CHRE-FM
Encyclopedia
CHRE-FM is a radio station
in St. Catharines, Ontario
, Canada
. Airing at 105.7 FM, the station broadcasts an adult contemporary format for the Niagara region, especially for Buffalo, New York
with the brand name 105.7 EZ Rock
. However, sister station CKLH-FM
in Hamilton (also using the same format as CHRE-FM) is targeted towards the Toronto
& Hamilton
areas, but CKLH-FM leans towards adult top 40. CHRE-FM & CKLH-FM both report on Mediabase
& Nielsen BDS as Canadian AC stations.
.
As CHSC-FM it simulcast much of its programming on CHSC-AM (1220). By 1970 the two stations were doing their own programming with CHSC-FM adopting the "Beautiful Music" format by 1978. During this time the station had a number of popular specialty programs. "A Starlight Concert" heard weeknights from 10 to 11pm features light classical music introduced by Francis Kirton who became the station's fine arts director. Kirton also hosted the Sunday morning programs "Variety Theatre" featuring condensations of popular operettas recorded by the Readers Digest Association, "Concert in the Park" featuring marches and brass band music, "Waltz Time", a half hour of familiar music in 3/4 time and "At the Console" showcasing the world's great theatre organs.
Other specialty programs included "Ray Wickens' Broadway" hosted by British theatre aficionado Ray Wickens and featuring full original cast recordings; and "The Golden Age of Comedy" hosted by Armand Romagnoli and Mark Lawrence presenting classic comedy routines and old-time radio comedies. For a time in the late 1970s the station also carried the syndicated version of "The CBS Radio Mystery Theatre". The station's most popular program was "Howard Cable Presents" hosted by Howard Cable
who was, at the time, the music director for the Imperial Room
at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. The program showcased many of the performers appearing at the Imperial Room as well as popular songs from shows and movies, Big Band favorites and Classical music.
On July 1, 1979 the callsign was changed to CHRE for station owner R.E. (Robert) Redmond. By 1985 Redmond determined that the "beautiful Music" audience was rapidly aging and opted to switch to a soft rock/adult contemporary format geared to a younger crowd. At this time all of the specialty programs were dropped.
The parent company became known as Redmond Communications in 1985 and was granted a license to open CJEZ-FM
in Toronto. The station was subsequently sold to Affinity Radio Group in 1999.
Affinity was acquired by Telemedia
the following year, and Telemedia was itself bought out by Standard Broadcasting
in 2002.
In October 2007, Astral Media
acquired Standard Broadcasting
's terrestrial radio and television assets, including CHRE.
In September 2010
, CHRE-FM underwent several changes including a change in format, a new logo and new on-air staff. The station tweaked its adult contemporary format featuring current pop hits mixed with retro hits (80s & 90s), a change similarly done at sister station CKLH-FM
. CHRE-FM partially reaches the city of Toronto
, although its signal is sometimes blocked by CHRY-FM
. In addition, sister station CIQM-FM
moved to hot adult contemporary, but CHRE-FM & CKLH-FM did not change their actual formats due to existing hot adult contemporary stations in those areas.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
in St. Catharines, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Airing at 105.7 FM, the station broadcasts an adult contemporary format for the Niagara region, especially for Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
with the brand name 105.7 EZ Rock
EZ Rock
EZ Rock is a brand of adult contemporary music radio stations heard primarily in Canada. The branding was originally created by Telemedia in the mid-1990s for its adult contemporary stations, and based on the call sign of its former Toronto flagship CJEZ .Telemedia was later acquired by Standard...
. However, sister station CKLH-FM
CKLH-FM
CKLH-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 102.9 FM in Hamilton, Ontario. The station broadcasts an adult contemporary format branded as 102.9 K-Lite FM....
in Hamilton (also using the same format as CHRE-FM) is targeted towards the Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
& Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
areas, but CKLH-FM leans towards adult top 40. CHRE-FM & CKLH-FM both report on Mediabase
Mediabase
Mediabase is a music industry service that monitors radio station airplay in 180 US and Canadian markets. Mediabase publishes music charts and data based on the most played songs on terrestrial and satellite radio, and provides in-depth analytical tools for radio and record industry professionals...
& Nielsen BDS as Canadian AC stations.
History
CHRE was launched in 1967 as CHSC-FM by Radio Station CHSC Ltd., the licensee of the city's CHSCCHSC (AM)
CHSC was an AM radio station located in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. CHSC broadcast both daytime and nighttime with a radiated power of 10,000 watts at 1220 kHz AM...
.
