CFBV

The radio station here in Smithers, CFBV, known as The Moose, broadcasts at 870 AM with a variety hits format. It started broadcasting back in 1963 at 1230 AM, owned by CFBV Ltd. Its first home was at the corner of Queen Street and Highway 16. A few years later, the station moved to the former School Board offices on Queen Street at First Avenue. Throughout all these years, it's always broadcast with 1000 watts of power.

In November 1965, the station opened a rebroadcaster, CFLD, in Burns Lake, broadcasting at 1400 AM from the Tweedsmuir Hotel with 250 watts. Then in 1974, CFBV added another rebroadcaster, CKBV, in Hazelton, and CHLD in Granisle, which rebroadcast CFLD.

CFLD's studios moved from the Tweedsmuir Hotel to a new spot at 320-A Alaska Drive in 1976. Around that time, CFBV Ltd. also got permission to increase CFLD's daytime power to 1000 watts, though its nighttime power stayed at 250 watts. In 1985, CFBV Ltd. changed its corporate name to Cariboo Central Interior Radio Inc. That's when CFBV and CFLD started operating under a common brand, BV/LD Radio, with some programming coming from CJCI in Prince George.

CFBV switched frequencies from 1230 to its current 870 on October 17, 1985. CFLD followed in January 1986, changing from 1400 to 760. CFBV also set up another rebroadcaster, CHBV, in Houston in 1991. CFLD increased its power to 1000 watts full-time on January 9, 1996. On December 17, 1999, CFBV switched CHBV to 106.5 MHz with 923 watts of power.

Cariboo Central Interior Radio, which owned CFBV, CFLD, CJCI, and their rebroadcasters, was bought by 1126144 Alberta Ltd., a company linked to Vista, on September 1, 2005. In early summer 2006, CFBV and CFLD dropped the BV/LD branding for "The Peak." Then, on June 6, 2014, the station's branding changed again to "The Moose."

Just recently, in October 2023, the station celebrated its 60th anniversary. They talked about the station's history all month, bringing up events from their broadcast region. On October 25, former announcers, news reporters, and staff came back in the morning to share their experiences. The afternoon was spent at a local brewery, celebrating with the community.

In 2017, Vista Radio surrendered the licenses for all their low-power 50-watt AM transmitters in British Columbia, saying the equipment was in disrepair and too expensive to replace. This included the former rebroadcasters CHLD 1480 Granisle and CKBV 1490 New Hazelton.