CFXJ-FM

Infobox Radio station
name = CFXJ-FM


city = Toronto, Ontario
area = Greater Toronto Area
branding = The New FLOW 93.5
slogan = "Hits That Move You"
airdate = 2001
frequency = 93.5 MHz (FM)
format = Urban music (2001-2005)
Rhythmic top 40 (2005-present)
power = 1.17 kW
owner = Milestone Radio
website = [http://www.flow935.com Flow935.com]

CFXJ-FM is a Canadian radio station in Toronto, Ontario, which uses the on-air brand The New FLOW 93.5. It first aired in 2001 as Canada's first urban music station.

History

Milestone Radio, the station's owner, first applied to the CRTC for an urban music station in 1991, but were passed over in favour of a country music station (CISS). They applied again in 1997, and were passed over in favour of CBL, the city's existing Radio One station, which the CBC wanted to move to FM for technical reasons.

Both decisions sparked controversy in Toronto, as the CRTC's reasons for passing over an urban-format station (which Toronto did not have) in favour of existing radio services were widelyFact|date=November 2007 believed to be racist in nature. The lack of an urban station also created immense difficulties for Canadian hip hop, reggae and R&B musicians, who had no radio outlets in Canada to play and promote their music.

As well, the 99.1 signal which was awarded to the CBC was believed to be the last available FM frequency in the city. However, in 1998, the CBC found that it was able to surrender two repeater transmitters outside of Toronto due to CBLA's superior coverage of the region. In 2000, the CRTC opened applications for new services on these two frequencies, and on Milestone's third application, the CRTC awarded the 93.5 frequency to the company.

CFXJ officially debuted on March 1, 2001 after airing as a testing signal for several days in February of that year using the name FLOW 93.5. Before the station became prominent in the Greater Toronto Area, many listeners would tune-in to Buffalo, New York's 93.7 WBLK, which has used an urban contemporary format since the 1960s.

In August 2007, the station launched a new campaign and started using "The New Flow 93.5" on air.

Flow, and R&B/Hip Hop in Canada

Urban-format stations quickly followed in several other Canadian cities as well. However since then CIBK-FM in Calgary, CFBT-FM in Vancouver, CKEY-FM in Niagara Falls, CKBT-FM in Kitchener and CIHT-FM in Ottawa have evolved to mainstream Top 40 due to the lack of R&B, hip hop and/or dance product by Canadian acts being released and the pressure to follow the CRTC's guideline on Canadian content music quotas.

Since CFXJ's debut, many Canadian hip hop and R&B musicians – including Nelly Furtado, k-os, Kardinal Offishall and Jarvis Church, among others – have made the types of significant career breakthroughs that often eluded Canadian urban musicians in the 1990s. CFXJ is constantly "tweaking" its sound, experimenting with combinations of rhythmic Top 40 and classic urban formats by adding artists such as Black Eyed Peas, Gwen Stefani and Pussycat Dolls, while still striving to satisfy hip hop and R&B enthusists by breaking new North American/international music in Canada, such as Chamillionaire, Young Jeezy, Ne-Yo, Chris Brown and Akon. Popular urban and rhythmic music, such as Jay-Z, Usher, Alicia Keys and Kanye West remain staples on the playlist as well as popular dance and old school classics.

Recent criticism

In recent years, many hip-hop listeners have turned against the radio station due to the lack of hip-hop music played. There are currently many anti-Flow 93.5 groups on Facebook, including the most popular of which has gathered over 3,500 members. Though Milestone's application promised "modern day reflection of rich musical traditions of black musicians and black-influenced music over at least the past century", a consultant of Flow continued to support the station in its decision to change the focal point of the genre of music by stating, "We're going along with the times. We're playing rhythmic hits – the top of charts, excluding rock-based music...with certain cultures, like the Caribbean community, where some suggest households don't index in the higher income brackets." The matter remains under dispute, and the "Toronto Star" published an article regarding it. [http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/Music/article/418823]

Current shows

Monday to Friday

5:30am-10am: JJ and Melanie in the Morning featuring Melissa Duggan (news) Newbie (Producer) and Lisa Edwards (traffic).

10am-3pm: The Midday Break hosted by Jeni.

3pm-7pm: Flow Factor hosted by Devo Brown featuring Sam Mitchell (traffic).

Mon-Wed-Thurs 7pm-11pm, Tues & Fri. 7pm-10pm: Trauma Unit hosted by J-Wyze and Jus Red.

Monday 11pm-1am: The Real Frequency hosted by Arcee, DJ P-Plus and Muziklee Insane.

Tuesdays 10pm-1am. Thursdays 11pm-1am: OTA Live hosted by Ty Harper and rez Digital.

Wednesday 11pm-1am: Taboo hosted by Taboo.

Weekends

Saturday 1am-4am: This House hosted by DJ Tricky Moreira.

Saturday and Sunday 8am-1pm: The Groove hosted by Kass P.

Saturday 1pm-6pm: Weekend Live hosted by Scott Boogie.

Saturday 6pm-9pm: Live In The Den hosted by Big Tigger.

Saturday 9pm-10pm: The Truth hosted by Team Canada.

Sunday 1am-3am: Outta Control hosted by Mad Linx and Power.

Sunday 6am-8am: The Word hosted by Markland "Action" Edwards.

Sunday 1pm-6pm: Weekend Live hosted by DJ Reddy Fox.

Sunday from 6pm-9pm: Soca Therapy hosted by Dr. Jay.

Sunday 9pm-12am: Riddim Track hosted by Spex.

Sunday 12am-3am: Syrenity hosted by Syrenity.

Mixshows

Monday to Friday 12pm-1pm: The Midday Mix hosted by DJ P-Plus and DJ Jason Chambers

Monday to Friday 5pm-6pm, 7pm-7:35pm: DJ Starting From Scratch hosted by DJ Starting From Scratch

Saturday & Sunday at 3pm: Chris Mix hosted by DJ Christopher Michaels

Past shows

Mornings

2001: True Daley (morning news anchor, creator and producer of "News and Views" which was co-hosted by Spiria Fearon)

2001: Mike and Mike ("lasted 1 week")

2001-2002: Kenny Robinson, Trix, Mark Strong, Jemini, Nathan Downer

2002-2006: Mark Strong, Jemini, Spiria Fearon ("replaced in 2004 by Ruby Jones")

2006-2007: Slim and Melanie in the Morning featuring JJ King and Ruby Jones. ("Slim replaced with JJ King in July 2007")

Mid-days

2001-2002: Johnathan Shaw, Jemini

2002-2006: "Hollywood" Rich Fagan

2006-2007: DJ Reddy Fox

Drive

2001-2002: Tony (Slim), Rich, DJ Starting from Scratch

2002-2004: Wayne Williams

Evenings

2001-2002: J Wyze, DJ-X, Power

2001-2003: [http://www.geenalee.com Geena Lee] (host of #1 Rated show "The Lovezone")

External links

* [http://www.flow935.com Official Site]
* [http://www.therealfrequency.com Official Site of The Real Frequency]
* [http://hiphopcanada.com/_site/media/radio/realfrequency/index.php HipHopCanada Site of The Real Frequency]
* [http://hiphopcanada.com/_site/media/radio/otalive/index.php OTA Live - Megacity Countdown]
* [http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/radio/histories.php?id=401&historyID=329 CFXJ history at Canadian Communications Foundation]
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