CHOK (1070
AM) is a Canadian radio station, licensed to
Sarnia,
Ontario and owned by
Blackburn Radio. The station broadcasts a
country format with local
news
News is information about current events. This may be provided through many different Media (communication), media: word of mouth, printing, Mail, postal systems, broadcasting, Telecommunications, electronic communication, or through the tes ...
,
talk
Talk may refer to:
Communication
* Communication, the encoding and decoding of exchanged messages between people
* Conversation, interactive communication between two or more people
* Lecture, an oral presentation intended to inform or instruct
...
and
sports. 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.
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. 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
CFGX-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 99.9 FM in Sarnia, Ontario. The station broadcasts an adult contemporary format with the brand name ''The Fox''. Its main competitors are WGRT and WBTI.
CFGX-FM can be heard in the easter ...
and
CHKS-FM.
CHOK-1-FM
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. 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.
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. On January 18, 2008, CHOK was given approval to use the 103.9 frequency with 200 watts power.
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 would continue to simulcast its signal on 1070 AM.
The station also has a
low-power license
A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit).
A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...
-exempt repeater on 101.5 FM at the
Progressive Auto Sales Arena
The Progressive Auto Sales Arena is a 5,500-capacity (4,118-seated) multi-purpose arena in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the campus of Lambton College and opened in September 1998. The Progressive Auto Sales Arena is currently home to ...
. The 101.5 FM frequency is reserved for use by the CBC, should they choose to broadcast on that frequency in the future.
References
External links
CHOK 103.9 FM & 1070 AM*
*
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Hok
Hok
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Radio stations established in 1946
1946 establishments in Ontario