Jump to content

CKQB-FM

Edit links
Coordinates:45°21′31″N75°44′14″W/ 45.3586°N 75.7372°W/45.3586; -75.7372
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
CKQB-FM
Broadcast areaNational Capital Region,Eastern Ontario,Western Quebec
Frequency106.9MHz(FM)
BrandingJump! 106.9
Programming
FormatTop 40/CHR
Ownership
Owner
CJOT-FM
History
First air date
August 31,1982(AM)
September 1,1994(FM)
Former call signs
CJSB(1982–1994)
Former frequencies
540kHz(AM) (1982–1994)
Technical information
ClassC1
ERP84,000watts
HAAT323 meters (1,060 ft)
Repeater(s)CKQB-FM-199.9Pembroke
Links
WebcastListen live
Websitejumpradio.ca

CKQB-FM(106.9FM,Jump! 106.9) is aradio stationlicensedtoOttawa,Ontario.Owned byCorus Entertainment,it broadcasts aTop 40/CHRformat. CKQB's studios are located at 1504 Merivale Road inNepeanalong with sister stationCJOT-FM,while its transmitter is located inCamp Fortune,Quebec.

History[edit]

The station was launched on August 31, 1982, byStandard Broadcastingat 540AM,with the call signCJSBand a power of 50,000 watts (daytime) and 10,000 watts (nighttime).[1][2]The station was initially a mixture ofMORmusic andtalkprogramming, then became anadult standards/easy listening(Music of Your Life) station, and in January 1987, evolved into a soft adult contemporary format with the brand name54 Lite Rock.The station also aired Top 40 music.[3]

In 1988, the station adopted amainstream rockformat and the brand name54 Rock.In June 1989, the station's nighttime power was increased from 10,000 watts to 12,500 watts in an effort to extend their coverage area in the west-end of Ottawa.[4]Through all the changes, the station continued to lose money hand over foot.

In 1993, after 11 years without a profit on AM, the station applied to move to theFMband using the available 106.9 frequency that had been occupied byCKOfrom 1977 to 1989.[5]This was the first time the CRTC had allowed a commercial station in a major market to switch from AM to FM.

The AM station signed off the air at 9 a.m. on August 31, 1994, and the FM station signed on at 6 p.m. on September 1, 1994, with the new brand name106.9 FM The Bearand changed its call sign toCKQB-FM.Darren Stevens became the first personality to be heard on the new station during a live broadcast from Minglewoods bar in the Byward Market.

In 2004, CKQB was given approval by theCanadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commissionto operate an FM transmitter at Pembroke on 99.7 MHz, to rebroadcast the programming of CKQB's main station in Ottawa and provide better service to CKQB's listeners in Pembroke and in the surrounding westOttawa Valleyarea.[6]

The station's music director, Kath Thompson, won the Canadian Music Industry Award for music director of the Year (Major Market) in 2007. On October 29, 2007,Astral Mediatook control of CKQB as a result of its takeover of Standard Broadcasting.

On December 4,2008,Astral Media announced that CKQB, along with sister stationsCJFM-FMinMontrealandCKZZ-FMinVancouver,would be rebranded as aVirgin Radiostation in January 2009.[7]This was in addition to an existing "Virgin" station,CKFM-FMinToronto.CKQB featured a "re-energized"rockformat, as opposed to a hot adult contemporary format at the other "Virgin" stations in Canada. The Toronto "Virgin" flipped toTop 40/CHRthe following year.

The rebranding was completed at 4 p.m. on January 9, 2009. The first song after the relaunch was "London Calling"byThe Clash.The station subsequently faced criticism for its inaugural promotional campaign, which featured images of pregnant young women accompanied by the slogan "Lock up your daughters, the gods of rock are now in Ottawa." The station dropped the advertisements after a number of listeners filed complaints.[8]

On August 26, 2009, Astral applied to change Pembroke's repeater frequency (CKQB-FM-1) to 99.9 MHz to mitigate interference due to the approval of Astral's new FM station in Ottawa at 99.7 MHz.[9]The move to 99.9 received CRTC approval on October 14, 2009.[10]

CKQB's studios are located at the broadcasting complex shared by its former sister stationCJOH-TV,on Merivale Road inNepean.On February 7, 2010, CJOH-TV's studios were gutted by a four-alarm fire in the pre-dawn hours; CKQB-FM's studios, located in a separate building, were not affected.[11][12]

In 2010, following the reformatting of francophone stationCFTX-FMas amainstream rockstation, CKQB switched to anactive rockformat. On February 4, 2011, the station dropped the "Virgin" branding, returning to its former "Bear" identity.[13]

