CHOK

For other uses, see CHOK (disambiguation).
CHOK
City Sarnia, Ontario
Branding CHOK 103.9 FM & 1070 AM
Slogan News, Sports, Information
Frequency 1070 kHz (AM)
Repeater(s) 103.9 MHz (FM)
First air date 26 July 1946
Format Full Service
Adult Contemporary
Power 10 kW (AM)
ERP 200 watts (FM)
HAAT 59 m (FM)
Class B (AM)
A1 (FM)
Owner Blackburn Radio
Sister stations CHKS-FM, CFGX-FM
Website www.chok.com

CHOK is a Canadian radio station, licensed to Sarnia, Ontario at 1070 kHz and owned by Blackburn Radio. The station broadcasts a gold-based adult contemporary music format with local news, talk and sports. CHOK also has an FM translator, CHOK-1, broadcasting at 103.9 MHz.

History

The station was launched on 26 July 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 in sometime in between 1948-1953 after being damaged from the Sarnia tornado. That station was never rebuilt.[1] 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 and CHKS.

In April 2007, CHOK AM applied to add an FM transmitter (CHOK-1-FM) at Sarnia to broadcast at 103.3 MHz and simulcast the programing of CHOK 1070 AM, due to AM reception problems from metal and steel associated with the operations from petrochemical plants.[2] 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.[3]

On July 20, 2007 CHOK was given approval in part to broadcast at 100.9 MHz. On October 10, 2007 Blackburn Radio applied to use the frequency 103.9 MHz instead.[4] On January 18, 2008 CHOK was given approval to use the 103.9 frequency with 200 Watts power. [5]

CHOK began testing of its 103.9 FM transmitter atop the Kenwick Building in downtown Sarnia, on June 18, 2008. On the morning of July 23, 2008, CHOK signed on as Country 103.9 FM and will continue to simulcast its signal on 1070 AM.[6]

The station also has a low-power license-exempt repeater on 101.5 FM at the Sarnia Sports and Entertainment Centre. The 101.5 FM frequency is reserved for use by the CBC, should they choose to broadcast on that frequency in the future.

Format

On January 12, 2007 at 6:00 AM, CHOK changed its format from news/talk and oldies, with the brand name Information Radio, to a country music format aimed at WSAQ's Canadian audience.

On May 21, 2013, CHOK dropped its country format and changed its music to a gold-based adult contemporary music, with some country and classic hits mixed in. The service elements of the previous format remain in place, with hourly news reports and local talk programs. The music leans older and softer than the hot mainstream AC format of sister station CFGX-FM.

The format change came as WHLS in Port Huron updated its format from oldies to a classic hits mix. WHLS would later flip to alternative rock in 2015 as Rock 105.5, leaving CHOK the only remaining station in the market that still plays pre-1980s hits as WGRT, WBTI and sister CFGX-FM have more modern AC formats.

References

  1. ↑ CHOK 97.5 MHz (1948-1953) - Canadian Communications Foundation
  2. ↑ CRTC Notice of Public hearing #13 April 10, 2007
  3. ↑ CRTC Decision 2007-281
  4. ↑ http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2007/pb2007-113.htm#2
  5. ↑ http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2008/db2008-10.htm
  6. ↑ http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2008/080728/nerw.html#can

External links

Coordinates: 42°53′30″N 82°19′20″W / 42.89167°N 82.32222°W / 42.89167; -82.32222

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