Slogan Non-Stop Hits | Branding KiSS 91.7 Format Top 40/CHR HAAT 200.3 meters (657 ft) | |
CHBN-FM (KiSS 91.7) is a Top 40/CHR radio station based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The station, which is owned by Rogers Communications, operates at 91.7 MHz with an ERP of 100 kW. CHBN's studios are located on Gateway Boulevard in Edmonton, while its transmitter is located near Anthony Henday Drive in eastern Edmonton.
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CHBN is ranked #12 in the Edmonton market according to the August 30, 2015 PPM data report.
History
CHBN signed on the air as "91.7 The Bounce" on February 17, 2005. When the station first signed on, the station aired a rhythmic top 40 format, but moved to the current CHR format in December 2005. They became the only CHR station in the Edmonton market when CKRA (96X) shifted their format to play a Hot AC format in August 2005, and then later to country music four months later. After this surprise development, The Bounce shifted to more mainstream pop music.
Every year in October, in an event called "Bras Across the Bridge", for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, CHBN collects bras from listeners, donating $1 to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation for every bra collected. At the end of the month, they then tie all the bras together and span the string of bras across the High Level Bridge as much times as they can.
At the time of their launch, CHBN was jointly owned by CHUM Limited and Milestone Radio. In June 2007, all of CHUM's assets, including its share of CHBN, were sold to CTVglobemedia. On June 23, 2010, it was announced that CHBN would be sold to Rogers (which also owns Edmonton's World FM and Sonic), along with its sister station in London, Ontario, CHST-FM, pending CRTC approval. The acquisition also saw the reunion of CHBN with its sister station CKEM-DT for the first time since 2007.
When CFMG-FM flipped from AC to CHR as "Virgin Radio", it marked the first three-station FM top 40 battle in Edmonton as of February 2011 (the other competitor being CJNW). Since the launch of Virgin Radio, The Bounce has been playing fewer commercials, as seen with the introduction of Commercial Free Mondays, and playing more currents and higher-charting songs than its competition. CHBN will continue to report on Mediabase and Nielsen BDS' Canadian contemporary hit radio panel.
On February 24, 2017, at 10 a.m., CHBN rebranded as "KiSS 91.7", launching the new brand with 91 hours of commercial free music. No on-air changes are expected with the rebanding.
Contests
The Bounce airs numerous contests for concert tickets, trips, money, and other prizes. The most popular contest held by the Bounce is the semiannual "Beat the Bank". In Beat the Bank, the on air DJ takes a caller after a cue to call. The caller then opens a series of "bank vaults", each time with the option to leave with the money won, or risk it by opening the next vault, which may contain the bank alarm. Each time the contest has been played, the highest potential winning amount has been $50,000, until 2011, when it was raised to $100,000. In 2012, the chance you'll win is higher, but the maximum cash prize is $10,000.
Bounce Showdown
The Bounce has held seven singing contests, named the "Bounce Showdown", it has been called Canada's most successful talent competition. The winner of the Bounce Showdown is signed to record two songs with a record label, and their songs played on the Bounce. The past winners have been: