EZ Rock
Encyclopedia
EZ Rock is a brand of adult contemporary music
radio stations heard primarily in Canada
. The branding was originally created by Telemedia
in the mid-1990s for its adult contemporary stations, and based on the call sign of its former Toronto flagship CJEZ (now adult hits
-formatted CHBM).
Telemedia was later acquired by Standard Broadcasting
in 2002, and Standard in turn was acquired by Astral Media
in 2007. The branding has also been retained to date on four former Telemedia stations that Standard sold to Rogers Communications
shortly after completing the 2002 takeover.
The stations are generally programmed independently, although special Canadian content
versions of shows such as Delilah
and the John Tesh Radio Show are heard across the network. Some stations in smaller markets may also share voice-tracked programming in weekend and overnight slots.
Despite the pronunciation of the letter "Z" as "zed" in Canadian English, the name is pronounced "E-Zee Rock" (as in "Easy Rock"), not "E-Zed Rock".
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....
radio stations heard primarily 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...
. The branding was originally created by Telemedia
Telemedia
Telemedia was a Canadian media company, which had holdings in radio, television and magazine publishing.The company was launched in 1968 by Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien.Telemedia was held privately until it became publicly traded in the late 1980s....
in the mid-1990s for its adult contemporary stations, and based on the call sign of its former Toronto flagship CJEZ (now 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...
-formatted CHBM).
Telemedia was later acquired by Standard Broadcasting
Standard Broadcasting
Slaight Communications is a Canadian radio broadcasting company. The company was first formed as Slaight Broadcasting in 1971, when owner J. Allan Slaight acquired CFGM in Richmond Hill...
in 2002, and Standard in turn was acquired by 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,...
in 2007. The branding has also been retained to date on four former Telemedia stations that Standard sold to 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...
shortly after completing the 2002 takeover.
The stations are generally programmed independently, although special Canadian content
Canadian content
Canadian content refers to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission requirements that radio and television broadcasters must air a certain percentage of content that was at least partly written, produced, presented, or otherwise contributed to by persons from...
versions of shows such as Delilah
Delilah Rene
Delilah Rene Luke , almost always known mononymously as Delilah, is an American radio personality, author, and songwriter, best known as the host of a nationally syndicated nightly U.S...
and the John Tesh Radio Show are heard across the network. Some stations in smaller markets may also share voice-tracked programming in weekend and overnight slots.
Despite the pronunciation of the letter "Z" as "zed" in Canadian English, the name is pronounced "E-Zee Rock" (as in "Easy Rock"), not "E-Zed Rock".
British Columbia
- KelownaKelownaKelowna is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley, in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. Its name derives from a Okanagan language term for "grizzly bear"...
- CILK-FMCILK-FMCILK-FM is a Canadian radio station located in Kelowna, British Columbia. Broadcasting at 101.5 FM, the station airs an adult contemporary format branded as 101-5 EZ Rock.-History:... - SummerlandSummerland, British ColumbiaSummerland is a community on the west side of Okanagan Lake in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. The district is between Peachland to the north and Penticton to the south...
- CHOR-FM - Penticton - CKOR
- OsoyoosOsoyoos, British ColumbiaOsoyoos is a town in the southern part of the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia near the border with Washington state. The town is also adjacent to the Indian Reserve of the Osoyoos Indian Band. The origin of the name Osoyoos was the word suius meaning "narrowing of the waters" in the local...
- CJORCJOR (AM)CJOR is a Canadian radio station which broadcasts an adult contemporary format on 1240 AM/KHz in Osoyoos, British Columbia with an FM rebroadcaster on 102.9 FM/MHz as CJOR-FM in Oliver, British Columbia. The station is branded as EZ Rock.-History:... - Salmon ArmSalmon Arm, British Columbia-Climate:- Education :Public schools in Salmon Arm are part of School District 83 North Okanagan-Shuswap; within the city limits, there are currently five elementary schools , one middle school , and a secondary school with two campuses...
- CKXR-FMCKXR-FM-External links:* - CKXR-FM* - CKGR/CKIR* - CKCR-FM* at Canadian Communications Foundation* at Canadian Communications Foundation* at Canadian Communications Foundation* at Canadian Communications Foundation... - RevelstokeRevelstoke, British ColumbiaRevelstoke is a city in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. It is located east of Vancouver, and west of Calgary, Alberta. The city is situated on the banks of the Columbia River just south of the Revelstoke Dam and near its confluence with the Illecillewaet River...
- CKCR-FMCKCR-FMCKCR-FM is a Canadian radio station in Revelstoke, British Columbia. The station operates at 106.1 FM/MHz. CKCR is owned by Astral Media and airs an adult contemporary format under the EZ Rock on-air brand.-History:... - GoldenGolden, British ColumbiaGolden is a town in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located west of Calgary, Alberta and east of Vancouver.-History:Much of the town's history is tied into the Canadian Pacific Railway and the logging industry...
- CKGR-FM - InvermereInvermere, British ColumbiaInvermere is a community in eastern British Columbia, Canada, near the border of Alberta. With its growing permanent population of almost 4,000 , swelling to near 40,000 on summer weekends, it is the hub of the Columbia Valley between Golden, and Cranbrook...
- CKIR - TrailTrail, British ColumbiaTrail is a city in the West Kootenay region of the Interior of British Columbia, Canada.-Geography:Trail has an area of . The city is located on both banks of the Columbia River, approximately 10 km north of the United States border. This section of the Columbia River valley is located between the...
