CKXR-FM

Infobox Radio Station


name=CKXR-FM
airdate=November 18, 1965
frequency=91.5 MHz (FM)
area=Salmon Arm, BC
format=adult contemporary
owner=Astral Media
erp=640 watts
branding=EZ Rock
slogan=Today's Soft Rock with Less Talk
class=
website= [http://www.salmonarm.myezrock.com/ Official Site]
callsign_meaning=|

CKXR-FM is a Canadian radio station in Salmon Arm, British Columbia. The station, operating at 91.5 MHz with 640 watts of power, is owned by Astral Media and airs an adult contemporary format under the EZ Rock on-air brand.

History

CKXR first signed on the air on November 18, 1965 on its original frequency of 580 AM, under original owners Hall-Gray Broadcasting Company Ltd. Three days later, CKXR put its Revelstoke rebroadcaster CKCR on the air at 1340 AM. CKXR and CKCR became the founding stations of a regional radio system called the Big R Network shortly after the stations' establishment.

On July 21, 1972, CKXR increased its transmission power to 10,000 watts in the daytime and 1000 watts at night. The station set up a second rebroadcaster in 1974 when CKGR in Golden began operations at 1400 AM. On May 16 that year, CKCR Revelstoke was upgraded from a rebroadcaster of CKXR to a semi-satellite when CKCR began originating programming from its own studio, in addition to receiving the balance of its programs from CKXR. On December 31, 1984, CKGR also began originating some programming, and CKIR in Invermere began broadcasting at 870 AM as CKXR's third rebroadcaster.

In 1999, the CRTC approved the purchase of CKXR and its rebroadcasters by Okanagan Skeena Group Ltd., which was subsequently purchased by Telemedia. With the Telemedia purchase, CKXR received the EZ Rock branding shortly afterward. Telemedia's broadcasting assets (including CKXR) were purchased by Standard Broadcasting (through its Standard Radio division) in 2002. On June 5, 2006, CKXR received approval to move to the FM band at its current frequency; it was originally to simulcast programming with its old 580 AM frequency for three months, but the simulcast period was extended to February 27, 2008, due to the new FM signal not reaching the communities of Enderby and Sicamous, to allow CKXR to set up rebroadcast transmitters in those communities (104.3 FM with 210 watts in Enderby, 102.1 FM with 200 watts in Sicamous).

In October 2007, the assets of Standard Radio (including CKXR) were purchased by Astral Media, which is the current owner of CKXR.

External links

* [http://www.salmonarm.myezrock.com/ Official Site]
* [http://www.myezrock.com/ My EZ Rock BC Interior]
* [http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/radio/histories.php?id=33&historyID=595 CKXR History] at CCF website
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