CKRU-FM


CKRU-FM is a Canadian radio station in Peterborough, Ontario, owned by Corus Entertainment. The station broadcasts a hot adult contemporary format branded as 100.5 Fresh Radio.

History

The station began broadcasting back in 1942 as CHEX at AM 1430 kHz, until it moved to 980 kHz in 1958. CHEX became CKRU in 1992. The CHEX call letters currently belong to CHEX-TV in Peterborough.

Switch to FM

On October 11, 2007, CKRU applied to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to convert from the AM band to the FM band.
On May 8, 2008, CKRU was given approval to convert to the FM band at 96.7 MHz, however, Pineridge Broadcasting, who owns CKSG-FM and CHUC-FM in Cobourg, had selected the 96.7 FM frequency for a new adult contemporary station. As a result, CKRU had to then do research to find another FM frequency, and applied to broadcast at 100.5 FM. This application to convert CKRU from 980 AM to 100.5 FM was approved on December 1, 2008. On December 23, 2008, the licensee proposed to change the authorized contours by decreasing the average effective radiated power from 50,000 watts to 7,500 watts.
On June 15, 2009, CKRU launched its new signal on 100.5 FM. The new programming on 100.5 FM was simulcast on the old AM 980 signal until it was shut down on September 28, 2009. CKRU was Peterborough's first and last AM radio station. On October 25, 2010, just over a year after the AM transmitter was turned off, the former AM 980 transmitters were torn down. After moving to FM, the new station became classic hits branded as Peterborough's Greatest Hits, 100.5 Kruz FM. and featured greatest hits of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. In recent years, the station added 1990s and current music to its lineup.
On August 29, 2014, CKRU flipped from classic hits/oldies to hot adult contemporary and rebranded to Hits 100.5. In February 2015, the station re-branded as 100.5 Fresh Radio, maintaining the same format.