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CJAQ-FM

CJAQ-FM
Broadcast areaCalgary Metropolitan Region
Frequency96.9 MHz
BrandingJack 96.9
Programming
FormatAdult hits
Ownership
Owner
CHFM-FM, CFFR, CFAC, CKAL-DT, CJCO-DT
History
First air date
1927 (AM)
1996 (FM)
Former call signs
CJCJ (1927–1950)
CKXL (1950–1987)
CISS (1987–1991)
CFXX (1991–1992)
CFXL (1992–1996)
CKIS-FM (1996–1999, 2003-2009)
CHRK-FM (1999–2003)
Former frequencies
690 kHz (AM) (1927–1941)
1230 kHz (1941–1947)
1140 kHz (1947–1996)
Call sign meaning
sounds like "Jack"
Technical information
ClassC1
ERP48,000 watts average
100,000 watts peak
HAAT160 meters (520 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
51°02′18″N 114°13′26″W / 51.0383°N 114.224°W / 51.0383; -114.224
Repeater(s)CJAQ-FM-1 94.1 Banff
CJAQ-FM-2 97.3 Invermere
Links
WebcastListen live
Websitejack969.ca

CJAQ-FM (96.9 MHz) is a Canadian radio station in Calgary, Alberta. The station uses the on-air brand name Jack 96.9. It is the second "Jack" station in Canada and the world, after its sister CJAX-FM in Vancouver. CJAQ's studios are located on 7th Avenue Southwest in downtown Calgary, while its transmitter is located on Patina Hill Drive Southwest in the Prominence Point neighbourhood in west Calgary.

As of Winter 2020, CJAQ is the 8th-most-listened-to radio station in the Calgary market according to a PPM data report released by Numeris.[1]

History

The station originally signed on in 1927 as CJCJ, an AM radio station located on 1230 AM. In the 1941 great frequency shuffle of most North American AM stations it moved to its longtime frequency of 1140. In 1950, it adopted the call letters that it would become most historically identified with by most Calgary radio listeners, CKXL (or simply "XL" for short). It adopted a Top 40 format in 1964. On September 4, 1987, the station dropped Top 40 for adult contemporary as Kiss AM 1140 with the CISS call letters.[2] A year later, it went oldies full-time.[3] Two talk shows (Charles Adler and The Larry King Show) were also added briefly in 1990. On August 1, 1991, the station flipped to classic rock as The Fox with the CFXX, and, later on, CFXL call letters.[4][5]

On June 3, 1996, at 1 p.m., the station moved to the FM band and changed formats to Hot AC as Kiss FM, with the CKIS calls (previously, they were used by CHUM Radio-owned CKGM Montreal).[6][7][8] "Pirate Radio with Chris Sheppard" was a featured show on the station at the time. The station changed calls to CHRK on October 1, 1999, and returned to classic rock as Rock 97 when Rogers acquired the station. CHRK was one of three rock stations in Calgary at the time, alongside Rock 107 and CJAY 92; the latter rock station still uses this brand today.[9] The station changed to urban music on July 19, 2002, and returned the "Kiss" branding to the station.[10][11][12] On April 1, 2003, at midnight, the station returned to its CKIS calls and flipped to its current format.[13]

The station flipped call signs with CJAQ in Toronto, Ontario in June 2009, after the Toronto station was rebranded from "Jack FM" to "Kiss".

Previous Jack FM logos

Rebroadcasters

CJAQ-FM has repeaters in Alberta and British Columbia:

Rebroadcasters of CJAQ-FM
City of license Identifier Frequency Power Class RECNet CRTC Decision
Banff1 CJAQ-FM-1 94.1 FM (Horizontal only) 20 average watts
39 peak watts
A Query 2004-466
Invermere, British Columbia CJAQ-FM-2 97.3 FM (Horizontal only) 20 average watts
50 peak watts
LP Query

1 In 1997, rebroadcaster CJAQ-FM-1 received CRTC approval to operate at 94.3 FM,[14] until it moved to its current frequency at 94.1 FM in 2004.

References

  1. ^ "Winter 2020 PPM Data". Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  2. ^ Bob Blakey, "QR, XL target baby-boomers with new sound," The Calgary Herald, September 2, 1987.
  3. ^ Bob Blakey, "CISS shifts format after gamble fails," The Calgary Herald, September 20, 1988.
  4. ^ "CISS-AM drops talk show format," The Calgary Herald, July 25, 1991.
  5. ^ Brian Brennan, "Hot talk is silenced," The Calgary Herald, July 31, 1991.
  6. ^ Decision CRTC 94-629
  7. ^ Bob Blakey, "Once-mighty XL is headed off the AM dial," The Calgary Herald, March 14, 1996.
  8. ^ Nancy Tousley, "Calgary's first FM station in 15 years aims to play music that's Hot & New," The Calgary Herald, June 4, 1996.
  9. ^ Bob Blakey, "Kiss-FM changes format in name of classic rock," The Calgary Herald, October 7, 1999.
  10. ^ "96.9 KISSes off Rock," The Calgary Herald, July 20, 2002.
  11. ^ Heath McCoy, "YO! Phat radio gets rowdy," The Calgary Herald, November 2, 2002.
  12. ^ Heath McCoy, "Ratings sealed with a KISS," The Calgary Herald, December 5, 2002.
  13. ^ Heath McCoy, "Goodbye KISS, Say hello to JACK," The Calgary Herald, April 2, 2003.
  14. ^ Decision CRTC 97-605