Will be interesting if it happens.

Bell only has 3 music stations that aren't in one of their big national brands, and they're heritage rock stations in Edmonton, Calgary, and Montreal that don't make sense to flip. So reverting a station and adding a 4th exception would be unexpected.

I believe one of (if not the only) use of the current Country station is to get Detroit market clearance for the Bobby Bones show.

Bell currently has jobs posted for the station for mornings and afternoons, both of which just refer to the station by its call-letters.

Last edited by RadioAaron (August 21, 2025 5:56 pm)

ckg927 wrote:

Honestly, if that prediction by RadioInsight comes to pass, my question is: What the HELL did Bell gain by flipping CIMX to country? NOTHING. They were competing with Windsor's Country(on two frequencies)and with at least 2 country stations in Detroit.

Detroit Bobby Bones clearance and a significant reduction in expenses.
 

Now I'm not saying that Bell has any plan to put the Windsor stations up for sale, but as a wild guess, could a format change help make things appear more profitable (than Country) for  a sale?  

 

Last edited by Radiowiz (August 21, 2025 11:56 pm)

I heard a rumor over a month ago that the plan was to flip on the 29th at noon or 1 to 89X and go commercial free all long weekend. Also I was told by the person (I cannot reveal names yet) who was hired for middays to replace Ashleigh at CJAY Calgary and the Bear Edmonton that they will also be on air at a new station in Ontario in the fall. It appears to me that the station will launch with no on air staff for a while. As the job postings just went live last week for mornings and afternoons.

They used to have the 'Time Warp'- an excellent 80's & 90's Alternative show.

M. David wrote:

There’s an update to this story. RadioInsight reports that CIMX is now ruining jockless. They’re also airing promos in Spanish between songs indicating that a change is coming on Thursday, Aug. 28 at 8:08 AM.

More info here: https://radioinsight.com/headlines/307300/pure-country-89-windsor-detroit-enters-stunt-mode/

If this doesn’t lead to an 89X revival, I don’t know what will. The fact that the promos are in Spanish might make some think that they’re going to flip to an all-Spanish format. However, I think that’s a ruse.

For sure the Spanish format would be a ruse. The generic job postings for the station did not indicate a language specification.

I wonder if WLLZ 106.7 might flip to Country. But who knows will Bobby Bones ever be heard in the Detroit/Windsor market again? We will have to wait and see.

This will be interesting if and when it happens.  Although the world, and radio have changed a lot since 89X first went on the air in the spring of 1991.  As brian451 mentions Windsor/Detroit has lots of country music radio on both sides of the border so no one will miss one less.  Detroit radio sites are saying the change could be either August 28 or 29th.  This potential change has a lot of interest in radio circles in Detroit and already some speculation if Alt 98.7 WDZH might eventually drift back to Breeze.  The Breeze format was still new in Detroit when WDZH  jumped to alternative the minute that CIMX moved to Pure Country. 

RadioAaron wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

This will be interesting if and when it happens.  Although the world, and radio have changed a lot since 89X first went on the air in the spring of 1991.  As brian451 mentions Windsor/Detroit has lots of country music radio on both sides of the border so no one will miss one less.  Detroit radio sites are saying the change could be either August 28 or 29th.  This potential change has a lot of interest in radio circles in Detroit and already some speculation if Alt 98.7 WDZH might eventually drift back to Breeze.  The Breeze format was still new in Detroit when WDZH  jumped to alternative the minute that CIMX moved to Pure Country. 

A lot of this depends on whether Bell plans to rate and sell the station in Detroit. The job ads make it looks like they're only going to hire two announcers; one for each drive shift. 

My guess is the local sales team has told management that clients want 89X back, and it would be a far easier sell than Country. 

That's really the only scenario that would motivate Bell to dump out of one of their money-saving national brands. They're not going to invest in re-entering the Detroit market.

I had heard that the replacement host on CJAY and The Bear was going to a station in Ontario also. So my guess is whoever is hired for that is going to be on 89x also. Similar to how Ash was on HTZ as well as CJAY and the Bear

RadioAaron wrote:

brian451 wrote:

RadioAaron wrote:

A lot of this depends on whether Bell plans to rate and sell the station in Detroit. The job ads make it looks like they're only going to hire two announcers; one for each drive shift. 

My guess is the local sales team has told management that clients want 89X back, and it would be a far easier sell than Country. 

That's really the only scenario that would motivate Bell to dump out of one of their money-saving national brands. They're not going to invest in re-entering the Detroit market.

I had heard that the replacement host on CJAY and The Bear was going to a station in Ontario also. So my guess is whoever is hired for that is going to be on 89x also. Similar to how Ash was on HTZ as well as CJAY and the Bear

Did you actually hear that or just guess the most obvious possible thing?

I heard from someone that interviewed for the position that he was told CJAY, The Bear and a new Ontario station.