CKLG-FM
Encyclopedia
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
. The station also operates a 1,430 watt repeater (CKLG-FM-1, 96.9 MHz) in Whistler, British Columbia
. Studios are located in downtown Vancouver, and the station is currently owned by Rogers Communications
.
to adopt the Jack FM
brand, officially classified as a "variety hits" or "adult hits
" format. Jack stations play a mix of 1960s to 1990s hits, as well as some current adult contemporary singles. It uses the slogan "Playing what we want", promoting itself as having a larger and more varied playlist than other commercial radio stations.
launched CJAZ-FM at 92.1 MHz FM in Vancouver, with an all-jazz
music format, transmitting from Salt Spring Island at a power of 100,000 watts. Although overall regional coverage was very good, poor stereo reception in the key Vancouver area led the station to change frequencies and transmitter site to 96.9 MHz and Mt Seymour in 1984, transmitting at 75,000 watts. Low ratings led to a format change on September 15, 1985, when the station adopted an urban adult contemporary
format (the first in Canada
), rebranded as FM 97 and the call sign was changed to CKKS-FM. This was followed about a year later by a switch to the "adult contemporary music
" format and another on-air rebranding as "97 Kiss FM". Four years later, the station was sold to Maclean-Hunter Ltd, and in 1994
it became a part of Rogers Broadcasting. The adult contemporary format would also arrive on CHQM-FM
, which dropped its easy listening
format in 1992
, and surpassed CKKS as Vancouver's leading AC station, becoming Vancouver's most-listened-to FM station later on.
In 1988, West Coast Community T.V. Association received CRTC approval to add a very low-power transmitter at 102.7 MHz in Ucluelet
to rebroadcast the programming of CKKS-FM. The call sign for the Ucluelet transmitter is CIWC-FM.
In 2002
, the station's adult contemporary playlist was dropped in favour of Christmas music
, followed by the "Jack FM" adult hits
format on Boxing Day
. It ended the 10-year adult contemporary war in Vancouver
. Given the "attitude" inherent in the Jack brand, it was felt that the call sign "CKKS" would maintain an undesirable association with Kiss-FM's "soft favourites" identity. As it turned out, in 2001 Corus Entertainment had abandoned the old CKLG call sign formerly assigned to one of its Vancouver AM stations (Mojo AM 730). Rogers applied to transfer these letters to Jack FM, and the station's call sign became CKLG-FM. This was in part an attempt to trade on CKLG-AM's history as a popular Vancouver music station in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The move was successful, as Jack-FM's ratings increased dramatically, at one point briefly surpassing traditional market leader CKNW before settling into the upper rankings in the Vancouver market. The CKKS callsign was subsequently given to a Sechelt
rebroadcaster of CISQ-FM
in Squamish, British Columbia
.
In 2005, some members of Vancouver's Indo-Canadian community accused the station of racial insensitivity with regards to its advertising strategy.
The ads in question featured Vijay Chandra, a Fijian radio engineer for the station with a strong Indian accent, singing to promote Jack-FM's "Larry and Willy show". The complaints stem from a perception that viewers are intended to laugh at Chandra's accent, rather than at the ad copy itself, and that similar lyrics performed without an accent would not be considered humorous.
Coincidentally, the Jack FM
format was cloned on a Calgary
radio station April 1, 2003, on the same station also on the 96.9 frequency and also owned by Rogers Media
. The station was formerly urban CHRK (Kiss FM), as the station changed calls to CKIS-FM
and later to CJAQ-FM
(after swapping callsigns with 96.9 Jack FM Calgary when Toronto's Jack FM flipped back to top 40 as Kiss FM). As a result, Jack FM Toronto was the third Jack FM outlet in Canada.
A similar situation happened in Toronto
on Boxing Day 2009
, when Astral Media
's former adult contemporary station CJEZ-FM (97.3 EZ Rock) flipped to adult hits
as boom 97.3 (CHBM-FM). Ratings increased on the boom 97.3 station debuting at 9.3 whereas some former CJEZ-FM listeners moved to rival CHFI-FM
, which remains Canada's most-listened to radio station.
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
region of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. It broadcasts at 96.9 MHz on the FM band with an effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
of 75,000 watts from a transmitter on Mount Seymour in the District of North Vancouver
North Vancouver, British Columbia (district municipality)
The District of North Vancouver is a district municipality in British Columbia and is part of the GVRD. It surrounds the City of North Vancouver on three sides.-Geography:The District of North Vancouver is separated from Vancouver by Burrard Inlet...
. The station also operates a 1,430 watt repeater (CKLG-FM-1, 96.9 MHz) in Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
. Studios are located in downtown Vancouver, and the station is currently owned by 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...
.
Format
CKLG was the first conventional radio station in North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
to adopt the 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...
brand, officially classified as a "variety hits" or "adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
" format. Jack stations play a mix of 1960s to 1990s hits, as well as some current adult contemporary singles. It uses the slogan "Playing what we want", promoting itself as having a larger and more varied playlist than other commercial radio stations.
History
In 1980, Selkirk CommunicationsSelkirk Communications
Selkirk Communications was a Canadian radio and television broadcasting company, which operated from 1959 to 1989. Evolving out of Taylor, Pearson & Carson, a local broadcaster in Vancouver, British Columbia, the company grew to own 14 radio stations, six television stations and cable television...
launched CJAZ-FM at 92.1 MHz FM in Vancouver, with an all-jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
music format, transmitting from Salt Spring Island at a power of 100,000 watts. Although overall regional coverage was very good, poor stereo reception in the key Vancouver area led the station to change frequencies and transmitter site to 96.9 MHz and Mt Seymour in 1984, transmitting at 75,000 watts. Low ratings led to a format change on September 15, 1985, when the station adopted an urban adult contemporary
Urban Adult Contemporary
Urban adult contemporary is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have rap music on their playlists. The format was designed by Barry Mayo when he, Lee S. Simonson and Bill Pearson organized Broadcast...
format (the first 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...
