CKCL-FM
Encyclopedia
CFUN-FM is a Canadian
radio station
. Officially licenced to Chilliwack, British Columbia
and operating at 107.5 FM and 640 watts in that city, the station's main studios and listening area are in Metro Vancouver, where its rebroadcasting transmitter (CFUN-FM-2) operates at 104.9 FM on 31,000 watts of power. Rogers Communications
owns the station.
; at the time, the 104.9 frequency was originally located in Abbotsford
, west of Chilliwack. The station's original format was a mix of adult contemporary and easy listening
music.
Beginning in 1995, CKSR began gradually phasing out its easy listening songs in favor of a pure AC format; the conversion would be completed by 1997
, the same year the station's signal was expanded to include the Vancouver area, giving Vancouver three adult contemporary stations—CKSR-FM, CHQM-FM
and CKKS-FM. As part of the expansion, the 104.9 FM transmitter was relocated to Vancouver and a new transmitter (operating on 92.5 FM with 2600 watts) was installed in Abbotsford. Rogers Communications purchased the station in August 1999
.
Under the new ownership, CKSR underwent a name and format change at 5 p.m. on December 31, 1999 as it became CKVX and abandoned adult contemporary music for an alternative rock
format (adopting the on-air brand and slogan 104.9 XFM - Vancouver's Rock Alternative) to compete with veteran Vancouver rocker CFOX
and secure a younger listening audience. The two-way adult contemporary war continued at the time. CKVX became the first alternative rock station in Canada
outside of Ontario
. In 2000
, CKVX would relocate its main studios from Chilliwack to share space with sister stations CKWX and CKKS-FM
at 2440 Ash Street in Vancouver, although Chilliwack would remain as the city of licence for the record. The alt-rock format lasted for just under four years, as it was dumped on November 19, 2003 and the brand 104.9 Christmas FM was introduced on-air as CKVX went to round-the-clock Christmas music
for the next month.
CKVX switched formats and brands again at noon on December 26 when the 104.9 Clear FM brand was adopted and the station took on a mixed format of adult contemporary and smooth jazz
during most of the day, along with a program of chillout
, downtempo
and trip-hop electronic music
called Vancouver Chills, hosted by Trevor Shand from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. nightly. On April 8, 2004, CKVX changed its call sign to CKCL (formerly used on a Truro, Nova Scotia
radio station), to reflect its current on-air brand. Shand left CKCL to move to Los Angeles
to become the production manager at KROQ-FM
http://members.shaw.ca/vancouverbroadcasters2/S.htm (while continuing voiceover work for Rogers Broadcasting stations in Vancouver and Toronto) in 2005, and station Music Director Doreen Copeland took over as host of Vancouver Chills, which then began mixing more AC and smooth jazz in with the electronica tunes and expanded its airtime to 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. nightly.
On August 31, 2006, CKCL dropped the smooth jazz and electronica music and returned to a full-time AC format, giving Vancouver 2 ACs (CHQM-FM
was the other) for the first time since 2002
when co-owned CKKS
flipped to Jack FM
. At the same time, it began a commercial-free long weekend of non-stop music to herald the return of longtime Vancouver broadcaster Fred Latremouille and his wife Cathy (who previously had a morning show, Latremornings, on sister station CKKS-FM
) to the Vancouver airwaves after a six-year retirement; the new Latremornings show debuted at 5 a.m. on September 5. But the show was short-lived, ending after only one year in late 2007, when the couple returned to Maui.
In December 2007, it was announced that Charlee Morgan, formerly of Calgary's CHFM (Lite 96) and the old LG73
, would take-over the morning slot in early 2008. Morgan made her morning-show debut at CKCL on February 18, 2008. On September 26, 2008, CKCL dropped Morgan's morning show and its adult contemporary format for a classic hits
format and re-branded itself as FM 104.9, thus once again leaving CTVglobemedia
's market-leading CHQM-FM
as the sole adult contemporary outlet in Vancouver. The last song on 104.9 Clear FM was I Will Remember You
by Sarah McLachlan
, which was also the last song on LG73. This move prompted Astral Media
's CISL
flipping from oldies
to adult standards
on November 10, 2008 (which Jim Pattison's
CKBD dropped on November 13, 2008 as it flipped to 100.5 FM as CKPK-FM).
