CFLZ-FM

CFLZ-FM
City Fort Erie, Ontario
Broadcast area Niagara Region
Buffalo, New York
Branding 101.1 Juice FM
Slogan Fort Erie And Niagara's Biggest Variety!
Frequency 101.1 MHz (FM)
First air date 1986 (AM)
1991 (FM)
Format Adult hits
ERP 19,700 watts average
50,000 watts peak
HAAT 76.5 meters (251 ft)
Class B
Callsign meaning Niagara FalLZ
Former callsigns CJFT (1986-1991)
CKEY-FM (1991-2011)
Owner Vista Radio
Sister stations CJED-FM
Webcast Listen Live
Website 101.1 Juice FM

CFLZ-FM is a Canadian radio station that serves the Buffalo area, broadcasting at 101.1 FM in Fort Erie, Ontario. CFLZ's studios are located on Ontario Avenue in Niagara Falls, while its transmitter is located near Fort Erie. It is also the highest rated Canadian station in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls region, according to Arbitron.

History

Early years

The station was launched on Canada Day (July 1), 1986, at 5:30 pm as AM 530 CJFT, playing a Top 40 format. Afternoon drive personality Alan Chonka signed CJFT on the air.[1] It moved to FM in 1991, adopted the CKEY-FM call letters, and flipped to adult standards.[2] (From 1945 to 1991, CKEY was the callsign of an AM radio station in Toronto, which now airs Chinese programming as Fairchild Radio affiliate CHKT.)

On August 26, 1994, at noon, the station switched to alternative rock as "FM 101 The Planet." By 1996, the station shifted to dance music (similar to CING-FM in nearby Hamilton) while retaining the "Planet" moniker. It was an affiliate of "Pirate Radio" with Chris Sheppard.

On August 21, 1996, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved CJRN 710 Inc.'s application to increase CKEY-FM transmitter from 8, 670 watts to 19, 700 watts. The Commission also approved the application to amend the broadcasting licence for CKEY-FM by authorizing the licensee to add a transmitter at St. Catharines, operating on frequency 101.1 MHz (channel 266A) with an effective radiated power of 150 watts with a callsign CKEY-FM-1. The Commission notes that this transmitter has been operating on an experimental basis for some time and is a co-channel, synchronous repeater of CKEY-FM Fort Erie.[3]

On November 14, 1997, the dance format was dropped in favour of a modern AC format (which later shifted to Hot AC), branded as "The River". In 2001, a change of ownership of CJRN, CKEY-FM and CFLZ-FM to the Niagara Broadcasting Corporation was approved. The company would now be owned by several members of the Dancy family.[4] On September 6, 2002, at 6 AM, the hot AC format moved to sister station CFLZ-FM, and CKEY adopted a rhythmic top 40 format branded as "WiLD 101". The station entered into a local marketing agreement with Citadel, who operated the station as part of its Buffalo, New York cluster. That LMA was discontinued when the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission threatened to revoke the station's licence.[5] By 2005, the station moved to its current top 40 format, and later on, the station changed its branding to Z101 on April 1, 2007. It was the only "Wild"-branded station in Canada. On December 19, 2005, the CRTC approved the transfer of ownership and control of CJRN 710 Inc. (CJRN Niagara Falls, CKEY-FM Fort Erie and CKEY-FM-1 St. Catharines) from Niagara Broadcasting Corp. (controlled by David Dancy) to Northguard Capital Corp. (owned and controlled by Andrew Ferri). This approval also covered the transfer to Northguard of 788813 Ontario Inc. (CFLZ-FM Niagara Falls), once it became a wholly owned subsidiary of CJRN 710 Inc. Northguard would then amalgamate both entities to continue the operation of the undertakings under the name, CJRN 710 Inc. 2005-1146-1 (19 December 2005) [6][7]

The CRTC has continued to express concern with CKEY-FM's programming, calling attention in particular to the station's seeming failure to comply with its licence condition requiring a minimum three hours per week of locally-oriented news programming. In its 2007 licence renewal, the station was only granted a two-year licence period.[8]

Z-101

CFLZ-FM-era Z101.1 logo.

CKEY-FM was a reporter to the American rhythmic top 40 panel on Mediabase and Nielsen BDS (and also reported on the Canadian top 40 panel on Nielsen BDS), but in 2005, CKEY-FM moved to the American top 40 panel on Mediabase and Nielsen BDS. The station has continued to lean rhythmic even after shifting to mainstream top 40. Another station, CKBT-FM in Kitchener, Ontario (which debuted as rhythmic top 40 in 2004, only to go top 40 in 2005) retains the rhythmic lean. Just like similar stations CIDC-FM/Toronto and CKHZ-FM/Halifax, the station pronounces it "Zee" instead of "Zed," historically becoming the third station in Canada to do so.

In 2010, the Haliburton Broadcasting Group applied to buy CKEY-FM and sister station CFLZ-FM.[9][10][11] The transaction received approval on June 8, 2011.[12]

On August 24, 2011, the station dropped the rhythmic lean entirely and adopted a more mainstream playlist. The station also unveiled a new logo, and will continue to report as contemporary hit radio per Mediabase & Nielsen BDS. As of November 2011, CKEY-FM was moved to the Mediabase Canadian contemporary hit radio panel from the U.S. contemporary hit radio panel as it still reports as a Buffalo station, but it must register as a St. Catharines station.

In late 2011, the station adopted the CFLZ-FM callsign which had been used by its sister station, now known as CJED-FM. As the station's signal has always targeted the Buffalo market and does not fully cover the Niagara Region, the station applied to the CRTC and received approval to deploy a co-channel repeater (CFLZ-FM-1) that is located in south St. Catharines.

On April 23, 2012 Vista Broadcast Group, which owns a number of radio stations in western Canada, announced an agreement to acquire the station and CJED-FM from Haliburton Broadcasting, in cooperation with Westerkirk Capital.[13] The transaction was approved by the CRTC on October 19, 2012.[14]

As a result of ongoing issues with the St. Catharines repeater causing interference, Vista had filed an application with the CRTC to take it off the air and remove it from the licence.

2Day FM

Logo as 2Day FM, 2013-2016

On September 20, 2013, at noon, after playing "This Is What It Feels Like" by Armin van Buuren, CFLZ shifted its brand to the current "2Day FM" and began simulcasting on sister station CJED-FM. The first song on "2Day FM" was "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke.

In May 2014, the licence for CFLZ-FM's repeater (CFLZ-FM-1 101.1 MHz) in St. Catharines was revoked. Vista says the transmitter was shutdown last September.

On April 30, 2014, Vista filed an application with the CRTC to amend the station's broadcasting licence.[15] On December 8, 2014, the CRTC denied the application and cited Vista for being in non-compliance with various conditions of the licence including converting the station to a full-time rebroadcasting transmitter for CJED-FM without prior approval by the commission. New conditions were placed upon the licensee.[16][17] CFLZ-FM was taken off the air shortly thereafter. It was returned to air on December 19, 2014, apparently continuing to simulcast to CJED-FM.

July 2016

On July 15, 2016, at 6:13 a.m., CFLZ discontinued simulcasting CJED-FM and switched to Vista Radio's "Juice" format, broadcasting an adult hits format consisting of hits from the 1980's to today.[18][19]

Radio hosts and DJs

References

External links

Coordinates: 42°54′00″N 78°57′08″W / 42.90000°N 78.95222°W / 42.90000; -78.95222

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