Branding Kool 98 Format Classic hits | Frequency 98.9 MHz (FM) | |
City Saint John, New Brunswick Slogan Saint John's Greatest Hits First air date March 12, 1965 as CFBC-FM | ||
CJYC-FM is a Canadian radio station broadcasting from Saint John, New Brunswick at 98.9 FM with a classic hits format branded on-air as Kool 98 "Saint John's Greatest Hits". The station is owned by the Maritime Broadcasting System.
History
The station began broadcasting in 1965 as CFBC-FM, the first FM radio station in New Brunswick. CFBC-FM was a companion to CFBC AM. In the early 1980s, CFBC-FM adopted its current callsign. On April 10, 1992, the CRTC denied an application by Fundy II Ltd. to change CJYC-FM's frequency from 98.9 MHz to 94.1 MHz and to change the effective radiated power from 50,000 to 100,000 watts. MBS purchased CFBC and CJYC in 1997 from Fundy Communications. On February 7, 2000, CJYC-FM received CRTC approval to decrease the effective radiated power from 50,000 to 12,000 watts.
For several years, CJYC-FM and, sister station, CFBC's studios were on Carleton Street in Uptown Saint John. In the mid-1990s, CJYC-FM and CFBC moved their studios and offices to 199 Chesley Drive. In 1997, CJYC-FM and CFBC moved into MBS's studios and offices on Union Street, where they are as of August 2016.
Unionized staff at CJYC and two other MBS stations in Saint John went on strike in June 2012, which lasted close to two years. In May 2014, a deal was signed seeing staff return to work.
The station was originally known as C98 with a classic rock format. In August 2006, the station rebranded to 98.9 Big John FM while maintaining the same format. The station's classic rock format evolved into mainstream rock over the years. In August 2013, the station changed its format from classic/mainstream rock to classic hits and rebranded to Kool 98 "Saint John's Greatest Hits".