CFCH-FM
{{short description|Radio station in North Bay, Ontario, Canada}}
{{Infobox radio station
| logo = File:CFCH-Logo-News.png
| name = CFCH-FM
| airdate = June 15, 2021
| area = Nipissing District
| format = Country
| owner = Vista Radio
| erp = 45,800 kWs
| haat = {{convert|145.5|meters}}
| branding = Country 90.5
| class = C1
| website = [https://www.mynorthbaynow.com/on-air/cfch/ mynorthbaynow.com/on-air/cfch/]
| callsign_meaning =
| sister_stations = CFXN-FM
}}
CFCH-FM (90.5 FM) is a Canadian radio station in North Bay, Ontario. Owned by Vista Radio, it broadcasts a country format branded as Country 90.5.
History
In September 2018, the CRTC issued a call for applications for a new commercial FM station serving North Bay.[https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2018/2018-380.htm Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2018-380], Call for comments on market capacity and the appropriateness of issuing a call for radio applications to serve North Bay, Ontario, CRTC, September 27, 2018 Among the applicants was Vista Radio, owner of CFXN-FM, who proposed a station that would carry an oldies format on 90.5 FM, with an effective radiated power of 45,800 watts.[https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2019/2019-358.htm#bm3 Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-358], Vista Radio Ltd. North Bay, Ontario Application 2018-0329-7, CRTC, October 29, 2019 On May 25, 2020, the CRTC approved the application by Vista Radio.{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) |date=2020-05-25 |title=English-language FM radio station in North Bay |url=https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2020/2020-165.htm |access-date=2021-06-07 |website=crtc.gc.ca}}
In June 2020, Vista announced that it had acquired the heritage callsign CFCH, which once belonged to what is now Rogers-owned CKFX-FM. Vista Radio's owner Sherry Brydson is a granddaughter of CFCH's original owner Roy Thomson, and she described the station as being established in Thomson's legacy.{{Cite web|title=New radio station reaches back in City history for iconic call letters|url=https://www.baytoday.ca/local-news/new-radio-station-reaches-back-in-city-history-for-iconic-call-letters-2388433|access-date=2021-06-07|website=BayToday.ca|language=en}} From 2005 to 2014, the CFCH callsign was previously used at an unrelated radio station in Chase, British Columbia.
On June 15, 2021, at 7:15 am ET, CFCH-FM officially launched with a country music format as Country 90.5; its first song was "Outlaws & Outsiders" by North Bay native Cory Marks. Former CHUR-FM morning host Kevin Oschefski joined the new station as its morning host.[https://www.baytoday.ca/local-news/oschefski-returns-to-morning-radio-with-launch-of-new-fm-station-3875896 Oschefski returns to morning radio with launch of new FM station], baytoday.ca, June 15, 2021[https://www.nugget.ca/entertainment/the-return-of-cfch The return of CFCH], North Bay Nugget, June 15, 2021 The new station competes primarily with Rogers' 600 CKAT (which had taken over the original CFCH's AM 600 frequency after it moved to 101.9 FM as CKFX in the 1990s).
The launch of Vista Radio's new Country 90.5 also makes Rogers Media's CKAT the second country radio station in the North Bay market with the similar branding of CKAT's Country 600.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.mynorthbaynow.com/on-air/cfch Country 90.5]
- [https://broadcasting-history.ca/radio/radio-stations/ontario/ontario-northern/cfch-fm-2/ CFCH-FM] at The History of Canadian Broadcasting by the Canadian Communications Foundation
- {{RecnetCanada|CFCH-FM}}
{{North Bay Radio}}
{{Vista Broadcast Group}}
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