After 46 years at 810 AM, the Evanov Communications-owned ethnic station has begun testing for its conversion from 810 AM to 92.7 FM today in High Definition– becoming the first radio station in Manitoba to transmit in HD.
Once testing is completed, the station will simulcast for three-month period and will do the fulltime switch by 2022.
CKJS 810AM is probably one, if not the strongest, longest-running multilingual radio stations in the whole of Canada. Since its inception in mid 70s, CKJS has maintained its role in connecting and reaching out to many ethnicities and communities in Manitoba.
President and CEO Paul Evanov called the station “an integral part” of the company’s Winnipeg cluster which includes CHWE-FM and CFJL-FM, demonstrated by its pandemic investment in the market. With the conversion, Evanov says it will continue to direct programming to at least 19 cultural groups in 16 different languages.
BACKGROUNDER: CKJS 810AM
Spanning four decades, CKJS has aired programming in different languages that included Bulgarian, Chinese, German, Hindi, Hungarian, Irish, Jewish, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, East Indian, Spanish, Ukrainian and Vietnamese and the widely-listened to Filipino programs. Aside from its multillingual programming, CKJS has also provided christian, religious, gospel and education programs.
CKJS was founded by Casimir Stanczykowski in 1975 and managed by Antonio Carta. It was acquired in 2007 by Newcap Radio Manitoba Inc. and is now run by Evanov Radio Group. With 16 stations serving communities across Canada, Evanov Communications bring listeners a unique local experience with interaction on various platforms.
On November 30, 2017 the Canada Radio-Televisions and Communications approved the application by Dufferin Communications and Evanov to convert CKJS to the FM band. The station’s various programs will be aired simultaneously on 810AM and 92.7 FM for a few months before finding its permanent switch to FM by 2022.
RADYO FILIPINO PROGRAMMING: BIRTH AND GROWTH
Filipino programming on CKJS has its roots from 1976 when Resty Taruc pioneered a one hour program called “Radyo Pilipino.” Aired Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, it had no regular time slot then. Joe Sulit took over when Resty went on vacation and did intermittent show until Resty’s return
Winnipeg’s Filipino population continuously grow in the 80s . Radyo Pilipino was given regular time slot on weekday evenings in 1982. Joe was joined by Kaka Paquito Rey Pacheco who was in-charge with news. In the 1990s, the population of Filipino-Canadians in Manitoba grew to 35,000. Listenership and market for a radio Filipino program became stronger.
With the fresh addition and brilliant contribution of Ms Emmie Joaquin, a regular morning show that is known now as “Good Morning Philippines” was born. The first GMP was heard on CKJS on April 24, 1989. The rest is history.
Mainstream media noticed the existence and strength of CKJS. After a month of airing GMP, the Winnipeg Free Press featured an article on its Entertainment page citing how CKJS gambled for a show with ethnic content to go head-to-head against commercial radio programs in the 6 to 9AM primetime slot. And that since its first airing, the program has carved its own niche and found strength!”
GMP became a strong voice that united and inspired the community. Well loved Kaka retired in 1989. Jimi Cruz joined Emmie and Joe. The trio went on-air til 2003.
Circa 1992, “Tunog Pinoy Pang-Sabado” was created. It proved its viability when around two thousand people showed up after a plea on-the-air for support. It was a notable show of solidarity of the Filipino community during those years protesting against a large grocery store when a Filipino boy became a victim of racial slur and racial profiling.
Emmie anchored the Saturday show until 1998. Show was passed on to Michele Majul (now Michelle Majul-Ibarra) who did live remote broadcast with Joe until 2006. In 1996, Filipino afternoon show called “Manila Sound” was created which Emmie co-anchored with Dale Burgos.
Ayen Dandan (now Ayen Dandan-Zamora), who was a university student then, joined Joe every Monday morning while Emmie focused on Manila Sound.
Meanwhile, Mark Salamatin took over the midnight Saturday shift playing only Original Pilipino Music. Michele and Mark at times also joined the on an off mic tandem of Maui and Ayen on Saturday evenings.
In 1997, community leader Lito Taruc, brother of Resty succeeded as News Director. Lito was instrumental in shaping the Filipino community since the 80s with initiatives in sports league, charity and fundraising efforts for calamity victims in the Philippines, youth and seniors causes and cultural preservations.
Emmie went back to co-anchor GMP again in 1997 and joined Joe and Lito. In December 2003, Emmie left CKJS radio to pursue a change of career.
Spring of 2004, CKJS looked for a new female announcer for GMP. Donna Natividad-Arenas (then Donna Natividad), a Broadcasting major with only five days of stay in Winnipeg auditioned and got in. Donna joined the tandem of Joe and Lito until Joe’s retirement in 2007. In 2013, thousands of listeners wept Joe’s untimely passing .
A seasoned broadcaster, Chester Pangan filled in Joe’s shoes. Chester brought in a brand new approach, charm and energy to the morning CKJS primetime airwaves joining Donna and Lito.
Prior to joining GMP, Chester (who is also the station’s production manager) has already been co-hosting the afternoon drive show with Lucille Nolasco.
Joy Lazo, Michael Unso and Donna Medina-Cantiveros also pitched as co-hosts of GMP.
Lucille, started with CKJS as news writer and announcer for the Saturday program. She later on recreated Manila Sound into what is “Afternoon Pasada” now. Lucille who also writes for a local newspaper believes that in this age of social media, radio is still and will always remain relevant.
Lito’s passing in November 2020 due to cardiac arrest shocked the whole community. He was well-loved and a great loss to CKJS and to the community.
FILIPINO PROGRAMS ALL DAY AND ALL WEEKEND
To this date, Filipino programming has kept up with different needs, genre, time and clamor of the 70,000 plus strong Filipino community in Manitoba. Latest data from the Philipine Embassy in Ottawa website says Manitoba has retained its position with the most Filipinos on a per capita basis, with Filipino comprising 6.5% of the provincial population.
CKJS Pinoy programs try to come across the millenials or the classic Titos and Titas while giving the Lolos and Lolas the feeling that they belong very much.
Chester and Donna spread the morning dose of sunshine everyday from 5:30 to 9AM. In their drive home, listeners tune in daily to Lucille in “Afternoon Pasada” from 3 to 7PM. Lendyll Soriano joined Lucille one hour every Friday since 2017. Lendyll created “Bisaya ni Bay”, the first pure Visayan program in Canada.
On Saturdays, Chester broadcast 10AM to 2PM for “Tunog Pinoy Pang Sabado.” Since 1998, listeners get an extra treat of Pinoy music with Ayen and Maui Zamora on Pinoy Saturday night from 9 to 12 midnight.
92.7 FM CKJSHIGH DEFINITION RADIO
As it airs on 92.7 FM CKJS continuously aims to provide a medium dedicated to keeping Filipino-Canadians connected to their homeland and to the world; and in continuously promoting Filipino ingenuity, culture and music in much CLEARER sound in High Definition!
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