CIMX-FM

Infobox Radio station
name = CIMX-FM


city = Windsor, Ontario
area = Essex County, Metro Detroit
branding = 89X
slogan = The Only New Rock Alternative
airdate = July 10 1967
frequency = 88.7 MHz
format = modern rock
power = 100,000 watts
haat = 176 meters
class = C1
facility_id = 94688
coordinates = coord|42|10|15|N|82|59|29|W|type:landmark
callsign_meaning = The MiX (Previous Branding)
former_callsigns = CKWW-FM (7/10/67-1970)
CJOM (1970–1990)
owner = CTVglobemedia
licensee = CHUM Radio
webcast =
website = [http://www.89xradio.com/ 89X]

CIMX is the call sign of a radio station based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The station is commonly called 89X. It is located at 88.7 MHz on the FM dial. The station airs a modern rock format, and its slogan is "89X: Windsor/Detroit's Only New Rock Alternative".

89X serves the Detroit metropolitan area, and has a 100,000-watt signal that reaches most of southeastern Michigan, southwestern Ontario, the Toledo metro area and the western Lake Erie shoreline of Ohio. CIMX broadcasts a soft rock music program continuously on its 92 kHz SCMO subcarrier. This program is not intended for public reception, but rather provides background music for businesses, similar to Muzak.

History

CKWW-FM/Ohm FM

CIMX began life as CKWW-FM on July 10, 1967, broadcasting an easy listening format. In 1970, the station changed its calls to CJOM ("Ohm FM") and adopted a free-form progressive rock format which continued until the 1980s, when the format shifted to new wave and then top 40.

The Mix To 89x

CJOM became CIMX in 1990. CIMX was first known as "The Mix" with an adult contemporary format, but DJ Greg St. James began playing modern rock on his evening show (8:00 pm to midnight) beginning in September of 1990, and in May of 1991, the modern rock format went full time and "89X" was born. CIMX immediately took away many listeners from other youth-oriented stations in Detroit, particularly top 40 96.3 WHYT and 99.5 The Fox, and may have been at least partially responsible for WHYT's decision to switch to an alternative format a few years later.

89x Today

CIMX had been owned by Canada's CHUM Limited since the late 1980s, but was sold along with the rest of CHUM's radio stations to CTVglobemedia in 2007. The station's current Program Director and Operations Manager is Vince Cannova, who was promoted from afternoon disk jockey to replace the departing Murray Brookshaw. Jay Hudson, current evening disc jockey, was made Music Director in June 2007. [http://www.michiguide.com/archives/2006/11/metro_detroit_newsmakers_nov_9.html]

89X receives little interference from lower-powered stations broadcasting near its frequency. On some days, under clear atmospheric conditions, it can be heard as far north as Caro, Michigan, and as far south as Findlay, Ohio on a typical car radio. It can be regularly heard across Lake Erie at Sandusky, Ohio, and southeast to the greater Norwalk, Ohio area, where it is the only station available featuring an exclusively modern rock format. CIMX also gets respectable ratings in Toledo, where it competes with local Cumulus Media-owned WRWK-FM 106.5.Fact|date=January 2008

As of the Summer 2008 Phae II ratings release which was released on September 16, 2008 89x currently ranks at #17 (2.5) in the Detroit Market.

The 2008 R&R (magazine) Achievement Awards has nominated 89X CIMX as Alternative Station of the year, and Jay Hudson as Music Director of the year.

Annual sponsored shows

89X celebrated its first birthday in May 1992 by holding two X-Fest shows. Peter Murphy, the Nymphs, Senseless Things were a few of the bands that played X-Fest. Then in 1993, 89X held a birthday show at Chene Park featuring the Tragically Hip. The next year, 1994, 89X started throwing annual "Birthday Bash" shows. The Birthday Bash in 1994 was held at the Phoenix Plaza Amphitheater during the World Cup competitions in Pontiac. The Afghan Whigs, Beck, and the Odds were some of the bands that played.

The most recent Birthday Bash (the 17th 89X Birthday Bash) featured Death Cab For Cutie, Rogue Wave, and Sea Wolf. A free show was held the night before, featuring The Flobots.

In 1998, 89X started holding an annual Christmas concert each December called The Night 89X Stole Christmas. The 1998 show featured Garbage, Placebo, Beck and Everlast.

More recent editions of the Christmas show are as follows:

The Night 89X Stole Christmas 9 on December 14, 2006 featured My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday, Angels & Airwaves, OK Go, and The Hard Lessons (replacing Blue October). The 89X Nutcracker, the night before on December 13, hosted Fall Out Boy, New Found Glory, and Cobra Starship.

The Night 89X Stole Christmas 10 on December 17, 2007, featured Paramore and Jimmy Eat World, with special guest Mute Math. Coheed and Cambria and Plain White T's played an acoustic set.

Sources

* [http://www.michiguide.com/dials/radio/cimx.html Michiguide.com - CIMX History]
* [http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/radio/histories.php?id=363&historyID=149 CIMX history at Canadian Communications Foundation]

External links

* [http://www.89xradio.com/ 89X]
*RecnetCanada|CIMX-FM