CKBL-FM
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (June 2015) |
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| Frequency | 92.9 MHz (FM) |
|---|---|
| Branding | 92.9 The Bull |
| Programming | |
| Format | Country |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Saskatoon Media Group |
| CJWW, CJMK-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | 1923 (AM) 1995 (FM) |
Former call signs | CFQC |
Former frequencies | 400 metres (1923-1925) 910 kHz (1925-1933) 840 kHz (1933-1941) 600 kHz (1941-1995) |
Call sign meaning | C K BULL |
| Technical information | |
| Class | C1 |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 195 meters (640 ft) |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | 92.9 The Bull |
CKBL-FM, branded as 92.9 The Bull, is a country radio station in downtown Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The station is part of the Saskatoon Media Group and has studios with sister stations CJWW and CJMK-FM.
History
The station originated on the AM dial as CFQC-AM, which began broadcasting in 1923. It was founded by electrical supply shop owners A. A. "Pappy" Murphy and David Streb. Murphy bought out Streb in 1932.
The station was an affiliate of the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission from 1933 to 1936 when it affiliated with the newly formed Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It lost that affiliation in 1939 when the CBC signed on CBK as its outlet for all of southern and central Saskatchewan. In 1944 it became an affiliate of the CBC's Dominion Network until 1962 when the network was reabsorbed into the main CBC Radio network and CFQC became independent. In 1954, CFQC-TV was established by the Murphy family and became Saskatoon's first television station; initially a CBC affiliate, in the early 1970s it switched to the CTV Television Network. Both the TV and radio stations shared some on-air personnel such as newsreaders.
Pappy Murphy died in 1959. His family sold CFQC-AM and TV to Baton Broadcasting in 1972, earning a handsome return on its original investment of 49 years earlier. Baton exited radio in 1991, selling CFQC to George Gallagher, at which point the radio station's ties to its TV namesake all but ended. However, only two years later, Gallagher was forced into receivership. Clint Forster, owner of CJWW, bought CFQC in 1994 and announced plans to move it to the FM band.
On February 6, 1995, at 6:06 a.m., CFQC left its longtime AM position at 600 and was replaced by CJWW, which moved from 750 AM. The last song played on "Hits 600" was "Stand Tall" by Burton Cummings.
At 7:00AM that day, CFQC-FM signed on at 92.9 FM,[1] where it was rebranded Hot93 and switched from adult contemporary to country music, complementing CJWW's classic country format. Current owner Elmer Hildebrand bought the station in 2001. CFQC and its brand Hot 93 were retired at 6:00AM November 1, 2007. The final song played under the old call letters at 5:58AM was Michelle Wright's version of "Rock Me Gently", ending an 84-year era (though the TV station would officially continue using CFQC, although its on-air branding by this time had become CTV Saskatoon). At 7:00AM, the station changed its call letters to CKBL and its branding to "92.9 The Bull". The first song played under the new callsign was Big & Rich's "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy". It also adopted a New Country format under the direction of program director and morning show co-host Steve "Hurricane" Huber.
The Bull's on-air lineup consists of "Mornings with Pat Dubois" ; "Mid-days with Trevor"; and "Afternoons with Jerad." The station is also the broadcast home of the Saskatchewan Rush of the National Lacrosse League.
CKBL is the former call of two stations in Kelowna, British Columbia, the FM station now known as 99.9 Sun FM and the current CKFR-AM.
References
External links
- 92.9 The Bull
- Template:History of Canadian Broadcasting
- CKBL-FM in the REC Canadian station database