- CJAT-FMCJAT-FMCJAT-FM is a Canadian radio station that broadcasts a hot adult contemporary format at 95.7 FM in Trail, British Columbia and is also heard in Castlegar at 90.3 FM and Grand Forks at 103.3 FM, including other rebroadcasters.-History:... - NelsonNelson, British ColumbiaNelson is a city located in the Selkirk Mountains on the extreme West Arm of Kootenay Lake in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Known as "The Queen City", and acknowledged for its impressive collection of restored heritage buildings from its glory days in a regional silver rush,...
- CKKC-FMCKKC-FMCKKC-FM is a Canadian radio station that broadcasts a hot adult contemporary format at 106.9 FM in Nelson, British Columbia. The station is owned by Astral Media. The station's programming is produced partly from its own studios, and partly from its sister station CJAT in Trail... - Prince RupertPrince Rupert, British ColumbiaPrince Rupert is a port city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is the land, air, and water transportation hub of British Columbia's North Coast, and home to some 12,815 people .-History:...
- CHTK-FM - TerraceTerrace, British ColumbiaTerrace is a city on the Skeena River in British Columbia, Canada. The Kitselas people, a tribe of the Tsimshian Nation, have lived in the Terrace area for thousands of years. The community population fell between 2001 and 2006 from 12,109 with a regional population of 19,980 to 11,320 and...
- CFTKCFTK (AM)CFTK is a Canadian radio station that broadcasts a hot adult contemporary format at 590 AM in Terrace, British Columbia. The station is branded as EZ Rock. The station is owned by Astral Media.... - KitimatKitimat, British ColumbiaKitimat is a coastal city in northwestern British Columbia, in the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine. The Kitimat Valley, which includes the adjacent community of Terrace, is the most populous urban district in Northwest British Columbia...
- CKTK-FMCKTK-FMCKTK-FM is a Canadian radio station that broadcasts a hot adult contemporary format at 97.7 FM in Kitimat, British Columbia. The station is branded as EZ Rock. CKTK is owned by Astral Media....
Ontario
- North BayNorth Bay, OntarioNorth Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing.-History:...
- CHUR-FMCHUR-FMCHUR-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts an adult contemporary format at 100.5 FM in North Bay, Ontario. The station uses the on-air brand EZ Rock.-History:... - Sault Ste. MarieSault Ste. Marie, OntarioSault Ste. Marie is a city on the St. Marys River in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with a population of 74,948. The community was founded as a French religious mission: Sault either means "jump" or "rapids" in...
- CHAS-FMCHAS-FMCHAS-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts an adult contemporary format in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. The station, owned by Rogers Radio, uses the on-air brand EZ Rock... - Sudbury - CJMX-FMCJMX-FMCJMX-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts an adult contemporary format at 105.3 FM in Sudbury, Ontario. The station uses the on-air brand EZ Rock. The station is owned by Rogers Media.-History:...
- TimminsTimminsTimmins is a city in northeastern Ontario, Canada on the Mattagami River. At the time of the Canada 2006 Census, Timmins' population was 42,997...
- CKGB-FMCKGB-FMCKGB-FM is a Canadian radio station that broadcasts an adult contemporary format at 99.3 FM in Timmins, Ontario. The station uses the on-air brand EZ Rock and is owned by Rogers Media.-History:...
Former stations
- EdmontonEdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, AlbertaAlbertaAlberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
- CFMG-FMCFMG-FMCFMG-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at FM 104.9 in Edmonton, Alberta. Branded as '1049 Virgin Radio', the station plays a contemporary hit radio format....
(identified as EZ Rock from 1990s until 2011) - Fredericton, New BrunswickNew BrunswickNew Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
- CIBX-FMCIBX-FMCIBX-FM is a Canadian radio station in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The station, which broadcasts at 106.9 FM, plays an adult contemporary format and is branded as Capital FM....
(identified as EZ Rock from 2000 until 2005) - Woodstock, New BrunswickWoodstock, New BrunswickWoodstock is a Canadian town in Carleton County, New Brunswick located on the west bank of the Saint John River at the mouth of the Meduxnekeag River, 92 km west of Fredericton and close to the Canada – United States border and Houlton, Maine.- History :Woodstock was settled by Loyalists...
- CJCJ-FMCJCJ-FMCJCJ-FM is an hot adult contemporary radio station broadcasting from Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada. The station operates at 104.1 MHz/FM.-History:...
(identified as EZ Rock from 1995 to 2009) - Truro, Nova ScotiaTruro, 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 :...
- CKTO-FMCKTO-FMCKTO-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting from Truro, Nova Scotia on 100.9 FM. It plays a hot adult contemporary and classic rock format and is branded Big Dog 100.9...
(identified as EZ Rock from 2001 until 2002) - Orillia, OntarioOrillia, OntarioOrillia, pronounced ōrĭl'ēə, is a city located in Simcoe County in Southern Ontario, Canada, between Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe, 135 kilometres north of Toronto.Originally incorporated as a village in 1867, the history of...
- CICX-FMCICX-FMCICX-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 105.9 FM in Orillia, Ontario. The station airs a country format under the KICX-FM brand.-History:...
(identified as EZ Rock from 1996 until 2002) - Ottawa, Ontario - CJOT-FM (identified as EZ Rock from May 27, 2010 until June 30, 2011, former flagship stationFlagship stationIn broadcasting, a flagship is the broadcast which originates a television network, or a particular radio show or TV show, primarily in the United States and Canada. This includes both direct network feeds and broadcast syndication, but generally not backhauls...
) - Toronto, Ontario - CHBM-FM (identified as EZ Rock from 1995 to 2009 using the CJEZ-FM callsign, former flagship stationFlagship stationIn broadcasting, a flagship is the broadcast which originates a television network, or a particular radio show or TV show, primarily in the United States and Canada. This includes both direct network feeds and broadcast syndication, but generally not backhauls...
)