CKUL-FM

CKUL-FM (96.5 FM, ''96.5 The Breeze'') is a radio station serving Halifax, Nova Scotia. Owned by Stingray Group, it broadcasts a soft adult contemporary format. CKUL's studios and offices are located on Kempt Road in Halifax, while its transmitter is located on Washmill Lake Drive in Clayton Park.

History

After receiving CRTC approval on March 5, 1990, the station first went on the air on August 30 of that year as ''96.5 Sun FM'', under the original call letters CIEZ-FM originally with an easy listening/beautiful music format. Shortly thereafter, the station became adult contemporary. In 2001, the station became adult hits, branded as ''FM 96.5'', and on November 1, 2004, the station rebranded as ''96.5 Kool FM'', and adopted its current call letters. The adult hits format evolved into classic hits over the years.

The station was operated for several years as a joint venture between Newcap Radio and CHUM Limited (later purchased by CTVglobemedia), as part of their five-station "Metro Radio Group" local marketing agreement, later disbanded by order of the CRTC. In 2007, both companies received approval to convert their remaining AM stations in the market, CFDR and CJCH respectively, to the FM band, which would give each company two wholly owned FM stations in the Halifax market, the maximum permitted under current CRTC regulations. Newcap later acquired CTVglobemedia's share of CKUL. At the same time, Newcap sold CFDR to Rogers Radio, which changed it to CFLT-FM.

On August 26, 2013, at noon, after playing “Thank You for Being a Friend” by Andrew Gold, CKUL flipped to adult album alternative as ''Radio 96.5''. The first song played on "Radio" was “ It's Time” by Imagine Dragons. In January 2016, former CKHZ-FM program director Dan Barton joined CKUL; a month later, the station flipped to hot adult contemporary as ''Mix 96.5''. The last song on "Radio" was “Electric Love” by Borns, while the first song on "Mix" was “Adventure of a Lifetime” by Coldplay.

On January 15, 2019, it was announced that the station would flip to soft adult contemporary as ''96.5 The Breeze'' that Thursday at midnight, joining sister stations in Vancouver and Edmonton in having adopted the format. Later that day, competitor CKHY-FM preempted the flip by abruptly switching to soft AC itself as ''Jewel 105''. The last song on "Mix" was “Goodbye” by Glenn Morrison, while the first song on "The Breeze" was “(I've Had) The Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes.

In April 2021, the station began to syndicate its morning show ''The Morning Breeze'' to its sister stations as part of a corporate restructuring; the program is customized with local segments and contributions from a local reporter in each market.

References

External links

96.5 The Breeze
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Radio stations established in 1990
1990 establishments in Nova Scotia