Broadcast area Winnipeg, Manitoba Frequency 103.1 MHz (FM) Format CHR | Branding 103.1 Virgin Radio First air date 1998 | |
Slogan Winnipeg's #1 Hit Music Station | ||
CKMM-FM is a CHR/Top 40-formatted radio station owned by Bell Media, branded as 103.1 Virgin Radio. The station broadcasts from 1445 Pembina Highway, Winnipeg, Manitoba with sister stations 99.9 BOB FM and TSN Radio 1290.
CKMM-FM primarily competes with Energy 106.
History
On March 13, 1979, Armadale Communications was awarded a license for a new FM station in Winnipeg, to broadcast on 103.1 MHz. On February 14, 1980, the station signed on air as CKWG-FM, with a near freeform format. In 1989, the station flipped to adult contemporary. The following year, the station was sold to Western World Communications. The call signs have changed quite a bit over the years, from CHZZ-FM (Z103) to CKLU-FM (103 U FM, then briefly Mix 103) and then finally to CKMM-FM. In 1996, the station switched to a country music format with the on-air name Star 103. When Star 103 and QX 104 came under the ownership of Craig Broadcasting, the format of Star 103 was changed to avoid redundancy. CKMM re-launched with a CHR/Top 40 format as HOT 103 on New Year's Eve, 1997. CKMM and CFQX became properties of Standard Radio in 2002.
On October 29, 2007, Astral Media took over CKMM as a result of a buyout of Standard Radio. As part of Astral's merger with Bell Media on June 27, 2013, CKMM is now owned by Bell Media. Sister station CFQX and Bell's CHIQ were sold to the Jim Pattison Group in order to meet ownership limits.
On August 31, 2012, CKMM rebranded as 103-1 Virgin Radio, like other Astral Media CHR stations, while keeping the same music format and staff.