CHIP-FM

{{short description|Radio station in Fort-Coulonge, Quebec}}

{{Infobox radio station |

name = CHIP-FM|

airdate = June 1981|

frequency = 101.9 MHz (FM)|

former_frequencies = 101.5 MHz (FM) (1981–1993)
101.7 MHz (1993–2016)|

city = Fort-Coulonge, Quebec|

format = community|

owner = La Radio du Pontiac Inc.|

erp = 11.8 kW|

website = http://www.chipfm.com/

}}

CHIP-FM is a bilingual community radio station that operates at 101.9 FM in Fort-Coulonge, Quebec. The station serves Pontiac County in Quebec and Renfrew County in Ontario.

The station is a member of the Association des radiodiffuseurs communautaires du Québec.

History

On March 20, 1980, La Radio du Pontiac Inc. received approval from the CRTC to operate a new community FM radio station at Fort-Coulonge (101.7 MHz with effective radiated power of 3,000 watts) with rebroadcast transmitters at Chapeau (93.5 MHz with ERP of 150 watts) and Rapide-des-Joachims (94.3 MHz, and ERP of 35 watts). [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/CANADA/CRTC-Decisions/CRTC-Vol.5-Apr-1979-to-Mar-1980.pdf Decision CRTC 80-192], CRTC, page 876, March 20, 1980

The station was originally launched in 1981 at 101.5 FM; it moved to 101.7 in 1993.[https://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/1993/DB93-14.HTM Decision CRTC 93-14]

In June 1981, La Radio du Pontiac Inc. was authorized to change frequencies for CHIP-FM's rebroadcast transmitters, CHIP-FM-1 to 94.5 MHz in Chapeau and CHIP-FM-2 to 107.5 MHz in Rapide-des-Joachims.

In January 1987, CHIP-FM informed the CRTC that the transmitter at Rapide-des-Joachims had never been implemented and that it did not wish to seek renewal for this rebroadcaster.

On February 25, 1994, the licence for CHIP-FM-1 Chapeau was revoked at the owner's request.[https://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/1994/DB94-51.HTM Decision CRTC 94-51]

CHIP-FM has been owned by La Radio du Pontiac Inc. since its launch in the early 1980s.

=Move to 101.9=

On April 10, 2015, La Radio du Pontiac, and Torres Media Ottawa—owner of Ottawa-based blues station CIDG-FM, both filed requests with the CRTC for CHIP-FM and CIDG-FM to swap frequencies, with CIDG-FM moving to 101.7 and CHIP-FM moving to 101.9. Torres stated that the move would allow CIDG to broadcast at a higher power, with coverage comparable to competing stations in the Ottawa-Gatineau market. This was not possible under the 101.9 frequency due to a requirement to protect stations in neighbouring markets on the same frequency. It was noted that this move would not have a negative impact on CHIP's coverage, and that Torres planned to provide La Radio du Pontiac with additional funding to hire staff and promote the station as compensation for the move.{{cite web|title=Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2015-575|url=https://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2015/2015-575.htm|publisher=CRTC|accessdate=29 October 2016}}[https://services.crtc.gc.ca/pub/DocWebBroker/OpenDocument.aspx?AppNo=201502667 2015-0266-7], Frequency change and technical amendment - contours for CIDG-FM Ottawa, CRTC, April 10, 2015[https://services.crtc.gc.ca/pub/DocWebBroker/OpenDocument.aspx?AppNo=201503128 2015-0312-8], Frequency change for CHIP-FM Fort-Coulonge, CRTC, April 10, 2015 The CRTC approved the applications on December 22, 2015.[https://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2015/2015-575.htm Broadcasting Decision CRTC2015-575], CIDG-FM Ottawa and CHIP-FM Fort-Coulonge - Licence amendments and technical changes, CRTC, December 22, 2015.

On August 30, 2016, at 1:40 pm EDT, CHIP-FM officially moved to its current 101.9 MHz frequency on the FM band.[http://www.chipfm.com/web2/news.php?extend.4671 Passage of CHIP to the 101.9, a historic moment] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160915063150/http://www.chipfm.com/web2/news.php?extend.4671 |date=2016-09-15 }}, chip-fm.com, August 31, 2016

References

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