Vista Radio has rebranded the three Alberta radio stations it acquired from CAB-K Broadcasting last year.

As of this week, Country 96.5 (CKLJ-FM) Olds and Country 106.5 (CKVG-FM) Vegreville become 96.5 FM The Ranch and 106.5 FM The Ranch, respectively. 

Rock 104.5 (CKJX-FM) Olds has been rebranded as 104.5 The Goat.

Darren Scott, Director, Creative Services & Communications, says while the station playlists will remain pretty much identical, the rebrand – particularly on the Country side – is about reflecting the rural lifestyle of the Olds and Vegreville coverage areas. On the Rock side, Scott says The Goat brand is a good fit for the Olds area, joining its Vista counterparts in Lloydminster, Fort St. James, Prince George and Christina Lake.

Scott said there are no talent changes associated with the rebrand exercise.

“These changes reflect our unwavering commitment to evolving alongside the communities we proudly serve, while introducing fresh identities tailored to their unique tastes,” the company said in a release. “With the transition to The Ranch, listeners will experience a true connection to the heart of country music and the local country artists that celebrate Alberta’s Prairie spirit. Meanwhile, The Goat will continue to “feed” off the rock energy of the Highway 2 corridor and Mountain View County. All three stations are ready to super serve the many areas they reach, including The Ranch in Olds with an impressive 35,000  watts spanning the multiple communities who work and play hard in the heart of Alberta’s most scenic county.”  

“These stations have always been about the people, and that’s not changing – we’re simply enhancing the  experience,” added Vegreville General Manager Jeff Dyck, known as “JD” to listeners.