HomeLatest NewsCKOV-FM returns to the Kelowna airwaves...

CKOV-FM returns to the Kelowna airwaves as 103.9 The Lake

103.9 The Lake debuted on Kelowna airwaves Friday morning, launching with the Little River Band’s Reminiscing and a Gold-based Soft AC format aimed at appealing to a market that counts half its residents as over age 45.

Formerly branded as Soft 103.9 and under the ownership of Castanet Media founder Nick Frost, the station was an early casualty of the pandemic, going off-air in early April last year as Avenue Radio filed for bankruptcy.

Paul Larsen, the former owner of the Clear Sky Radio network, stepped in to buy the station. Bored with retirement following the sale of Clear Sky’s remaining stations to Vista Radio in 2018, Larsen saw an opportunity to reinvent himself as a true, local owner-operator.

103.9 The Lake is playing a broad mix of adult hits from the late 1970s through the early 2000s – ranging from the Righteous Brothers and REO Speedwagon to Maroon 5 and Michael Bublé  – that Larsen believes will also appeal to the broader A25-54 demo.

“We’re really programming it to an ‘adult’ audience, but the music will have a wider appeal than the previous station,” Larsen told Broadcast Dialogue.

For the next few weeks, the station will play non-stop music before introducing its on-air lineup in mid-to-late April. Larsen has revealed he’ll introduce a slate of well-known local personalities, in addition to carrying news, weather, and sports.

The station launch also marks the return of the CKOV (Okanagan Valley) call letters to Kelowna. With a long history in the community, Larsen felt it was important to return the heritage call sign to the city.

“CKOV was Kelowna’s very first radio station going all the way back to 1931. The call letters were abandoned for the past decade and we feel privileged to be able to return them to their original city of license,” said Larsen.

The CKOV call letters were most recently held by Clear Sky Station 104.5 More Country in Strathmore, AB, prior to its sale to Golden West Broadcasting. 


Subscribe Now – Free!

Broadcast Dialogue has been required reading in the Canadian broadcast media for 25 years. When you subscribe, you join a community of connected professionals from media and broadcast related sectors from across the country.

The Weekly Briefing from Broadcast Dialogue is delivered exclusively to subscribers by email every Thursday. It’s your link to critical industry news, timely people moves, and excellent career advancement opportunities.

Let’s get started right now.

* indicates required

 

SUBSCRIBE NOW - IT'S FREE!

At Broadcast Dialogue®, we are committed to delivering industry-leading insights, news, and analysis directly to your inbox—completely free of charge.

By providing full / accurate information, you are helping us sustain Broadcast Dialogue® as a free resource. In return, we commit to delivering high-quality content that keeps you informed on the latest trends, technology, and news shaping the broadcast landscape—at no cost to you.

The Weekly Briefing from Broadcast Dialogue® is delivered exclusively to our subscribers by email every Thursday.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Your Subscription Information

Your Name
Your Email Address
Broadcast Dialogue uses this information to understand our audience and deliver relevant content.
Broadcast Dialogue uses this information to understand our audience and deliver relevant content.

Your Company Information

A Couple Of Questions

Do you consider yourself retired?
Are you seeking employment opportunities?

Connie Thiessen
Connie Thiessenhttps://broadcastdialogue.com
Connie has worked coast-to-coast as a reporter, editor, anchor and host at CKNW and News 1130 in Vancouver, News 95.7 and CBC in Halifax, and CFCW Edmonton, among other stations. With a passion for music, film and community service, she led News 95.7 to a 2013 Atlantic Journalism Award and regional RTDNA award for Best Radio Newscast. More recently, she was nominated for Music Journalist of the Year at Canadian Music Week 2019. To report a typo or error please email - corrections@broadcastdialogue.com

Latest News

Canada Post pays tribute to MuchMusic, MusiquePlus

Canada Post has unveiled its latest stamp set which celebrates the early years of MuchMusic and MusiquePlus. Depicting the iconic buildings that housed MuchMusic at...

Canadian Podcast Listener preview shows men leading daily listening bump

Signal Hill Insights has released a preview of the 2024 Canadian Podcast Listener results for monthly podcast listening in Canada. It finds that 8.8%...

Events / Conferences