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'The Relaunch of a Movement': 89X Returns to Airwaves 5 Years After Switchover to Country

After teasing the return on Wednesday, CIMX-FM officially switched back to rock at 8:08 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025, marking 89X's relaunch, Bell Media and iHeartRadio Canada announced.
Launched in May 1991, 89X had a nearly 30-year alt-rock run before the station switched to Pure Country 89's country format in November 2020.
Teaser ads declared 'a revolution' as CIMX-FM ran Spanish-language promos, a history promo, then played Jane's Addiction 'Stop' and follow-up songs by Eminem and Blink-182 with artist promos.
Online branding shifted Thursday when CIMX-FM updated its logo to brand 89X as 'Windsor's Alternative', sparking many fans to welcome the alternative rock station back on Facebook.
Brad Gibb is leading the station's rebirth and Bell Media says a locally-programmed talent lineup will be revealed in the coming weeks, amid rumors about former on-air talent and playlist scope.

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Detroit Free Press

Lean Left

Detroit-Windsor area welcomes alt-rock station 89X back to airwaves after 5-year absence

89X returned to Detroit-Windsor radio after five years, flipping back to alternative rock at 8:08 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 28.

6 days ago·Detroit, United States

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Detroit Metro Times

Left

89X returned to Windsor-Detroit airwaves with a nostalgic alt-rock playlist

On its first day back, the beloved radio station returned with generation-spanning hits

6 days ago

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The Voice

+4 Reposted by 4 other sources

Center

89X returns to airwaves after five-year absence

Windsor's long-running alt-rock station returned to the airwaves Thursday morning at CIMX-FM (88.7). The station had been playing country music since 89X was taken off the airwaves in November 2020.

6 days ago

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