CKIX-FM
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| City | St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador |
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| Branding | 99.1 Hits FM |
| Slogan | "Newfoundland's #1 Hit Music Station!" |
| Frequency | 99.1 MHz (FM) |
| First air date | October 15, 1983 |
| Format | Contemporary hit radio |
| ERP | 100,000 Watts |
| HAAT | 180.5 meters (592 ft) |
| Class | C |
| Callsign meaning | C KIXX (during its days as a country music station) |
| Owner | Newcap Radio |
| Sister stations | VOCM, CJYQ, VOCM-FM |
| Website | www.991hitsfm.com |
CKIX-FM is a Canadian radio station broadcasting at 99.1 FM in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. The station currently broadcasts a contemporary hit radio format branded as 99.1 Hits FM. The station is owned by Newcap Radio.
Launched by CHUM Limited on October 15, 1983, CKIX-FM originally carried a country music format known as "Country 99 FM" and then later in the 80s as "KIXX Country". Newcap acquired CKIX and sister station CJYQ from CHUM in 1989, and evolved the brand slightly to "KIXX Country". In 1991, the studios were relocated from Duckworth Street to 208 Kenmount Road (which the Capital Hotel now occupies).
Throughout the 1990s, the station enjoyed good ratings with their Hot Country format and seasoned morning show announcers such as "Snuffy" Jackson, Blair Burke, Brian O'Connell, Andy Newman and Paul Magee. During the summer of 1995, Barry Crocker and Napolean Montbourquette converted the entire music library to digital as ITC automation was introduced to the station, eliminating several positions in the process. This also ended KIXX's long time affiliation with the overnight national request show "Cryin' Lovin' or Leavin'" hosted by Shelley Fraser.
On February 17, 2002, Newcap converted its recently acquired VOCM-FM from hot AC to classic rock. As an unexpected side effect, CKIX's audience dropped significantly. Moreover, rival station OZFM, which carried a combination of CHR and classic rock music at the time, elected to retain that hybrid format rather than move into the former Magic 97 niche. As a result, on June 28 of that year, Newcap dropped CKIX's longtime country format in favour of contemporary hits as "Hits FM". Originally, the morning show included the Paul Magee and Erin Chase, but by the summer of 2003, managed to lure away longtime OZ FM radio host Randy Snow. The country music format moved to VOCM, in line with Newcap's other AM stations across the province. The "KIXX" format and branding would eventually be revived on CHVO-FM, a Carbonear station which covers the St. John's market, in 2008.
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