CKCW originally began broadcasting on December 4, 1934, at 1370 AM, with only 100 watts of power. The station was originally owned and operated by Moncton Broadcasting Company Ltd, managed by F.A. (Fred) Lynds. The AM frequency changed to 1400 in 1941, and then to its final AM position at 1220 in 1946. Eastern Radio Broadcasting (now known as MBS Radio) purchased CKCW in 1972. CKCW was the only privately owned AM radio station ever to operate in Moncton. Over the years, many radio personalities who worked at CKCW would attain such bigger success in larger markets such as Brother Jake, Bob Powers, Marty Kingston and Larry Hennessey.
In 1976, CKCW's sister station was granted a licence to operate on the FM band at 103.9 FM, marking the first FM radio station in Moncton. CFQM-FM first went on the air in 1977 with an easy listening format that aired until its switched to country on January 1, 1979.
A co-owned television station, CKCW-TV, signed on the air in 1954 but was sold to CHUM Limited in 1972. CHUM Limited, which owned and operated CKCW-TV, became CTV Globemedia in 2007, and then Bell Media in 2011. CKCW-TV is now part of the CTV Atlantic (formerly ATV) network.
During the 1990s, CKCW had an adult contemporary/easy listening format; then in 1994, the station switched to an oldies format. In August 1998, the station switched formats with sister station CFQM-FM, which relaunched as an AC station as Magic 104 and CKCW becoming a country station.
Original K 94.5 logo
In 2001, CKCW moved to 94.5 FM,[1] and changed to a Top 40/CHR format, branded as "Moncton's Newest Music", K94.5. The new "K94.5" enjoyed early success with the new music format; however, constant tweaking of the format and lack of advertising led to its downfall. By 2009, when sister station CFQM-FM switched from adult contemporary to classic hits, the station switched to its current hot adult contemporary format, but kept the same branding.
CKCW was the first station to hire international syndicated radio star AJ Reynolds.
Former on-air radio personalities
Pat Donelan
Ron Bourgeois (aka "The Little General" came to Moncton in the early 1960s, Afternoon Fill-in and Staff Announcer 1969–1974)
Rick Shalala (Evenings 1969-1972 circa)
Bob Steeves (P.D. 1966–1973)
Art Noiles (Sports 1969–1977, AHL Play by Play NB Hawks)
Doug Pond (MD/Afternoons 1967–1971, PD/Mornings 1974-1980/NB Hawks-Colour 1978–1980; PD/Afternoons 1984–1989; MD/Afternoons; From 1984 to 1995 host of Canadian Top 40 and Weekend Oldies Syndicated Shows. Also mornings CJBK London Ontario, Mornings/PD CFBC Saint John, PD/Afternoons CIHI Fredericton, PD CKLC Kingston,Ontario; Weekend Mornings C-103, Moncton.
