CICX-FM (105.9
MHz
The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...
) is a
radio station
Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based rad ...
in
Orillia
Orillia () is a city in Ontario, Canada, about 30 km (18 mi) north-east of Barrie in Simcoe County. It is located at the confluence of Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe. Although it is geographically located within Simcoe County, the city is a Lis ...
,
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
. Owned by
Bell Media
Bell Media Inc. (Canadian French, French: ) is a Canadian media conglomerate that is the mass media subsidiary of BCE Inc. (also known as Bell Canada Enterprises, the owner of telecommunications company Bell Canada). Its operations include nati ...
, it broadcasts a
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
format branded as ''
Pure Country 106''. The studio and office is located in Orillia while its
transmitter
In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter (often abbreviated as XMTR or TX in technical documents) is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna (radio), antenna with the purpose of sig ...
is located near
The Horseshoe Valley.
History
The station was originally launched in 1943, broadcasting at 1450
AM in
Nobel, with the call sign CFPS. Following the end of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the station's owner, Gordon Ellesworth Smith, wanted to affiliate the station with
CBC Radio
CBC Radio is the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which (regardless of language) are outlined below ...
's
Dominion Network
The Dominion Network was the second English-language radio network of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation from January 1, 1944 to 1962.
It consisted of the CBC-owned CJBC (AM), CJBC radio station in Toronto and a series of 34 privately owned ...
, but without a feed line to get CBC programming to the station, this was not possible in Nobel, so in the summer of 1945, the station was shut down and moved to Orillia, where it relaunched on September 3 as 1450 CFOR. The station joined the Dominion Network the following year.
In 1954, the station moved to 1570 AM.
In 1957, a fire destroyed the station's transmitter building, but with help from other broadcasters, the station was back on the air within a day. Later that year, the station increased its signal power to 10,000
watts
Watts is plural for ''watt'', the unit of power.
Watts may also refer to:
People
*Watts (surname), a list of people with the surname Watts
Fictional characters
*Albie Watts, a fictional character in the British soap opera ''EastEnders''
*Angie ...
daytime and 5,000 watts nighttime.
Bob Hope
Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...
, who was in
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
performing at the
Canadian National Exhibition
The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), also known as The Exhibition or The Ex, is an annual fair that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on the third Friday of August leading up to and including Labour Day (Canada), ...
, visited CFOR on September 4 of that year to officially launch the station's new transmitter.
The Dominion Network dissolved in 1962 and the station's affiliation transferred to the main CBC Radio network. In 1964, the station dropped its CBC affiliation, and was sold to a consortium that included
Maclean-Hunter
Maclean-Hunter (M-H) was a Canadian communications company, which had diversified holdings in radio, television, magazines, newspapers and cable television distribution.
History
The company began in 1887, when brothers John Bayne Maclean and H ...
. In 1967, Maclean-Hunter became the station's sole owner. In 1976, the station was reacquired by local owners, who in turn sold it to
Telemedia
Telemedia was a Canadian media company, which had holdings in radio, television and magazine publishing.
The company was launched in 1968 by Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien, when he purchased CKAC in Montreal from Power Corporation of Canada. CKAC r ...
in 1980.
In 1993, the station moved to 105.9
MHz
The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...
, adopting its current call sign and a
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
format. The former CFOR call letters now belong to an FM radio station in
Maniwaki,
Quebec
Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
. Prior to CFOR's move to 105.9 (as CICX) in 1993, the 105.9 frequency was occupied by a
CBC Radio
CBC Radio is the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which (regardless of language) are outlined below ...
transmitter, known as
CBCO, which moved to its current frequency.
In 1996, the station switched to an
adult contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...
format using the "
EZ Rock
EZ Rock was a brand of adult contemporary radio stations heard primarily in Canada. The branding was originally created by Telemedia in the mid-1990s for its AC stations, and based on the call sign of its former Toronto flagship CJEZ-FM (now ...
" brand.
In 2002, when Telemedia was acquired by Standard Broadcasting, CICX was one of the stations Standard immediately resold to
Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications Inc. is a Canadian communications and media company operating primarily in the fields of wireless communications, cable television, telephony and Internet, with significant additional telecommunications and mass media ass ...
. With the transaction, Rogers switched the station's branding to ''105.9 Lite FM''. In August 2003, Rogers switched the station to an
adult hits format as ''
Jack FM
Jack FM is a radio network brand that is licensed by Sparknet Communications, with the exception of the European Union where it is licensed by Oxis Media. It plays an adult hits radio format, format, in most cases not using disc jockey, DJs.
F ...
''.
On June 4, 2007,
Larche Communications
Larche Communications was a Canadian media company, which operated four radio stations in the province of Ontario. The company was named for its president, Paul Larche.
Based in Midland, the company began in 1997 when it acquired CICZ-FM in Midla ...
announced a deal with Rogers to acquire CICX in exchange for Larche's existing
CIKZ-FM in
Waterloo. The transaction, which was approved by the CRTC on December 24, 2007, reunited CICX with its onetime sister station
CICZ-FM
CICZ-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 104.1 FM in Midland, Ontario. The station, owned by Bell Media, airs an adult hits format branded as '' Bounce 104.1''.
History
Midland-Penetang Broadcasting Ltd. opened CKMP 1230 AM on Jul ...
in nearby
Midland.
On March 3, 2008, CICX dropped the Jack FM format and branding, picking up the KICX format from CICZ, and CICZ flipped to a
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
format. On May 21, 2008, the station was given approval to change its authorized contours by decreasing the average effective radiated power from 43,000 watts to 10,600 watts, by increasing the effective antenna height and by relocating the antenna.
The station now shares its format and branding with
CICS-FM
CICS-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 91.7 FM in Sudbury, Ontario. The station airs a country format, branded as '' Pure Country 91.7''. The studio and offices are located at 699 Frood Road in Sudbury, and the station transmi ...
in
Sudbury Sudbury may refer to:
Places Australia
* Sudbury Reef, Queensland
Canada
* Greater Sudbury, Ontario
** Sudbury (federal electoral district)
** Sudbury (provincial electoral district)
** Sudbury Airport
** Sudbury Basin, a meteorite impact cra ...
, a station launched by Larche in August 2008.
On August 9, 2017,
Bell Media
Bell Media Inc. (Canadian French, French: ) is a Canadian media conglomerate that is the mass media subsidiary of BCE Inc. (also known as Bell Canada Enterprises, the owner of telecommunications company Bell Canada). Its operations include nati ...
announced that it would acquire CICX-FM. Bell Media received approval from the CRTC on February 14, 2018.
On May 28, 2019, the station was renamed ''
Pure Country 106'' as part of a nationwide rebranding.
References
External links
*
CICX-FMat The History of Canadian Broadcasting by the
Canadian Communications Foundation
The Canadian Communications Foundation (CCF) was a Canadian nonprofit organization which documented the history of broadcasting in Canada, particularly radio and television networks, programs and broadcasters. The organization was established in ...
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cicx-fm
Orillia
Icx
Icx
Radio stations established in 1943
1943 establishments in Ontario
ICX
ICX