CFPG-FM

CFPG-FM
Broadcast areaWinnipeg Metropolitan Region
Frequency99.1 MHz
BrandingCountry 99
Programming
FormatCountry
Ownership
Owner
CJOB, CJKR-FM, CKND-DT
History
First air date
February 28, 2003
Former call signs
CJZZ-FM (2003–2007)
CJGV-FM (2007–2017)
Call sign meaning
CF PeGgy (former branding) or
CF WinniPeG (broadcast area)
Technical information
ClassC
ERP63,700 watts
HAAT206.1 meters (676 ft)
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitecountry99.com

CFPG-FM (99.1 MHz, Country 99) is a commercial radio station in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Owned by Corus Entertainment, it broadcasts a country music format branded as "Country 99". Its transmitter is off St. Mary's Road in Duff Roblin Provincial Park, while its studios are co-located with its sister stations at 201 Portage in Downtown Winnipeg.[1]

History

CJZZ

The station signed on the air on February 28, 2003; 21 years ago (February 28, 2003). Its call sign was CJZZ-FM and it was owned by Canwest Communications.[2] The frequency was the former home in Winnipeg of all-news radio network CKO for a short period in 1988 and 1989.

CJZZ-FM aired a smooth jazz format from the Starbuck Communications Tower. But Canwest found this caused multipath interference to occur, so the company applied to the CRTC to broadcast from a new transmitter that Rogers Communications was constructing.[3] and to decrease the ERP from 100,000 to 63,700 watts.[4] At this time the station was branded as 99.1 Cool FM, a tie-in for co-owned cable TV station CoolTV.

CJGV

In September 2006, Corus Entertainment, already owner of Winnipeg's CJOB and CJKR-FM, announced it would buy CJZZ and Kitchener, Ontario's CKBT-FM, from CanWest, subject to CRTC approval. The transaction was approved by the CRTC on July 6, 2007. Corus Entertainment officially took ownership of CJZZ on July 29, 2007. On November 5, 2007, the station rebranded as Groove FM, and changed its call letters to CJGV-FM.

In April 2010, Corus Radio Winnipeg announced the future relocation of its radio broadcast facility to 1440 Rapelje Avenue (since renamed Jack Blick Avenue), as part of a lease agreement between Corus Entertainment and Cadillac Fairview. The relocation to studios and offices in Polo Park was originally slated for January 2011. CJOB, CJGV and CJKR would become the anchor tenants. Corus Radio Winnipeg planned to occupy the second floor of the three-story building, upsizing its radio, production and business operations to 17,500 square feet (1,630 m2).[1]

In August 2011, Corus filed an application with the CRTC to remove the requirement for the station to broadcast a specialty smooth jazz format, citing significant financial losses in recent years.[5] On November 30, 2011, the CRTC approved CJGV's application, although requiring it to maintain two hours of smooth jazz content per-week.[6]

Fresh FM, Peggy

Logo as Peggy @ 99.1

On December 1, 2011, the station began playing Christmas music for the holiday season, and announced plans to flip to adult contemporary on January 1, 2012. On that date, CJGV flipped to a hot adult contemporary format branded as simply 99.1 FM, before ultimately adopting Corus's "Fresh FM" brand on February 14, 2012.[7] On February 13, 2015, the station rebranded as 99.1 Fresh Radio, and segued to a modern adult contemporary format adding more alternative rock crossovers.[8]

On December 25, 2016, at 5 p.m., following the conclusion of its Christmas music programming, CJGV re-launched as Peggy @ 99.1, an adult contemporary format featuring current music and past hits going back to the 1980s. Corus described the station as reflecting "the positive, energetic and fun vibe of Winnipeg while giving listeners the music they want."[9][10][11] In March 2017, its call letters were changed to CFPG-FM to match the new branding.

Country music

On September 26, 2023, Corus confirmed it had released CFPG's on-air staff, announcing a "whole new sound" for the station to debut at a then-undisclosed time shortly thereafter.[12] On November 23, the station began playing Christmas music for the holiday season; on December 1, Corus announced that CFPG would flip to country music as Country 99 on December 27, following the conclusion of its Christmas music programming. The new format competes primarily with CFQX-FM and CIUR-FM.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b Radio Station History - CJGV-FM, Winnipeg. Archived 2016-12-20 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  2. ^ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2002-224
  3. ^ "Broadcasting Application CRTC 2003-39". Government of Canada - CRTC. July 23, 2003.
  4. ^ "Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2003-470". Government of Canada - CRTC. September 19, 2003.
  5. ^ Application by Corus Premium Television Ltd.. Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 3 August 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  6. ^ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2011-739, November 30, 2011.
  7. ^ "Groove Winnipeg Getting Fresh?". RadioInsight. 2012-02-14. Retrieved 2019-07-08.
  8. ^ "Pair Of Winnipeg Hot AC Changes". RadioInsight. 2015-02-13. Retrieved 2019-07-08.
  9. ^ "New radio station, Peggy 99.1 FM, to hit Winnipeg airwaves". Global News. Corus Entertainment. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  10. ^ "Peggy @ 99.1 Debuts In Winnipeg". RadioInsight. 26 December 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  11. ^ Fresh Radio 99.1 Becomes Peggy
  12. ^ Thiessen, Connie (September 26, 2023). "Corus releases on-air staff ahead of format flip at Winnipeg's Peggy @ 99.1". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  13. ^ Thiessen, Connie (2023-12-01). "Corus to flip Winnipeg's [email protected] to Country 99". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 2023-12-13.

49°45′20″N 97°07′53″W / 49.75556°N 97.13139°W / 49.75556; -97.13139