On November 12, 2009, CKCL rebranded itself as 104.9 fun FM. The callsign changed in late November from CKCL to CFUN to reflect the updated branding. The CFUN call signs were vacated by CTVglobemedia
after CFUN (now owned by Bell Media) flipped to sports radio.
The CKSR call sign and Star FM brand are now used by its Chilliwack FM sister station (located at 98.3 FM), formerly known as CHWK
on the AM band.
On August 17, 2011, at approximately 8:42 AM, the station changed their format to contemporary hit radio, branded as "Sonic". The first song played was "Party Rock Anthem
" by LMFAO
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
. Officially licenced to Chilliwack, British Columbia
Chilliwack, British Columbia
Chilliwack is a Canadian city in the Province of British Columbia. It is a predominantly agricultural community with an estimated population of 80,000 people. Chilliwack is the second largest city in the Fraser Valley Regional District after Abbotsford. The city is surrounded by mountains and...
and operating at 107.5 FM and 640 watts in that city, the station's main studios and listening area are in Metro Vancouver, where its rebroadcasting transmitter (CFUN-FM-2) operates at 104.9 FM on 31,000 watts of power. Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications Inc. is one of Canada's largest communications companies, particularly in the field of wireless communications, cable television, home phone and internet with additional telecommunications and mass media assets...
owns the station.
History
CFUN signed on for the first time on October 1, 1986 as CKSR-FM (with the original on-air brand Star FM 105) under the ownership of Fraser Valley Broadcasters Ltd. to serve the residents of the Fraser ValleyFraser Valley
The Fraser Valley is the section of the Fraser River basin in southwestern British Columbia downstream of the Fraser Canyon. The term is sometimes used to refer to the Fraser Canyon and stretches upstream from there, but in general British Columbian usage of the term refers to the stretch of the...
; at the time, the 104.9 frequency was originally located in Abbotsford
Abbotsford, British Columbia
Abbotsford is a Canadian city located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, adjacent to Greater Vancouver. It is the fifth largest municipality in British Columbia, home to 123,864 people . Its Census Metropolitan Area, which includes the District of Mission, is the 23rd largest in Canada,...
, west of Chilliwack. The station's original format was a mix of adult contemporary and easy listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
music.
Beginning in 1995, CKSR began gradually phasing out its easy listening songs in favor of a pure AC format; the conversion would be completed by 1997
1997 in radio
The year 1997 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*February 15 - After 5 years of Alternative Rock, WDRE flips into Rhythmic AC as Philly 103.9, the station, began to play Pearl Jam's Alive while crowding the live stage....
, the same year the station's signal was expanded to include the Vancouver area, giving Vancouver three adult contemporary stations—CKSR-FM, CHQM-FM
CHQM-FM
CHQM-FM is a Canadian radio station in the Metro Vancouver region of British Columbia. It broadcasts at 103.5 megahertz on the FM band with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts from a transmitter on Mount Seymour and airs an adult contemporary format...
and CKKS-FM. As part of the expansion, the 104.9 FM transmitter was relocated to Vancouver and a new transmitter (operating on 92.5 FM with 2600 watts) was installed in Abbotsford. Rogers Communications purchased the station in August 1999
1999 in radio
The year 1999 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*January 1 - 102.1 The Zone stopped played at 6AM and 102.1 FM played a stunt of waves and announcement voice over of our newest radio station....
.
Under the new ownership, CKSR underwent a name and format change at 5 p.m. on December 31, 1999 as it became CKVX and abandoned adult contemporary music for an alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
format (adopting the on-air brand and slogan 104.9 XFM - Vancouver's Rock Alternative) to compete with veteran Vancouver rocker CFOX
CFOX-FM
CFOX-FM is a Canadian radio station in the Greater Vancouver region of British Columbia. It broadcasts at 99.3 MHz on the FM band with an effective radiated power of 75,000 watts from a transmitter on Mount Seymour in the District of North Vancouver. Studios are located in Downtown Vancouver,...
and secure a younger listening audience. The two-way adult contemporary war continued at the time. CKVX became the first alternative rock station in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
outside of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. In 2000
2000 in radio
The year 2000 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*The Real Radio & Century Radio networks become active on - air, through the United Kingdom....
