CKUL-FM
 | |
| Frequency | 96.5 MHz (FM) |
|---|---|
| Branding | 96.5 The Breeze |
| Programming | |
| Format | Soft adult contemporary |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| CFRQ-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | August 30, 1990 as CIEZ-FM |
Call sign meaning | Sounds like cool (former branding) |
| Technical information | |
| Class | C1 |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 185.1 meters (607 ft) |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | 965thebreeze |
CKUL-FM (96.5 MHz, "96.5 The Breeze") is a radio station serving Halifax, Nova Scotia. Owned by Stingray Group, it broadcasts a soft adult contemporary format. CKUL's studios and offices are located on Kempt Road in Halifax, while its transmitter is located on Washmill Lake Drive in Clayton Park.
Based on the current format, CKUL-FM competes with CKHY-FM.
History
After receiving CRTC approval on March 5, 1990,[1] the station first went on the air on August 30 of that year as "96.5 Sun FM", under the original call letters CIEZ-FM originally with an easy listening/beautiful music format. Shortly thereafter, the station became adult contemporary. In 2001, the station became adult hits, branded as "FM 96.5", and on November 1, 2004, the station rebranded as "96.5 Kool FM", and adopted its current call letters. The adult hits format evolved into classic hits over the years.
The station was operated for several years as a joint venture between Newcap Radio and CHUM Limited (later purchased by CTVglobemedia), as part of their five-station "Metro Radio Group" local marketing agreement, later disbanded by order of the CRTC. In 2007, both companies received approval to convert their remaining AM stations in the market, CFDR and CJCH respectively, to the FM band, which would give each company two wholly owned FM stations in the Halifax market, the maximum permitted under current CRTC regulations. Newcap later acquired CTVglobemedia's share of CKUL.[2] At the same time, it was sold CFDR to Rogers Radio, which changed it to CFLT-FM.
On August 26, 2013, CKUL flipped to adult album alternative as Radio 96.5.[3] In January 2016, former CKHZ-FM program director Dan Barton joined CKUL; a month later, the station flipped to adult contemporary as Mix 96.5.[4]
On January 15, 2019, it was announced that the station would flip to soft adult contemporary as 96.5 The Breeze that Thursday, joining sister stations in Vancouver and Edmonton in having adopted the format.[5] Later that day, competitor CKHY-FM preempted the flip by abruptly switching to soft AC itself as Jewel 105.[6]
References
- ^ Decision CRTC 90-216
- ^ Newcap press release, March 10, 2008
- ^ "Radio 96.5 Launches In Halifax". RadioInsight. 2013-08-26. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
- ^ "CKUL Halifax Flips To Hot AC Mix 96.5". RadioInsight. 2016-02-25. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
- ^ "Latest 'Breeze' Convert: CKUL/Halifax". All Access. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
- ^ Thiessen, Connie (2019-01-16). "Evanov preemptively flips Halifax's Rock 105 to The Jewel". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
External links
- Official website
- Template:History of Canadian Broadcasting
- CKUL-FM in the REC Canadian station database