CHLG-FM
{{short description|Radio station in Vancouver}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = CHLG-FM
| city = Vancouver, British Columbia
| area = Greater Vancouver
| logo = The Breeze Vancouver Logo.png
| logo_size = 250px
| branding = 104.3 The Breeze
| airdate = {{Start date and age|2009|7|1}}
| frequency = 104.3 MHz (HD Radio)
| format = Soft adult contemporary
| class = C
| former_callsigns = CHHR-FM (2009–2014)
| former_frequencies = 104.1 MHz (2009–2010)
| owner = Stingray Group
| licensee = 8384860 Canada, Inc.
| haat = {{convert|567|m|ft|sp=us}}
| erp = 3,600 watts
9,100 watts peak
| callsign_meaning = "Lions Gate" (former branding, homage to CKLG)
| sister_stations =
| website = [https://www.1043thebreeze.ca/ 1043thebreeze.ca]
}}
CHLG-FM (104.3 MHz, 104.3 The Breeze) is a commercial FM radio station in Vancouver, British Columbia. Owned by Stingray Group, the station broadcasts a soft adult contemporary format. Its studios are on Horseshoe Way in Richmond.
CHLG-FM is a Class C station. It has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 3,600 watts (9,100 watts peak). The transmitter is on Mount Seymour in the District of North Vancouver.[https://fccdata.org/?lang=en&canfm=CHLG-FM FCCdata.org/CHLG]
History
=CHHR-FM=
The station was licensed as CHHR-FM by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) on May 30, 2008.[http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2008/db2008-117.htm CRTC Decision 2008-117] The station started test transmissions at 104.1 MHz on June 1, 2009. After a month, it officially began broadcasting on {{Start date and age|July 1, 2009}}.
The station was owned by the Shore Media Group. It aired an adult album alternative format, branded as Shore 104. It was the second AAA station in Metro Vancouver, the other being CKPK-FM, owned by The Jim Pattison Group.
On January 14, 2010, CHHR changed frequency to 104.3 MHz in a swap with Bellingham, Washington's KAFE,[http://kafe.com/Press-Release/5868196 Press Release KAFE-FM to move to dial position 104.1] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091214163501/http://kafe.com/Press-Release/5868196 |date=2009-12-14 }} a move to reduce interference between KAFE and Covington, Washington-based KMCQ (104.5).[http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2009/2009-41.htm#2 Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2009-41] KAFE began broadcasting on 104.1, while CHHR could be heard on 104.3.
=Sale to Astral Media=
In 2011, Astral Media proposed the takeover of CHHR from Shore Media Group, a move initially rejected by the CRTC. Astral tried again and announced the planned purchase of CHHR on December 19, 2011, for $13.4 million.[http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/54931/astral-acquires-shore-104-3-vancouver/#.TzpWqbTfXfc "Astral Acquires Shore 104.3 Vancouver,"] from RadioInsight, 12/19/2011 Astral's purchase was completed in February 2012.[http://www.astral.com/en/press-room/news/2011/astral-radio-announces-the-acquisition-of-shore-fm-in-vancouver Astral Radio announces the acquisition of Shore FM in Vancouver]
Following Astral's takeover, the dismissal of CHHR's on-air staff and reservation of web domain names led to speculation that the station would change formats.[http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/55492/shore-104-3-vancouver-getting-blown-up/#.TzpVfbTfXfc "Shore 104.3 Vancouver Getting Blown Up?"] from RadioInsight, 2/2/2012 As of February 2012, the CHHR website displayed only a message stating that "We're making changes to make Shore FM a better radio station. We appreciate your patience. For now, we're playing even more of your favourite Shore music..." The website invited listeners to submit suggestions or ideas.
