CFWM-FM
 | |
| Broadcast area | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
|---|---|
| Branding | 99.9 Bob FM |
| Slogan | 80's...90's...& Whatever! |
| Frequency | 99.9 MHz (FM) |
| First air date | 1928 |
| Format | Adult Hits |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 111.5 meters (366 ft) |
| Class | C1 |
| Callsign meaning | Canada F Winnipeg Manitoba |
| Former callsigns |
CJRW (1928-1935) CJRC (1935-1943) CKRC (1943-1996) |
| Former frequencies |
600 kHz (AM) (1928-1931) 665 kHz (1931-1933) 880 kHz (1933) 685 kHz (1933-1935) 630 AM (1935-1996) |
| Owner |
Bell Media (Bell Media Radio, G.P.) |
| Sister stations | CFRW, CKMM-FM, CKY-DT |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | www.999bobfm.com |
CFWM-FM is an adult hits radio station branded as 99.9 Bob FM. The station broadcasts from 1445 Pembina Highway, Winnipeg, Manitoba with sister stations CKMM-FM and CFRW, while its transmitter is located near Oak Bluff.
History
The station was originally launched in 1928 as AM "600 CJRW'"'. As with most early AM radio stations, it changed frequencies several times (see NARBA), permanently settling at 630 AM in 1935 and adopting the callsign CKRC in 1943.
In 1993, CKRC was purchased by two of its employees, Sales Executive, Terry O'Rourke and General Manager, Bill Gorrie. They owned and ran the station for 3 years, changing the format before flipping it to the FM band in 1996, and adopted its current callsign, CFWM-FM. O'Rourke and Gorrie branded the new station as Magic 99.9 with an adult contemporary format.
In 1997, they sold it to Standard Radio. Due to Standard Radio later acquiring CKMM-FM and CFQX-FM from Craig Media (CKMM is now owned by Bell Media, while CFQX is now owned by the Jim Pattison Group), CFWM had to be sold as the CRTC would not let each market own more than two AM or FM stations. CFWM was sold to CHUM Limited in 2001 in exchange for CHOM-FM Montreal. On March 4, 2002, CFWM became the first in Canada ever to adopt an adult hits format and gave birth to the Bob FM brand (which has been credited as one of the inspirations behind the more famous Jack FM branding).
In 2007, the station, along with the other CHUM stations, were sold to CTVglobemedia (now Bell Media) and longtime morning show hosts Beau & Tom (since 1989) moved from CHIQ-FM to CFWM. On August 31, 2009, Frazier, who previously hosted the morning show on CHIQ with Beau & Tom from 1995 to 2000, rejoined Beau & Tom on CFWM.[1]
On January 4, 2011, CFWM's morning show and CHIQ-FM's past morning show switched stations, putting Beau, Tom and Frazier back on CHIQ.[2]
Alumni
Bob Washington, a personality on the station during the CKRC era, was well known outside of Winnipeg as the "voice of K-tel", a Winnipeg-based "as seen on TV" company.[3]
Bill Walker, who later became one of the most recognizable television hosts of the 1950s and 60s, was morning man of CKRC from 1951 to 1955.[4]
Other notable personalities from the CKRC era include Doc Steen, Boyd Kozak, Jim Paulson, Scott Walker (Bill's son), Bernie Pascal, Billy Gorrie, Bryan Fustukian (as Vik Armen) and Buster Bodean.
References
- ↑ Canadian Communications Foundation. "Radio Station History - CHIQ-FM". Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ↑ http://www.chrisd.ca/blog/33260/fab-943-winnipeg-radio-super-hits-60s-70s-music/
- ↑ "As Seen on TV! The K-tel Story," CTV Television Network, 2006
- ↑ "Canadian Communications Foundation | Fondation des Communications Canadiennes". www.broadcasting-history.ca. Retrieved 2017-02-25.