CHLG-FM
Broadcast areaGreater Vancouver
Frequency104.3 MHz (FM) (HD Radio)
Branding104.3 The Breeze
Programming
FormatSoft adult contemporary
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
July 1, 2009
Former call signs
CHHR-FM (2009-2014)
Former frequencies
104.1 MHz (2009-2010)
Call sign meaning
"Lions Gate" (former branding, homage to CKLG)
Technical information
ClassC
ERP10,000 watts
HAAT600 meters (2,000 ft)
Links
Website1043thebreeze.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 located in Richmond, and its transmitter is on Mount Seymour.

History

The station was licensed as CHHR-FM by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) on May 30, 2008.[1] The station started test transmissions at 104.1 MHz on June 1, 2009, and officially began broadcasting on July 1, 2009, under the ownership of 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.

CHHR logo, 2011-2014

On January 14, 2010, CHHR changed frequency to 104.3 MHz in a swap with Bellingham, Washington's KAFE,[2] a move to reduce interference between KAFE and Covington, Washington-based KMCQ (104.5).[3]

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.[4] Astral's purchase was completed in February 2012.[5]

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.[6] 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.[7] 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.[8]

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.[9]

CHLG logo, 2014-2018

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.[10] The deal was approved by the CRTC on March 19, 2014, and the sale closed on March 31, 2014.[11][12]

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.[13]

On October 26, 2018, Stingray Group completed its acquisition of Newcap.[14] In December 2018, it was announced that the station would flip to soft adult contemporary as 104.3 The Breeze on December 26, alongside sister station CKRA-FM in Edmonton.[15]

References

  1. ↑ CRTC Decision 2008-117
  2. ↑ Press Release KAFE-FM to move to dial position 104.1 Archived 2009-12-14 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2009-41
  4. ↑ "Astral Acquires Shore 104.3 Vancouver," from RadioInsight, 12/19/2011
  5. ↑ Astral Radio announces the acquisition of Shore FM in Vancouver
  6. ↑ "Shore 104.3 Vancouver Getting Blown Up?" from RadioInsight, 2/2/2012
  7. ↑ "BREAKING NEWS -- Astral Enters Agreement to Be Acquired by Bell". Archived from the original on 2015-06-10. Retrieved 2012-03-21.
  8. ↑ Bell Canada Enterprises press release: "Bell receives Competition Bureau clearance for Astral transaction", March 4, 2013.
  9. ↑ Canada's # 1 Source For Radio Is Airchecker!: SHORE 104 FM | Rebrands Vancouver’s Adult Alternative
  10. ↑ "Newcap signs agreement with Bell Media to acquire five radio stations in Toronto and Vancouver". CNW. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  11. ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2014-129
  12. ↑ "Newcap Radio receives CRTC approval to purchase stations in Toronto and Vancouver". Canada Newswire. March 19, 2014. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
  13. ↑ Marchand, Francois (18 June 2014). "Tuning to the oldies: Shore radio station makes way for LG rebrand". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  14. ↑ "CRTC Approves $506-Million Sale of Newcap Radio to Stingray". VOCM. Archived from the original on 2019-07-08. Retrieved 2018-10-31.
  15. ↑ "Soft AC 'The Breeze' Blows Into CHLG/Vancouver and CKRA/Edmonton". All Access. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
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