CJPX-FM
Broadcast areaGreater Montreal
Frequency99.5 MHz (FM)
BrandingWKND
Programming
FormatAdult contemporary
Ownership
OwnerLeclerc Communication
History
First air date
June 25, 1998
Technical information
ClassB
ERP8,700 watts
HAAT296.3 meters (972 ft)
Links
Websitemontreal.wknd.fm

CJPX-FM is a French-language Canadian radio station located in Montreal, Quebec. Owned and operated by Leclerc Communication, it broadcasts on 99.5 MHz using an omnidirectional antenna on Mount Royal with an effective radiated power of 8,700 watts (class B).

It was previously owned and operated by Groupe Musique Greg, fronted by Montreal musician and radio personality Gregory Charles. Its main studios were located in Parc Jean-Drapeau on Île Notre-Dame in the middle of the Saint Lawrence River.

History

CJPX-FM's logo, used until 2015.

The station had a classical music commercial format at its inception on June 25, 1998.[1] The station was the first successful commercial classical music station in Montreal, following the failure of CJRM-FM in 1968[2] and decades of reluctance since then by the CRTC to allow such a station to go on the air.[3] It was conceived in the 'Top 40 classics' style of Radio Classique in France, or Classic FM in the UK.

In December 2014, it was announced that CJPX and its Quebec City sister station CJSQ-FM would be sold to Groupe Musique Greg, a company founded by Charles. Charles' offer to buy the two stations came in response to rumours that former owner Jean-Pierre Coallier was looking to retire and sell them.[4]

The station was the only 24-hour source of mostly classical music in Montreal – including some jazz, with the two national CBC FM networks, Ici Musique and CBC Music, switching around 2009 to a mix of classical, jazz, adult alternative and other genres.[5] CJPX-FM did mix in some occasional jazz, film music and chansons, in a limited amount.

In 2015, retired former Le Téléjournal news anchor Bernard Derome joined the station as a morning host.[6] Other personalities include Charles, Marie-Ève Lamonde, François Paré and Marc Hervieux, plus Béatrice Zacharie and Jasmin Hains, both broadcasting from CJSQ-FM in Quebec City.[7]

On April 3, 2020, the CRTC approved the sale of CJPX-FM to Leclerc Communication for $4.89 million. Leclerc Communication had previously tried to acquire CKLX-FM and CHOI-FM from RNC Media, but called off the sale when the CRTC required it to divest a station. The new owner replaced the classical music programming with an adult contemporary one, branded as WKND 99.5, in a similar format to Quebec City's sister station CJEC-FM.[8] Radio-Classique went off air on June 13, 2020.[9][10]

References

  1. ↑ Decision CRTC 97-293 Approval of the 9044-1569 application
  2. ↑ "Quelques notes chronologiques sur la radio". Archived from the original on 2008-04-06. Retrieved 2011-12-07.
  3. ↑ Suzanne Colpron. "Une licence pour imprimer de l'argent", La Presse, 28 September 1996.
  4. ↑ Faguy, Steve. "Gregory Charles agrees to buy Radio Classique from JP Coallier". Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  5. ↑ "Émissions".
  6. ↑ "Bernard Derome, animateur matinal". Le Journal de Montréal, October 23, 2015.
  7. ↑ Fagstein: "Radio Classique relaunches, hires Bernard Derome as new morning man", October 23, 2015.
  8. ↑ "WKND 99,5 Montréal: une nouvelle station pop-rock et alternative". Le Journal de Montréal. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
  9. ↑ "Radio-Classique Montréal fera entendre sa dernière note samedi soir". Ludwig Van Montreal. June 12, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Radio-Classique 99.5 is dead; WKND 99.5 launches June 17".

45°30′20.16″N 73°35′30.12″W / 45.5056000°N 73.5917000°W / 45.5056000; -73.5917000

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