Kiss your Lite 96 goodbye...

[getbak]

Yesterday, I felt like getting into the Christmas spirit, so I was listening to the wall-to-wall Christmas music on Lite 96 while driving to my sister's place. I noticed that every time they did a station break, they only identified the station as "95 9" with no call letters or name. This is usually a good indication that the station will soon be undergoing a name/format change.

Sure enough, today marks the re-branding of the station to KiSS 95.9, Today's Best Music: http://www.kiss959.com/

The Lite 96 brand had been around the Calgary market for well over 20 years, although, I think they've been drifting away from the purely "light rock" format for the last few years.

IIRC, this is the fourth time in the last 30 years that a station in Calgary has used the "KISS" name:

Back in the mid-80s, the original XL Radio 1140 AM changed to an Adult Contemporary format and adopted the "CISS" call letters.

CISS eventually gave way to "Classic Rock, The Fox"; which soon became XL Radio again. XL's AM licence was sold to the owner of 66 CFR, who flipped the licence to FM and launched the second incarnation of Kiss, this time at 96.9 FM.

They were unable to find a format that clicked for the first few years, changing to Rock 97 for a little while; then the third coming of Kiss, which had an "Urban" format. That Kiss lasted less than a year, before Rogers brought the Jack-FM brand to Calgary, which has lasted for more than a decade now.

Now, the KiSS name is back in Calgary, this time at 95.9 FM. I assume I'll still only ever listen to it while in a waiting room somewhere.

[Tailgator]

My wife listens to Lite 95.9 all the time (it hasn't been Lite "96" for a couple years or so) and noticed the same thing awhile ago. They've been taking about this change to Kiss for a few weeks. Doesn't seem like anything changed other than the name.... No big whoop....

[Julio]

From the station's facebook page: Mookie: Same music, same announcers, same everything, just a brand new name-- KiSS 95.9

[NSFL]

Thanked because of your title. But yeah, as far as I can tell, it's exactly the same station. I don't really know why they would go and change it though. Like you said, Lite is almost an institution. Although what they were playing didn't all fall under Lite, I guess.

[Northendzone]

I was commenting to the family over Christmas dinner that it would be some kind of awesome if one of the local stations were to change their name and do nothing else......I really felt that calgary was ready for this.......

[getbak]

Originally Posted by NSFL

Thanked because of your title. But yeah, as far as I can tell, it's exactly the same station. I don't really know why they would go and change it though. Like you said, Lite is almost an institution. Although what they were playing didn't all fall under Lite, I guess.

I think that sometimes being an institution can be a bad thing because people have you pigeon-holed and won't give you a chance when you make a change.

They have drifted away from the Lite Rock format over the years, but people still have an image in their mind of what "Lite 96" sounds like. With the name change, people who haven't listened to them for a couple of years might give them a chance.

I am not their target audience, but every waiting room in the city seems to have them playing. The last time I went to the dentist, I was surprised by some of the songs I was hearing on "Lite 96 95.9". The name change might get a few people who would never have tuned into "Lite" to try out "Kiss" even though the actual music on their playlist hasn't changed.

[darockwilder]

I could have sworn in the '90s there was a KISS FM that marketed itself as a 'women's station. They played only country and dance music. Shania was their big artist. I don't think they kept the format for more than a couple of months though. It was awful.

Does anyone one else remember that?

What I really miss is Fuel FM.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by darockwilder

I could have sworn in the '90s there was a KISS FM that marketed itself as a 'women's station. They played only country and dance music. Shania was their big artist. I don't think they kept the format for more than a couple of months though. It was awful.

Does anyone one else remember that?

What I really miss is Fuel FM.

That was this one mentioned above:

CISS eventually gave way to "Classic Rock, The Fox"; which soon became XL Radio again. XL's AM licence was sold to the owner of 66 CFR, who flipped the licence to FM and launched the second incarnation of Kiss, this time at 96.9 FM.

[RedMileDJ]

Wait, people still listen to traditional radio? With commercials and annoying DJs? (yes, I realize the irony in that statement).

I haven't listened to regular radio since getting my XM, just over a year ago.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Red-Mile-DJ

Wait, people still listen to traditional radio? With commercials and annoying DJs? (yes, I realize the irony in that statement).

I haven't listened to regular radio since getting my XM, just over a year ago.

Yes they still do. You realize the "OMG people still listen to terrestrial radio?" is one of the most annoying posts people make on here? It happens every friggin time, too, and each poster says it like they're the first one to say it.

[RedMileDJ]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Yes they still do. You realize the "OMG people still listen to terrestrial radio?" is one of the most annoying posts people make on here? It happens every friggin time, too, and each poster says it like they're the first one to say it.

lol I did? You get bent out of shape over posts very easily. Am I supposed to not post my opinion because it was posted before? I'm sure glad we have you here to moderate our posts.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Red-Mile-DJ

lol I did? You get bent out of shape over posts very easily. Am I supposed to not post my opinion because it was posted before? I'm sure glad we have you here to moderate our posts.

Haha, I'm actually pretty chill, it always seems to be your posts that get to me lol. Maybe it's the way you word things or something.

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by Red-Mile-DJ

Wait, people still listen to traditional radio? With commercials and annoying DJs? (yes, I realize the irony in that statement).

I haven't listened to regular radio since getting my XM, just over a year ago.

Who the heck pays for satellite radio when I can listen to local dj's reminding me of the stations call letters about 10 times every 5 minutes for free

[pylon]

Rerun is not going to be pleased. Don, Joanne and the Coach must be like family to him.

[RedMileDJ]

People pay for satellite radio?

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Red-Mile-DJ

People pay for satellite radio?

LOL at satellite radio.

Tunein makes satellite radio look like smoke signals.

[RedMileDJ]

Meh. My XM was only supposed to be free for the first 90 days. I'm going on 18 months. I guess someone at the dealership didn't cancel the demo package on the satellite ID. I'm cool with that.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by pylon

Rerun is not going to be pleased. Don, Joanne and the Coach must be like family to him.

Haha, damn I probably laughed harder than I should have at that.

[Cole436]

Originally Posted by pylon

Rerun is not going to be pleased. Don, Joanne and the Coach must be like family to him.

Don and Joanne haven't been on Lite 96 for a few years now, and I think the Coach retired at least half a decade ago.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Cole436

Don and Joanne haven't been on Lite 96 for a few years now, and I think the Coach retired at least half a decade ago.

Rerun has a duplicate account! Banhammer time!