), rebranded as FM 97 and the call sign was changed to CKKS-FM. This was followed about a year later by a switch to the "adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....
" format and another on-air rebranding as "97 Kiss FM". Four years later, the station was sold to Maclean-Hunter Ltd, and in 1994
1994 in radio
The year 1994 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*January 11 - The Irish government announces the end of a 15-year broadcasting ban on the Provisional Irish Republican Army and its political arm Sinn Féin....
it became a part of Rogers Broadcasting. The adult contemporary format would also arrive on 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...
, which dropped its 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...
format in 1992
1992 in radio
The year 1992 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:* January 22 - Rebel forces occupy Zaire's national radio station in Kinshasa and broadcast a demand for the government's resignation.* February 12 - Washington, D.C...
, and surpassed CKKS as Vancouver's leading AC station, becoming Vancouver's most-listened-to FM station later on.
In 1988, West Coast Community T.V. Association received CRTC approval to add a very low-power transmitter at 102.7 MHz in Ucluelet
Ucluelet, British Columbia
Ucluelet is a district municipality on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. Ucluelet means "people of the safe harbour" in the indigenous Nuu-chah-nulth language.- Geography :...
to rebroadcast the programming of CKKS-FM. The call sign for the Ucluelet transmitter is CIWC-FM.
In 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...
, the station's adult contemporary playlist was dropped in favour of 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:...
, followed by the "Jack FM" adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
format on Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
. It ended the 10-year adult contemporary war in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. Given the "attitude" inherent in the Jack brand, it was felt that the call sign "CKKS" would maintain an undesirable association with Kiss-FM's "soft favourites" identity. As it turned out, in 2001 Corus Entertainment had abandoned the old CKLG call sign formerly assigned to one of its Vancouver AM stations (Mojo AM 730). Rogers applied to transfer these letters to Jack FM, and the station's call sign became CKLG-FM. This was in part an attempt to trade on CKLG-AM's history as a popular Vancouver music station in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The move was successful, as Jack-FM's ratings increased dramatically, at one point briefly surpassing traditional market leader CKNW before settling into the upper rankings in the Vancouver market. The CKKS callsign was subsequently given to a Sechelt
Sechelt, British Columbia
The District Municipality of Sechelt is on the lower Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. Approximately 50 km northwest of Vancouver, Sechelt is accessible to the mainland of British Columbia via a 40 minute ferry trip between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale, and a 25 minute drive from Langdale...
rebroadcaster of CISQ-FM
CISQ-FM
-External links:** at Canadian Communications Foundation...
in Squamish, British Columbia
Squamish, British Columbia
Squamish is a community and a district municipality in the Canadian province of British Columbia, located at the north end of Howe Sound on the Sea to Sky Highway...
.
In 2005, some members of Vancouver's Indo-Canadian community accused the station of racial insensitivity with regards to its advertising strategy.
The ads in question featured Vijay Chandra, a Fijian radio engineer for the station with a strong Indian accent, singing to promote Jack-FM's "Larry and Willy show". The complaints stem from a perception that viewers are intended to laugh at Chandra's accent, rather than at the ad copy itself, and that similar lyrics performed without an accent would not be considered humorous.
Coincidentally, the 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...
format was cloned on a Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
radio station April 1, 2003, on the same station also on the 96.9 frequency and also owned by Rogers Media
Rogers Media
Rogers Media Inc is a subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc., which owns Canada's largest publishing company, Rogers Publishing Limited, which has more than 70 consumer and business publications. Rogers Media Inc...
. The station was formerly urban CHRK (Kiss FM), as the station changed calls to CKIS-FM
CKIS-FM
CJAQ-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 96.9 FM in Calgary, Alberta. The station uses the on-air brand name Jack FM. It is the second Jack FM station in Canada and the world, after its sister CKLG-FM in Vancouver.-History:...
and later to CJAQ-FM
CJAQ-FM
CKIS-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 92.5 FM in Toronto, Ontario. The station broadcasts a contemporary hit radio format branded as KiSS 92.5...
(after swapping callsigns with 96.9 Jack FM Calgary when Toronto's Jack FM flipped back to top 40 as Kiss FM). As a result, Jack FM Toronto was the third Jack FM outlet in Canada.
A similar situation happened in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
on Boxing Day 2009
2009 in radio
The following events occurred in radio in 2009.- Events :* January 1: Kurdish TV starts broadcasting in Turkey.* January: Michael Smerconish, morning host at talk radio WPHT Philadelphia, begins syndication of his morning show to WHFS in Washington and WOR in New York City.* January 17: Two well...
, when 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 former adult contemporary station CJEZ-FM (97.3 EZ Rock) flipped to adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
as boom 97.3 (CHBM-FM). Ratings increased on the boom 97.3 station debuting at 9.3 whereas some former CJEZ-FM listeners moved to rival CHFI-FM
CHFI-FM
CHFI-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts an adult contemporary format at 98.1 on the FM dial in Toronto, Ontario. Like most Toronto radio and TV channels, it broadcasts atop the CN Tower with and ERP of 44 kW and has a sizeable amount of American listeners...
, which remains Canada's most-listened to radio station.
External links
- 96.9 Jack FM
- CKLG-FM 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....