CHOK
{{short description|Country music Radio station in Sarnia, Ontario}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = CHOK
| logo = CHOK 103.9 Country logo.png
| logo_upright = .8
| city = Sarnia, Ontario
| country = CA
| branding = CHOK 103.9 FM & 1070 AM
| airdate = {{start date and age|1946|7|26|p=y|br=yes}}
| frequency = {{frequency|1070|kHz}}
| repeater = {{Radio Relay|103.9|CHOK-1-FM|Sarnia}}
| area = {{ubl|Lambton County, Ontario|St. Clair County, Michigan}}
| format = Country music
| affiliations = {{ubl|Sarnia Sting|Toronto Blue Jays Radio Network{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/schedule/blue-jays-radio-network|title = Blue Jays Radio Network| website=MLB.com }}}}
| owner = Blackburn Radio
| power = {{val|10000|u=watts|fmt=commas}}
| sister_stations = {{hlist|CHKS-FM|CFGX-FM}}
| licensing_authority = CRTC
| class = B
| webcast =
| website = {{URL|chok.com}}
| callsign_meaning =
| former_callsigns =
| coordinates = {{coord|42|53|30|N|82|19|20|W|type:landmark_region:CA-ON|display=inline,title}}
}}
{{other uses}}
CHOK (1070 kHz, "CHOK 103.9 FM & 1070 AM") is a Canadian commercial radio station, licensed to Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, and owned by Blackburn Radio. The station broadcasts a country music format with local all-news radio, talk radio and sports radio. CHOK also has an FM translator, CHOK-1-FM, broadcasting at 103.9 MHz. The station is the radio home of the Toronto Blue Jays, as well as the Sarnia Sting.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chok.com/sarnia-sting|title=Sarnia Sting Fan Page}} During Blue Jays games, CHOK's regular country music programming airs exclusively on the CHOK website.
History
The station was launched on July 26, 1946, by Sarnia Broadcasting. In 1947, Sarnia Broadcasting Co. was granted a licence to operate an FM station at 97.5 MHz (as CHOK-FM), which left the air sometime between 1948 and 1953, after being damaged from the Sarnia tornado. That station was never rebuilt.{{Cite web |date=2016-03-04 |title=Canadian Communications Foundation {{!}} Fondation des Communications Canadiennes |url=http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/index3.html?url=http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/radio/histories.php?id=1293&historyID=1276 |access-date=2023-10-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040341/http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/index3.html?url=http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/radio/histories.php?id=1293&historyID=1276 |archive-date=2016-03-04 }} It was acquired by IWC Communications, a corporate precursor of Standard Broadcasting, in 1970, and went through a variety of sales to local owners until being acquired by its current owner, Blackburn Radio, in 1998. Blackburn also owns both of the city's other commercial radio stations, CFGX-FM and CHKS-FM.
=CHOK-1-FM=
{{RadioRebroadcasters
| rec = true
| crtc = true
| notes =
| callsign = CHOK
| call1 = CHOK-1-FM
| freq1 = 103.9
| watts1 = 200
| class1 = A1
| city1 = Sarnia
| crtc1 = [http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2008/db2008-10.htm 2008-10]
}}
In April 2007, CHOK applied to add an FM transmitter (CHOK-1-FM) at Sarnia to broadcast at 103.3 MHz and simulcast the programming of CHOK, due to AM reception problems from metal and steel associated with the operations from petrochemical plants.{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) |date=2007-04-10 |title=ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 2007-4-1 |url=https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2007/n2007-4-1.htm |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=crtc.gc.ca}} Another company, Points Eagle Radio, had applied at the same time to use the 103.3 MHz frequency to broadcast Aboriginal programing. Points Eagle Radio was given approval by the CRTC to use the 103.3 FM frequency on August 7, 2007.{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) |date=2007-08-07 |title=ARCHIVED - Type B Native FM radio station in Sarnia |url=https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2007/db2007-281.htm |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=crtc.gc.ca}}
On July 20, 2007, CHOK was given approval in part to broadcast at 100.9 MHz. On October 10, Blackburn Radio applied to use the frequency 103.9 MHz instead.{{Cite web|url=http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2007/pb2007-113.htm#2|title = ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2007-113|date = 10 October 2007}} On January 18, 2008, CHOK was given approval to use the 103.9 frequency with 200 watts power.{{Cite web|url=http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2008/db2008-10.htm|title = ARCHIVED - Use of frequency 103.9 MHZ by the new FM transmitter of CHOK Sarnia|date = 18 January 2008}}
CHOK began testing of its 103.9 FM transmitter atop the Kenwick Building in downtown Sarnia, on June 18. On the morning of July 23, CHOK signed on as Country 103.9 FM and would continue to simulcast its signal on 1070 AM.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2008/080728/nerw.html#can|title = NorthEast Radio Watch by Scott Fybush}}
The station also has a low-power license-exempt repeater on 101.5 FM at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena. The 101.5 FM frequency is reserved for use by the CBC, should they choose to broadcast on that frequency in the future.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|chok.com|CHOK 103.9 FM & 1070 AM}}
- [https://broadcasting-history.ca/radio/radio-stations/ontario/ontario-south-western/CHOK-AM CHOK-AM] at The History of Canadian Broadcasting by the Canadian Communications Foundation
- {{RecnetCanada|CHOK}}
{{Southwestern Ontario Radio}}
Category:1946 establishments in Ontario
Category:Full service radio stations in Canada