the former Great West Life Assurance Building, 177 Lombard Avenue (3rd floor).

2005
On June 21, CKMM was authorized to decrease effective radiated power from 100,000 watts to 70,000 watts average (100,000 watts maximum) and to increase antenna height from 110 to 206.1 metres, and relocate the transmitter to the Rogers Broadcasting tower located near Starbuck.

2007

On September 27, Astral Media Radio G.P. received CRTC approval to acquire the assets of the radio and TV undertakings owned by Standard Radio Ltd., subject to certain conditions.  The purchase included CKMM-FM and CFOX-FM (Selkirk).   

                            Written by Bill Dulmage - Updated December, 2009