As CHSC-FM it simulcast much of its programming on CHSC-AM (1220). By 1970 the two stations were doing their own programming with CHSC-FM adopting the "Beautiful Music" format by 1978. During this time the station had a number of popular specialty programs. "A Starlight Concert" heard weeknights from 10 to 11pm features light classical music introduced by Francis Kirton who became the station's fine arts director. Kirton also hosted the Sunday morning programs "Variety Theatre" featuring condensations of popular operettas recorded by the Readers Digest Association, "Concert in the Park" featuring marches and brass band music, "Waltz Time", a half hour of familiar music in 3/4 time and "At the Console" showcasing the world's great theatre organs.
Other specialty programs included "Ray Wickens' Broadway" hosted by British theatre aficionado Ray Wickens and featuring full original cast recordings; and "The Golden Age of Comedy" hosted by Armand Romagnoli and Mark Lawrence presenting classic comedy routines and old-time radio comedies. For a time in the late 1970s the station also carried the syndicated version of "The CBS Radio Mystery Theatre". The station's most popular program was "Howard Cable Presents" hosted by Howard Cable
Howard Cable
Howard Reid Cable is a conductor, arranger, music director, composer, and radio and television producer.-Biography:...
who was, at the time, the music director for the Imperial Room
Imperial Room
The 500 seat Imperial Room is a major events venue at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto, Canada. The hall is located on the Lobby level of the hotel and has hosted major events, such as addresses to the Empire Club of Canada, but was more important historically as one of the most famous nightclubs in...
at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. The program showcased many of the performers appearing at the Imperial Room as well as popular songs from shows and movies, Big Band favorites and Classical music.
On July 1, 1979 the callsign was changed to CHRE for station owner R.E. (Robert) Redmond. By 1985 Redmond determined that the "beautiful Music" audience was rapidly aging and opted to switch to a soft rock/adult contemporary format geared to a younger crowd. At this time all of the specialty programs were dropped.
The parent company became known as Redmond Communications in 1985 and was granted a license to open CJEZ-FM
CJEZ-FM
CHBM-FM is a radio station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada owned by Astral Media. It broadcasts an adult hits format at 97.3 FM and is branded as boom 97.3 - 70's, 80's, 90's, and is also the only adult hits station owned by Astral...
in Toronto. The station was subsequently sold to Affinity Radio Group in 1999.
Affinity was acquired by Telemedia
Telemedia
Telemedia was a Canadian media company, which had holdings in radio, television and magazine publishing.The company was launched in 1968 by Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien.Telemedia was held privately until it became publicly traded in the late 1980s....
the following year, and Telemedia was itself bought out by Standard Broadcasting
Standard Broadcasting
Slaight Communications is a Canadian radio broadcasting company. The company was first formed as Slaight Broadcasting in 1971, when owner J. Allan Slaight acquired CFGM in Richmond Hill...
in 2002.
Astral Media
Astral Media Inc. is a Canadian media corporation. It is Canada's largest radio broadcaster with 83 radio stations in eight provinces, and is a major player in premium and specialty television in Canada, including The Movie Network, Super Écran, Family, Teletoon, Canal D, Canal Vie, VRAK.TV,...
acquired Standard Broadcasting
Standard Broadcasting
Slaight Communications is a Canadian radio broadcasting company. The company was first formed as Slaight Broadcasting in 1971, when owner J. Allan Slaight acquired CFGM in Richmond Hill...
's terrestrial radio and television assets, including CHRE.
In September 2010
2010 in radio
The following events occurred in radio in 2010.-Events:*Date Unknown: CHOI/Quebec City flips from Alternative Rock to News/Talk.*January 4: KJCS/Lufkin, Texas goes silent....
, CHRE-FM underwent several changes including a change in format, a new logo and new on-air staff. The station tweaked its adult contemporary format featuring current pop hits mixed with retro hits (80s & 90s), a change similarly done at sister station CKLH-FM
CKLH-FM
CKLH-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 102.9 FM in Hamilton, Ontario. The station broadcasts an adult contemporary format branded as 102.9 K-Lite FM....
. CHRE-FM partially reaches the city of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, although its signal is sometimes blocked by CHRY-FM
CHRY-FM
CHRY-FM is a Canadian radio station. It is the campus radio station of York University, broadcasting over FM on 105.5 MHz in Toronto, Ontario. It has come to serve as a community radio station for the residents of the Jane and Finch corridor in North Toronto....
. In addition, sister station CIQM-FM
CIQM-FM
CIQM-FM is an FM radio station broadcasting at 97.5 FM in London, Ontario, Canada, branded as 97.5FM EZ Rock. The station plays a hot adult contemporary format branded as EZ Rock...
moved to hot adult contemporary, but CHRE-FM & CKLH-FM did not change their actual formats due to existing hot adult contemporary stations in those areas.
External links
- 105.7 EZ Rock
- CHRE-FM history at Canadian Communications FoundationCanadian Communications FoundationThe Canadian Communications Foundation is a history of Canadian broadcasting for radio and television chronicles and documents. It also provides a history of radio and television stations, including networks, programs, broadcasters and many others....