In March 2013, as part ofBell Media's acquisition of Astral Media,Corus Entertainmentreached a tentative deal to acquire several radio stations, including CKQB, as part of an overall deal totalling $400.6 million.[14]On January 28, 2014, the CRTC approved Corus's acquisition of CKQB and sister stationCJOT-FM.The acquisition was closed on January 31, 2014.[15]

On March 6, 2014, Corus announced that CKQB would drop itsrockformat by the end of the month, releasing a letter on the station's website promising a "fresh, new direction", with rumours following afterwards that suggested the station was to flip tohot adult contemporaryas part of Corus' national "Fresh FM"brand (which only furthered when it had been discovered Corus had registered several web domains with the station's frequency position in it around that same time). The station would run jockless in the meantime, with no on-air staff.[16]On March 28, 2014, at 5 p.m., after playing "Jump"byVan Halen,CKQB beganstuntingwith nature sounds and ambient chill music, while promoting an announcement to come the following Monday, March 31, at 11 a.m., at which time CKQB flipped toTop 40/CHRasJump! 106.9.[17]The new format would compete primarily with the dominantCIHT-FM,and Rogers'CISS-FM,contrasting their AC-leaning formats with a younger-skewing rhythmic direction, and a "very strong" social media presence.[18][19]

In September 2018, CKQB laid off its morning hosts Jesse Reynolds and Jenna Mo, and announced that they would be replaced by the syndicatedBrooke & Jubal(originating fromKQMVinSeattle, Washington). Corus claimed that the change was intended to "maximize how we deliver content to listeners and further position radio brands for the future", but was widely criticized by listeners for replacing the local hosts with syndicated talent from the United States.[20]What would later becomeBrooke & Jefferywas replaced byTucker & Maurafrom sister stationCFNY-FMin Toronto in November 2023.[21]

Compilation albums[edit]

  • Homegrown '89(1989 - Cassette issue when branded as54 Rock)
  • Homegrown '90(1990 - Cassette issue when branded as54 Rock)
  • Unmuted: Ottawa Recording Artists United Against AIDS(1996)
  • Unmuted II(1997)

References[edit]

  1. ^CJSB Ottawa tests on 540 kHz July 1982.mp3' by Rich McVicar is on Sound Cloud
  2. ^A brand new radio station with the call letters CJSB launches at 540 AM- Bygone Bytown - August 31, 1982
  3. ^CJSB - 540 AM Stereo - Ottawa, Ontario Weekly Music Survey Week of May 29, 1988
  4. ^Decision CRTC 89-346
  5. ^Decision CRTC 93-636
  6. ^Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2004-60
  7. ^Astral press releaseArchived2008-12-07 at theWayback Machine,December 4, 2008
  8. ^"Virgin Radio drops 'lock-up-daughter' ads"Archived2009-06-25 at theWayback Machine.Ottawa Citizen,February 18, 2009.
  9. ^Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2009-519
  10. ^Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2009-649
  11. ^"CTV Ottawa newsroom destroyed by fire",CTV Ottawa, 2010-02-07
  12. ^"Fire destroys CTV newsroom",CBC.ca,2010-02-07
  13. ^The Bear Returns to Ottawa
  14. ^"Bell moves closer to Astral with sale of TV assets".The Globe and Mail.Retrieved5 March2013.
  15. ^"Corus Entertainment Receives CRTC Approval on the Acquisition of Ottawa Radio Stations CKQB-FM and CJOT-FM".Corus Entertainment.January 28, 2014. Archived fromthe originalon February 12, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 29,2014.
  16. ^"New owners to take radio station 106.9 The Bear in 'fresh direction'".Ottawa Citizen.2014-03-06.Retrieved2018-05-13.
  17. ^CKQB Jumps - Format Change Archive- March 31, 2014
  18. ^"Corus Launches Jump 106.9 Ottawa".RadioInsight.2014-03-31.Retrieved2018-05-13.
  19. ^"The Bear is dead, JUMP! lives on Ottawa airwaves".Ottawa Sun.2014-03-31.Retrieved2018-05-13.
  20. ^"Morning show hosts bid farewell to fans following 'ruthless' restructuring at Jump! 106.9".Ottawa Citizen.2018-09-02.Retrieved2018-09-13.
  21. ^Thiessen, Connie (2023-11-01)."Tucker & Maura expand to Ottawa's JUMP! 106.9".Broadcast Dialogue.Retrieved2023-11-04.

External links[edit]

Monitored by former radio station staff

45°21′31″N75°44′14″W/ 45.3586°N 75.7372°W/45.3586; -75.7372

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=CKQB-FM&oldid=1230085337"