On March 16, 2012, a month after the takeover of CHHR, Astral announced that an agreement was made to merge its assets with Bell Media for $3.38 billion.{{Cite web |url=http://www.broadcastermagazine.com/news/breaking-news-astral-enters-agreement-to-be-acquired-by-bell/1000992927/ |title=BREAKING NEWS -- Astral Enters Agreement to Be Acquired by Bell |access-date=2012-03-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610203052/http://www.broadcastermagazine.com/news/breaking-news-astral-enters-agreement-to-be-acquired-by-bell/1000992927/ |archive-date=2015-06-10 |url-status=dead }} An early decision by the CRTC on October 18, 2012, denied the merger, but a later decision on March 4, 2013, approved it, on the condition that Bell would spin off several Astral properties, including CHHR-FM.[http://bce.ca/news-and-media/releases/show/bell-receives-competition-bureau-clearance-for-astral-transaction?page=1&perpage=10&year=&month=&keyword= Bell Canada Enterprises press release: "Bell receives Competition Bureau clearance for Astral transaction", March 4, 2013.]
On April 6, 2012, after two months without DJs, the station updated its logo and slogan from "Music First!" to "Vancouver's Adult Alternative." Astral also announced DJs would return on April 16.[http://aircheckerradioindustry.blogspot.com/2012/04/shore-1043-fm-rebrands-vancouvers-adult.html Canada's # 1 Source For Radio Is Airchecker!: SHORE 104 FM | Rebrands Vancouver’s Adult Alternative]
=Sale to Newcap Radio; flip to classic hits=
On August 26, 2013, Newcap Radio announced it would spend $112 million to acquire CHHR along with four other former Astral Media radio stations held under blind trust by Bell Media. This would give CHHR its fourth owner in a two-year period.{{cite web|url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1215153/newcap-signs-agreement-with-bell-media-to-acquire-five-radio-stations-in-toronto-and-vancouver|title=Newcap signs agreement with Bell Media to acquire five radio stations in Toronto and Vancouver|publisher=CNW|accessdate=26 August 2013}} The deal was approved by the CRTC on March 19, 2014, and the sale closed on March 31, 2014.[http://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2014/2014-129.htm Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2014-129]{{cite web|url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1325013/newcap-radio-receives-crtc-approval-to-purchase-stations-in-toronto-and-vancouver|title=Newcap Radio receives CRTC approval to purchase stations in Toronto and Vancouver|work=Canada Newswire|date=March 19, 2014|accessdate=March 20, 2014}}
In June 2014, the call letters were changed to CHLG-FM. After letting go much of the on-air staff, CHLG changed formats to classic hits as LG 104.3 at 12:02 a.m. on June 20.{{cite news|last1=Marchand|first1=Francois|title=Tuning to the oldies: Shore radio station makes way for LG rebrand|url=http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2014/06/18/tuning-to-the-oldies-shore-radio-station-makes-way-for-lg-rebrand/|accessdate=18 June 2014|work=The Vancouver Sun|date=18 June 2014}}
=Soft AC "The Breeze"=
On October 26, 2018, Stingray Group completed its acquisition of Newcap.{{Cite web|url=http://vocm.com/news/crtc-approves-506-million-sale-of-newcap-radio-to-stingray/|title=CRTC Approves $506-Million Sale of Newcap Radio to Stingray|website=VOCM|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708103926/http://vocm.com/news/crtc-approves-506-million-sale-of-newcap-radio-to-stingray/|archive-date=2019-07-08|url-status=dead}} In December 2018, Stingray announced that the station would flip to soft adult contemporary music. Its new moniker would be 104.3 The Breeze.
The flip was planned for December 26, alongside sister station CKRA-FM in Edmonton.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/182752/soft-ac-the-breeze-blows-into-chlg-vancouver-and-c|title=Soft AC 'The Breeze' Blows Into CHLG/Vancouver and CKRA/Edmonton|website=All Access|language=en|access-date=2018-12-24}} The station's playlist focuses on soft-to-mid tempo hits of the 1980s and 90s with a few older songs and a few 2000s titles.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.1043thebreeze.ca/|104.3 The Breeze}}
- [https://broadcasting-history.ca/radio/radio-stations/british-columbia/british-columbia-vancouver/CHLG-FM CHLG-FM] at The History of Canadian Broadcasting by the Canadian Communications Foundation
- {{RecnetCanada|CHLG-FM}}
{{Vancouver Radio}}
{{Stingray Group}}
Category:Radio stations established in 2009