, CKVX would relocate its main studios from Chilliwack to share space with sister stations CKWX and CKKS-FM
CKLG-FM
CKLG-FM is a Canadian radio station in the Greater Vancouver region of British Columbia. It broadcasts at 96.9 MHz on the FM band with an effective radiated power of 75,000 watts from a transmitter on Mount Seymour in the District of North Vancouver...
at 2440 Ash Street in Vancouver, although Chilliwack would remain as the city of licence for the record. The alt-rock format lasted for just under four years, as it was dumped on November 19, 2003 and the brand 104.9 Christmas FM was introduced on-air as CKVX went to round-the-clock Christmas music
Christmas music
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music normally performed or heard around the Christmas season, which tends to begin in the months leading up the actual holiday and end in the weeks shortly thereafter.-Early:...
for the next month.
CKVX switched formats and brands again at noon on December 26 when the 104.9 Clear FM brand was adopted and the station took on a mixed format of adult contemporary and smooth jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
during most of the day, along with a program of chillout
Chill out music
Chill out music is an umbrella term for several styles of electronic music characterized by their mellow style and mid-tempo beats — "chill" being derived from a slang injunction to "relax."Chill out music emerged in the early and mid-1990s in "chill rooms" at dance clubs, where relaxing music...
, downtempo
Downtempo
Downtempo is a laid-back electronic music style similar to ambient music, but usually with a beat or groove unlike the beatless forms of Ambient music. The beat is sometimes made from loops that have a hypnotic feeling...
and trip-hop electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
called Vancouver Chills, hosted by Trevor Shand from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. nightly. On April 8, 2004, CKVX changed its call sign to CKCL (formerly used on a Truro, Nova Scotia
Truro, Nova Scotia
-Education:Truro has one high school, Cobequid Educational Centre. Post-secondary options include a campus of the Nova Scotia Community College, as well as the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in the neighboring town of Bible Hill.- Sports :...
radio station), to reflect its current on-air brand. Shand left CKCL to move to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to become the production manager at KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
http://members.shaw.ca/vancouverbroadcasters2/S.htm (while continuing voiceover work for Rogers Broadcasting stations in Vancouver and Toronto) in 2005, and station Music Director Doreen Copeland took over as host of Vancouver Chills, which then began mixing more AC and smooth jazz in with the electronica tunes and expanded its airtime to 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. nightly.
CHQM-FM
CHQM-FM is a Canadian radio station in the Metro Vancouver region of British Columbia. It broadcasts at 103.5 megahertz on the FM band with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts from a transmitter on Mount Seymour and airs an adult contemporary format...
was the other) for the first time since 2002
2002 in radio
The year 2002 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*January 21 - A train derailment in Minot, North Dakota kills one person and knocks out power throughout the region, spilling 250,000 gallons of toxic anhydrous ammonia for fertilizer purposes. The designated primary station for the...
when co-owned CKKS
CKLG-FM
CKLG-FM is a Canadian radio station in the Greater Vancouver region of British Columbia. It broadcasts at 96.9 MHz on the FM band with an effective radiated power of 75,000 watts from a transmitter on Mount Seymour in the District of North Vancouver...
flipped to Jack FM
Jack FM
JACK FM is the alternative name and on-air brand of 60 radio stations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Jack stations play a mix of 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s hits with some current hot adult contemporary singles. Jack's slogan "playing what we want" can also be...
. At the same time, it began a commercial-free long weekend of non-stop music to herald the return of longtime Vancouver broadcaster Fred Latremouille and his wife Cathy (who previously had a morning show, Latremornings, on sister station CKKS-FM
CKLG-FM
CKLG-FM is a Canadian radio station in the Greater Vancouver region of British Columbia. It broadcasts at 96.9 MHz on the FM band with an effective radiated power of 75,000 watts from a transmitter on Mount Seymour in the District of North Vancouver...
) to the Vancouver airwaves after a six-year retirement; the new Latremornings show debuted at 5 a.m. on September 5. But the show was short-lived, ending after only one year in late 2007, when the couple returned to Maui.
In December 2007, it was announced that Charlee Morgan, formerly of Calgary's CHFM (Lite 96) and the old LG73
CHMJ (AM)
CHMJ is a Canadian radio station in the Metro Vancouver region of British Columbia currently owned by Corus Entertainment. It broadcasts on 730 kHz, with an effective radiated power of 50,000 watts from a transmitter in Delta...
