The station was previously established in 1977 as a local rebroadcaster of Vancouver's CBU, replacing private CBC affiliate CFJC. CBYK later switched to CBTK-FMKelowna after regional programming for the Southern BC Interior commenced from that station in 1987. On October 28, 2011, the CBC filed an application with the CRTC to convert CBYK-FM from a rebroadcaster of CBTK-FM to an anchor of a new 23-station regional CBC Radio One network for the Thompson and Cariboo regions, with regional programming originating from new studios in Kamloops. Under CBC's proposal, the stations under CBYK-FM would have its own morning rush hour program originating out of Kamloops instead of rebroadcasting the programming out of Kelowna, and there would be several news updates throughout the day originating from Kamloops on weekdays. All other programming would be the same as those broadcast in Kelowna. After the application was heard on January 16, 2012 at a CRTC meeting in Miramichi, New Brunswick, the CRTC approved the new regional network on March 30, 2012. Repeater CBUC-FM in Salmon Arm, which was originally to have been part of the new network, will remain a repeater of CBTK-FM, following interventions from various parties, including the City of Salmon Arm, as the region is more economically-tied with the Okanagan region than with Kamloops. On September 6, 2012, it was announced that the CBC will launch the new regional network sometime in the fall of that year, with specifics to be announced during the current regional morning program, Daybreak Kelowna, on September 10, 2012; it was announced that day that the new regional morning program for Thompson and Cariboo, Daybreak Kamloops, will begin October 9, 2012, officially launching the new regional network on that day. CBYK's studios and news bureau is based at the Bank of Montreal building on 218 Victoria Street in Kamloops. Shortly after CBYK-FM's launch as a separate station, residents of Revelstoke complained to the CRTC that they were not consulted by the CBC when they switched their local repeater, CBTO-FM, to CBYK-FM's programming; e-mails made to the city's mayor's office show that 80% of listeners prefer programming from Kelowna, while only 20% prefer the new Kamloops programming. The CRTC later said that it is up to the CBC to decide which programming originates for CBTO-FM, not the CRTC. After city officials contacted the CBC, BC spokesperson Lorna Haeber said that the CBC would make a decision on the issue "shortly", but failed to elaborate how or when the decision will be made. The CRTC subsequently issued a notice that it had approved an application by the CBC to change the local programming source of its Radio One transmitter in Revelstoke from Kamloops back to Kelowna. The change was implemented on January 2, 2014.
Local programming
CBYK-FM produces its own local morning show, Daybreak Kamloops, which began October 9, 2012, hosted by veteran broadcaster Shelley Joyce. The station continues to carry CBTK-FM's local afternoon show, Radio West with Sarah Penton, which airs across the whole interior of British Columbia. Newsbreaks during the day originate from the new Kamloops studios; staffers include former CFJC-TV staffers Rob Polson and Doug Herbert, and Josh Pagé of CBC's Regina operations.
Rebroadcasters
FM conversions
In July 2011, CBTK-FM applied to convert CBUL 860 to 92.7 MHz; the application received CRTC approval on October 26, 2011.
On July 12, 2013, the CBC submitted an application to convert CBRL 860 to 92.1 MHz and adopted a new callsign CBYK-FM-1.
On March 20, 2017, the CBC applied to convert CBUU to 98.9 MHz with a new callsign CBUU-FM. This application was approved on June 23, 2017.
On May 4, 2018, the CRTC approved the CBC's application to convert CBKS to 93.5 MHz with a new callsign CBYK-FM-2. The CBC has also applied to shutdown CBWA when the new FM in Cache Creek is launched as the FM signal will adequately cover both communities.
