CKDV-FM
CKDV-FM is a Canadian radio station broadcasting at 99.3 FM in Prince George, British Columbia. The station plays a classic rock format branded as 99.3 The Drive. The station is owned by Jim Pattison Group.
 | |
| City | Prince George, British Columbia |
|---|---|
| Branding | 99-3 The Drive |
| Slogan | Prince George's Greatest hits |
| Frequency | 99.3 MHz (FM) |
| First air date | 1946 |
| Format | classic rock/classic hits |
| ERP | 9,300 watts horizontal polarization only |
| HAAT | 89.6 meters |
| Class | B |
| Call sign meaning | CK DriVe |
| Owner | Jim Pattison Group |
| Sister stations | CKKN-FM, CKPG-TV |
| Website | www.993thedrive.com |
History
The station was originally launched in 1946 as CKPG 1230 AM, and moved to 550 the following year. The station, owned by CKPG Radio Ltd., was an affiliate of the CBC's Trans-Canada Network. In 1961, CKPG Radio also launched the city's first television station, CKPG-TV. The stations were acquired by Q Broadcasting in 1969.
In 1981, a sister FM station, CIOI, was launched. The three stations were sold to Monarch Broadcasting in 1990, and then to the Jim Pattison Group in 2000. Pattison converted CKPG to its current call sign, frequency and format in 2003.[1]
Also in 2003, CKDV-FM added a rebroadcaster at Mackenzie on 1240 AM.[2] The transmitter in Mackenzie was formerly a separate radio station, CKMK.[3] Its license as a separate station was revoked when it became a rebroadcaster of CKDV-FM,[4] although the transmitter still uses the CKMK call sign.[5]
By March 7, 2011 at 6:00 a.m., the station flipped to classic hits from classic rock (the format that debuted on the station after the station converted to FM), leaving mainstream rock station CIRX-FM as Prince George's only rock station again. Although classic hits songs are generally also played by adult contemporary and adult hits stations, this brings gold-based pop back to Prince George when CKKN-FM flipped to hot adult contemporary as The River from its old Hits FM adult contemporary format.