CKIX-FM

CKIX-FM, Hits 99.1 FM, St. John’s

Stingray Group Inc.

StationYearFreq.PowerOwner/Info
CKIX-FM201899.1100,000Stingray Group Inc.
CKIX-FM198999.1100,000Newcap Broadcasting Ltd.
CKIX-FM198999.1100,000Newcap Inc.
CKIX-FM198399.1100,000CHUM Ltd.

1981

On June 18, Radio CJYQ 930 Ltd. had its application for a new FM station denied. The licence was awarded to Colonial Broadcasting (VOCM). CJYQ’s station had proposed to operate on a frequency of 98.3 MHz with effective radiated power of 100,000 watts.

1982

CHUM Limited agreed to buy Don Jamieson’s Radio CJYQ 930 Ltd. (CJYQ St. John’s and the Q group of stations across the province). Don’s brother Colin agreed to remain as president. The purchase was approved by the CRTC.

On September 10, Radio CJYQ 930 Ltd. received approval for a new FM station at St. John’s. It would broadcast on 98.3 MHz with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts. The new station would offer a 24 hour a day country and folk music format.

1983

CHUM took ownership of Radio CJYQ 930 Ltd. on January 15.

CKIX-FM was authorized to change frequency from 98.3 MHz to 99.1 MHz.

CKIX-FM began broadcasting on October 15. Rather than 98.3 MHz, the station used a frequency of 99.1 MHz. Effective radiated power was 100,000 watts. KIX-FM had a country music format.

1984

Radio CJYQ 930 Ltd. and all the other CHUM Group companies were amalgamated into CHUM Ltd. CJYQ became a direct division of CHUM Ltd.

1989

On July 19, CHUM Ltd. sold the CJYQ stations to NewCap Broadcasting Ltd. (Newfoundland Capital Corp., which is 47% owned by Harry Steele). The Q stations are: CJYQ St. John’s, CFYQ Gander, CKYQ Grand Bank, CIYQ Grand Falls, CFIQ Harbour Grace, CHYQ Musgravetown, and CKIX-FM St. John’s.

1990

On February 12, the following Q stations changed the main feed from CJYQ to CKIX-FM and changed calls: CKYQ 610 to CKXJ, CHYQ 670 to CKXB, CIYQ 680 to CKXG and CFYQ 1010 to CKXD.

1991

CFIQ and CKXJ dropped all local programming to simulcast CKIX full-time.

Randy Strilec became chief engineer at CKIX / CJYQ after Ken Conden returned to Halifax to take the same position with CFDR / CFRQ-FM.

Hilary Montbourquette was appointed operations manager for CJYQ/CKIX-FM and Harbour Grace’s CFIQ. He retained his program director position as well. Hilary will now be responsible for news, creative and production at the stations.

Blair Burke was KIX-FM’s morning man. KIX-FM’s general manager Fred Trainor is also on the air. He hosts a Sunday morning program of country music classics. Program director is Paul Magee. Kathy Hicks is back from CHTN Charlottetown as news director for both CKIX and CJYQ. 

1997

Hilary Montbourquette was general manager of CKIX-FM and CJYQ. Ken Ash was FM program director. Morning personality was Paul Magee.

John Steele became general manager for Newcap’s five-station Newfoundland radio group.

Karen Parmeter returned to KIXX/Q93 sales after seven years with CHIN in Toronto.

1999

NewCap announced plans to buy all VOCM Radio Newfoundland stations. The deal would bring longtime competitors – the VOCM group and the CJYQ group – together, under the same ownership. 

2001

On April 2, The sale of Humber Valley Broadcasting Co. Ltd. (CFCB Corner Brook and its rebroadcast stations) to Newcap Inc. was approved. 

Paul Magee was morning man at CKIX-FM. 

2010

On May 28, the CRTC renewed the licence of CKIX-FM until August 31, 2016.

Evening host and imaging producer Jeff Lewis left HITS-FM.

Shawn Basha became Chief Engineer at Steele Communications in Newfoundland & Labrador on March 1. Basha was the Director of Engineering at CHUM Halifax. He stepped into his new job to succeed Harold Steele, who retired December 31 after 35 years with Steele Communications and the stations’ previous owners.

2018

On October 23, the CRTC approved an application by Newfoundland Capital Corporation Limited, on behalf of Newcap Inc. and its licensed broadcasting subsidiaries, for authorization to effect a change in the ownership and effective control of various radio and television broadcasting undertakings in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, so that effective control of the undertakings would be exercised by Eric Boyko (Stingray Digital Group Inc.). Stingray took ownership of the stations just a few days later.

The story continues elsewhere…
Effective September 1st 2019, we will only be adding new material to these station histories in exceptional circumstances. Our intent to chronicle the early days of these radio and television stations has been achieved, and many new sources and technologies, from the CRTC website to Wikipedia, and others, are now regularly providing new information in these areas.

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