 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Bob FM" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(November 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
BOB FM is the on-airbrand of a number ofFMradio stations in theUnited States and formerly inCanada. The BOB FM format mostly concentrates onalbum rock,alternative rock andpop hits from the 1980s and 1990s, especially those popular during the early days ofMTV whenmusic videos made up most of MTV's schedule. However, BOB FM also features a smattering ofoldies from the 1970s or earlier andclassic hits from the 1990s or later.
Once or twice an hour, an unexpected song will get played, sometimes adance hit ornovelty song. BOB FM stations are quite similar to those using the monikerJack FM. On many BOB FM and JACK FM stations,disc jockeys are not used or are only heard in morningdrive time. Instead of a live DJ, a prerecorded voice will make sarcastic or ironic quips between songs.
BOB FM stations in Canada were all owned byBell Media. Those in the United States are owned by a variety of companies. Bob FM stations are officially classified asvariety hits oradult hits by radio research companies.
It was originally named for the "Bestof theBest", and subsequently associated with an everyday character named "Bob." It proved very successful in its first implementation onWinnipeg,Manitoba'sCFWM. It inspiredRogers Communications to license the JACK FM format at many of its stations,Corus Entertainment's subsequentJoe FM andDave FM brands, and comparable moves at other stations. Currently a syndicated version of the format is offered by Envision Radio Networks. As with Jack FM, Bob FM stations haveplaylists of over 1000 songs as opposed to most other commercial stations which play about 500 songs or less.
The format was largely conceived and created by Howard Kroeger, a former programming executive at CHUM Group Radio, after attending a friend's 40th birthday party in 2000. He took the "Bob" moniker from acountry music station (then WBOB, todayKFXN-FM) that had broadcast in theMinneapolis-St. Paul market ofMinnesota to the south several years earlier.
Many BOB FM stations use the catch phrase "We Play Anything!" or "We Play Everything!" Most stations market themselves with the slogan "Turn your knob to BOB!" This was parodied in aMystery Science Theater 3000 skit in whichTV's Frank creates his own radio station and exhorts viewers to "Turn your crank to Frank", satirizing commercials forBOB 100 FM that were playing in the Minneapolis area at the time.[citation needed]
Many Bob-FM stations are imaged by Digital Sound & Video, Inc, located in Daytona Beach, Florida and voiced by Sean Caldwell.
At least two non variety-hits Bob FM outlets exist,WRBT inHarrisburg, Pennsylvania andKLCI inMinneapolis-St. Paul, both of which run acountry music format. Kroeger created a similar format and brand for country stations, usingHank FM (named for Country and Western legendHank Williams) and DUKE FM (named for actorJohn Wayne).
HANK FM and DUKE FM can currently be heard in over twenty U.S. markets. The majority of these HANK FM and DUKE FM branded stations use the positioning statement of "Playing the Legends of Country" and are also distributed by Envision Radio Networks.
CHUM Limited'sCKLY inKawartha Lakes,Ontario, adopted the format on August 21, 2005, whileWLFF inLafayette, Indiana, jettisoned its country format to introduce Bob to its listeners on December 6, 2007.
The newest Bob FM station in the United States isWCVS-FM inSpringfield, Illinois, replacing itsclassic rock format.
The newest Bob FM station in Canada wasCKX-FM inBrandon, Manitoba, replacing itsmainstream rock format.
The first international (non-American or Canadian) Bob FM launched in early 2016 in George Town,Grand Cayman in TheCayman Islands. 94.9 BOB FM, Grand CaymanZFBB-FM of Hurley's Media Ltd.
On March 18, 2021, the remaining Bob FM stations in Canada were re-branded asBounce Radio.[1]
| Location | Call sign | Frequency | Notes/websites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brockville,Ontario | CJPT | 103.7 FM | Re-branded asBounce 103.7 |
| Kawartha Lakes,Ontario | CKLY | 91.9 FM | Re-branded asBounce 91.9 |
| Winnipeg,Manitoba | CFWM | 99.9 FM | Re-branded asBounce 99.9 |
| Brandon,Manitoba | CKX | 96.1 FM | Re-branded asBounce 96.1 |
The first BOB FM outside of The U.S. or Canada launched in early 2016, broadcasting from George Town,Grand Cayman in theCayman Islands. '94.9 BOB FM Grand Cayman' - ZFBB FM (http://www.BobFm.Ky ) .