, would take-over the morning slot in early 2008. Morgan made her morning-show debut at CKCL on February 18, 2008. On September 26, 2008, CKCL dropped Morgan's morning show and its adult contemporary format for a classic hits
Classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
format and re-branded itself as FM 104.9, thus once again leaving CTVglobemedia
CTVglobemedia
CTVglobemedia , was one of Canada's largest private media companies. Its operations include newspaper publishing , television broadcasting and production , radio broadcasting , and their respective Internet properties.Originally established by BCE and the Thomson family in 2001 combining CTV Inc.,...
's market-leading CHQM-FM
CHQM-FM
CHQM-FM is a Canadian radio station in the Metro Vancouver region of British Columbia. It broadcasts at 103.5 megahertz on the FM band with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts from a transmitter on Mount Seymour and airs an adult contemporary format...
as the sole adult contemporary outlet in Vancouver. The last song on 104.9 Clear FM was I Will Remember You
I Will Remember You (Sarah McLachlan song)
"I Will Remember You" is a song written by Sarah McLachlan, Séamus Egan and Dave Merenda. The song first appeared on the soundtrack to the movie The Brothers McMullen in 1995, and was featured on her remix album Rarities, B-Sides and Other Stuff...
by Sarah McLachlan
Sarah McLachlan
Sarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, as of 2006, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards and four...
, which was also the last song on LG73. This move prompted Astral Media
Astral Media
Astral Media Inc. is a Canadian media corporation. It is Canada's largest radio broadcaster with 83 radio stations in eight provinces, and is a major player in premium and specialty television in Canada, including The Movie Network, Super Écran, Family, Teletoon, Canal D, Canal Vie, VRAK.TV,...
's CISL
CISL (AM)
CISL is a Canadian adult standards radio station, based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The station broadcasts on the AM band at 650 kilohertz. It is one of Canada's few remaining successful music stations on the AM dial. The calls in its moniker are generally pronounced "C-Isle".-History:CISL...
flipping from oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
to adult standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
on November 10, 2008 (which Jim Pattison's
Jim Pattison Group
The Jim Pattison Group is Canada’s third largest privately held company and, in a recent survey by the Financial Post, The Jim Pattison Group was ranked as Canada’s 62nd largest company. Jim Pattison, a Vancouver-based entrepreneur is the Chairman, President, CEO, and sole owner of the Jim Pattison...
CKBD dropped on November 13, 2008 as it flipped to 100.5 FM as CKPK-FM).
On November 12, 2009, CKCL rebranded itself as 104.9 fun FM. The callsign changed in late November from CKCL to CFUN to reflect the updated branding. The CFUN call signs were vacated by CTVglobemedia
CTVglobemedia
CTVglobemedia , was one of Canada's largest private media companies. Its operations include newspaper publishing , television broadcasting and production , radio broadcasting , and their respective Internet properties.Originally established by BCE and the Thomson family in 2001 combining CTV Inc.,...
after CFUN (now owned by Bell Media) flipped to sports radio.
The CKSR call sign and Star FM brand are now used by its Chilliwack FM sister station (located at 98.3 FM), formerly known as CHWK
CKSR-FM
CKSR-FM is a Canadian radio station located in Chilliwack, British Columbia. The station, operating at 98.3 FM with 5000 watts of power, is owned by Rogers Communications...
on the AM band.
On August 17, 2011, at approximately 8:42 AM, the station changed their format to contemporary hit radio, branded as "Sonic". The first song played was "Party Rock Anthem
Party Rock Anthem
"Party Rock Anthem" is a song performed by American electro recording duo LMFAO , featuring English singer Lauren Bennett and GoonRock. It was released as the first single from their second album Sorry for Party Rocking in 2011. It interpolates lyrics from Rick Ross' song "Hustlin"...
" by LMFAO
LMFAO (group)
LMFAO is an American electro pop duo consisting of rappers, producers, dancers, and DJs Redfoo and SkyBlu . The group formed in 2006 in Los Angeles, California. Redfoo is SkyBlu's uncle. Redfoo is also the son of music mogul Berry Gordy, SkyBlu a grandson...
.
External links
- Sonic
- CKSR/CKCL/CFUN history at Canadian Communications FoundationCanadian Communications FoundationThe Canadian Communications Foundation is a history of Canadian broadcasting for radio and television chronicles and documents. It also provides a history of radio and television stations, including networks, programs, broadcasters and many others....