CKIX-FM is a Canadian radio station broadcasting on 99.1
FM in
St. John's,
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
. The station currently broadcasts a
Top 40/CHR format branded as ''Hot 99.1''. The station is owned by
Stingray Group
Stingray Group Inc. (formerly Stingray Digital and Stingray Digital Group) is a publicly traded Canadian media and entertainment company based in Montreal, Quebec, with offices in the United States, Belgium, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, S ...
.
History
Launched by
CHUM Limited
CHUM Limited was a Canadian media company based in Toronto, Ontario in operation from 1945 to 2007. The company was founded in 1945 as York Broadcasters Limited when it launched CHUM-AM 1050 but was acquired by salesman Allan Waters in 1954. CHU ...
on October 15, 1983, CKIX-FM originally carried a
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...
format known as ''Country 99 FM'' and then later in the 1980s as ''KIXX Country''. Newcap acquired CKIX and sister station
CJYQ
CJYQ is an AM radio station broadcasting at 930 kHz in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Owned by Stingray Group and airing a country format, the station is currently branded as ''New Country 930''.
History
The station was launche ...
from CHUM in 1989. In 1991, the studios were relocated from Duckworth Street to 208 Kenmount Road (which the Capital Hotel now occupies).
On February 17, 2002, Newcap converted its recently acquired
VOCM-FM
VOCM-FM is a Canadian radio station broadcasting at 97.5 Hertz, MHz from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Owned by Stingray Group, the station is branded as ''97.5 K-Rock'' and broadcasts a classic roc ...
from
hot AC
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet s ...
to
classic rock
Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, primar ...
. As an unexpected side effect, CKIX's audience dropped significantly. Moreover, rival station
CHOZ-FM
CHOZ-FM is a Canadian radio station based in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Its main St. John's transmitter broadcasts at 94.7 MHz, with additional transmitters located throughout the island. The station, known as ''OZFM'', is one of the ...
, which carried a combination of
CHR and classic rock at the time, elected to retain that hybrid format rather than move into the former "Magic" niche. As a result, on June 28 of the same year, Newcap dropped CKIX's longtime
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...
format in favour of
Top 40/CHR as ''99.1 Hits FM''. Originally, the morning show included the Paul Magee and Erin Chase, but by the summer of 2003, managed to lure away longtime CHOZ host Randy Snow. The country format moved to
VOCM, in line with Newcap's other AM stations across the province. The "KIXX Country" branding would eventually be revived on
CHVO-FM
CHVO-FM is a Canadian radio station in Carbonear, Newfoundland and Labrador, broadcasting at 103.9 FM. Owned by Stingray Group, the station currently broadcasts a country format branded as ''New Country 103.9''.
History
CHVO first went on the ...
in
Carbonear
Carbonear is a town on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It overlooks the west side of Conception Bay and had a history long tied to fishing and shipbuilding. Since the late 20th century, its economy has changed to emphasi ...
and
CJYQ
CJYQ is an AM radio station broadcasting at 930 kHz in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Owned by Stingray Group and airing a country format, the station is currently branded as ''New Country 930''.
History
The station was launche ...
in St. John's.
On January 2,
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
, regarding
CHOZ-FM
CHOZ-FM is a Canadian radio station based in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Its main St. John's transmitter broadcasts at 94.7 MHz, with additional transmitters located throughout the island. The station, known as ''OZFM'', is one of the ...
's format shift back to
hot adult contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet ...
, the station returned to their
Top 40/CHR format as it has been always a reporter to the Canadian top 40 panel.
In 2019, Snow left CKIX to return to CHOZ after 16 years.
On May 21, 2021, CKIX rebranded as ''Hot 99.1'', ending nearly 19 years of the "Hits FM" branding, keeping the same format.
"Missing 9" contest
In late August 2008, CKIX temporarily began identifying itself as ''9.1 Hits FM''; its actual broadcast frequency had not changed (although the "9.1" was also used in the station's
legal IDs). Promotional signs throughout the listening area were also modified to appear as though the "9" had been removed. No reason for the change was given until September 8, when it was revealed that the missing digit had been "abducted" and hidden somewhere in the station's listening area, prompting a
scavenger hunt
''Scavenger Hunt'' is a 1979 American comedy film with a large ensemble cast which includes Richard Benjamin, James Coco, Scatman Crothers, Ruth Gordon, Cloris Leachman, Cleavon Little, Roddy McDowall, Robert Morley, Richard Mulligan, Tony R ...
-style contest where the abductor periodically "hijacked" the station's signal to provide clues to find a physical "9" object, and the station providing a $10,000 reward for its safe return.
The "9" was found on October 6 in the back of a pick-up truck adjacent to a private self-storage facility in a St. John's suburb, and returned to the station that morning. However, a video later posted by the station indicated that the truck only arrived at that location that day, generating some controversy and complaints to the station.
A later investigation by the
Canadian Broadcast Standards Council
The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) is an industry funded self-regulating organization created by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters to administer standards established by its own members, Canada's private broadcasters.
The coun ...
's Atlantic Regional Panel revealed that the "9" had been located in a storage locker at the aforementioned self-storage facility (without the knowledge of that facility, presumably to ensure that employees of that facility could not gain an unfair advantage), with the intention that the clues would allow a listener to access that locker and retrieve the object. While some listeners were apparently able to identify the facility, they were unsuccessful in retrieving the digit, prompting the facility to post a "no trespassing" sign disavowing any relationship to the Hits FM contest. According to the station, this forced the relocation of the item.
The CBSC panel later ruled that CKIX-FM's handling of the "Missing 9" contest, specifically placing the object such that it was not reasonably accessible to the public at the outset, and later moving the object in contradiction of the broadcast clues, violated Clause 12 of the
Canadian Association of Broadcasters
The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) is a trade association representing the interests of commercial radio and television broadcasters in Canada. It is co-located with the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council in Ottawa.
It was first e ...
' Code of Ethics. That clause states that "
l on-air contests and promotions shall be conceived and conducted fairly and legitimately and particular care shall be taken to ensure that they are not misleading". As is standard practice for CBSC violations, the station was required to announce the decision twice during peak listening hours.
CBSC Decision 08/09-0227 & -0229: CKIX-FM re the Missing 9 Contest
, Canadian Broadcast Standards Council
The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) is an industry funded self-regulating organization created by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters to administer standards established by its own members, Canada's private broadcasters.
The coun ...
, decided 29 January 2009, released 8 July 2009
References
External links
Hot 99.1
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ckix-Fm
Kix
Kix
Kix
Radio stations established in 1983
1983 establishments in Newfoundland and Labrador