City Edmonton, Alberta Slogan Edmonton's Best Rock First air date 1951 | Branding 100.3 The Bear Frequency 100.3 MHz (FM) Format Active rock | |
CFBR-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting an active rock format at 100.3 on the FM dial in Edmonton, Alberta. The station uses its on-air brand name 100.3 The Bear and is owned by Bell Media.
History
The station was launched in 1951 by Sunwapta Broadcasting as CFRN-FM, simulcasting the AM programming of CFRN. It launched separate programming in 1964, and adopted the callsign CKXM in 1979. The station was sold to CAP Communications in 1988 and adopted the callsign CJKE the following year.
The station was acquired by Standard Broadcasting in 1992 and adopted the current CFBR callsign.
On September 28, 2007, the CRTC approved the sale of CFBR and all Standard Radio assets to Astral Media.
On June 27, 2013, the CRTC approved the sale of all but 10 Astral Media Radio Stations to BCE (Bell Media). The sale including CFBR.
The Bear is rebroadcast in Jasper on 92.3 FM.
In 2008, CFBR was rated as the third most listened-to station in the Edmonton market. But by the Fall 2011 book, it had dropped to #6.
The station's on-air lineup includes The Bear Morning Show in the morning, featuring Yukon Jack, Ryan Maier, and Gillian Foote. Jessica Jackson hosts the mid-day show, The Funhouse with Scott McCord and Warren Barris is the afternoon drive show, Pam Kirby during weekday evenings, Sixx Sense with Nikki Sixx, during overnights, and Park Warden during the day on weekends.
Popular contests and features on The Bear include:
The station is also known for once having their own rock band called The Bear Band. Members of the band included, Ry My on lead vocals and guitar, "The Unbreakable" Lucas Holt on bass, Lochlin Cross on harmonica and Paul Brown on drums. The Bear Band were known for playing at many of The Bear events such as The Halloween Howler and The Bears New Year's Eve Bash and have opened for bands such as Dr. Hook, Tupelo Honey, The Headstones and Live. The Bear Band had a single called The Oilers H.O.P.E. song written about the Edmonton Oilers, available on iTunes.
Former Bear announcers include Scruff Connors, Fearless Fred, Danaye Maier, Matt Mauler, Todd "The God" James, Terry Evans, Shauna Prince and Paul Brown.