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 1980s 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. 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 Napoleon 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 CHOZ-FM, 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 99.1 Hits FM. Originally, the morning show included the Paul Magee and Erin Chase, but by the summer of 2003, managed to lure away longtime OZFM radio host Randy Snow. The country music format moved to VOCM, in line with Newcap's other AM stations across the province. The "KIXX Country" branding would eventually be revived on CHVO-FM in Carbonear. Soon after CKIX became Hits FM, an image appeared on the Internet showing a "HITS FM" van with its side door open, modifying the HITS in the logo to "SHIT". The station subsequently produced a promo that played off this picture. On January 2, 2012, regarding CHOZ-FM's format shift back to hot adult contemporary, the station returned to their contemporary hit radio format as it has been always a reporter to the Canadian top 40 panel. In October 2018, CKIX-FM was temporarily branded as 99.1 Hemp FM. In 2019, Snow left CKIX-FM to return to CHOZ-FM after 16 years.
"Missing 9" contest
In late August 2008, CKIX temporarily began identifying itself as 9.1 Hits FM; its actual broadcast frequency had not changed. Promotional signs throughout the listening area were also modified to appear as though the "9" had been removed. No reason for the change was given until September 8, when it was revealed that the missing digit had been "abducted" and hidden somewhere in the station's listening area, prompting a scavenger hunt-style contest where the abductor periodically "hijacked" the station's signal to provide clues to find a physical "9" object, and the station providing a $10,000 reward for its safe return. The "9" was found on October 6 in the back of a pick-up truck adjacent to a private self-storage facility in a St. John's suburb, and returned to the station that morning. However, a video later posted by the station indicated that the truck only arrived at that location that day, generating some controversy and complaints to the station. A later investigation by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council's Atlantic Regional Panel revealed that the "9" had been located in a storage locker at the aforementioned self-storage facility, with the intention that the clues would allow a listener to access that locker and retrieve the object. While some listeners were apparently able to identify the facility, they were unsuccessful in retrieving the digit, prompting the facility to post a "no trespassing" sign disavowing any relationship to the Hits FM contest. According to the station, this forced the relocation of the item. The CBSC panel later ruled that CKIX-FM's handling of the "Missing 9" contest – specifically placing the object such that it was not reasonably accessible to the public at the outset, and later moving the object in contradiction of the broadcast clues – violated Clause 12 of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' Code of Ethics. That clause states that "ll on-air contests and promotions shall be conceived and conducted fairly and legitimately and particular care shall be taken to ensure that they are not misleading". As is standard practice for CBSC violations, the station was required to announce the decision twice during peak listening hours.
