CHAY-FM
Encyclopedia
CHAY-FM is a Canadian
radio station based in Barrie
, Ontario
broadcasting with 100,000 watts at 93.1 on the FM dial. It provides an upbeat adult hits
format to Simcoe County, including the communities of Orillia
, Midland
, Collingwood
, and dozens of others.
format on May 21, 1977
, but changed to more of an adult contemporary format the following decade with the decline of beautiful music on FM radio stations. The station broadcast from a 1,000 foot tower just south of Barrie that it shared with local television station CKVR-TV
. Later that year, on September 27, a small plane crashed into the tower, destroying it and killing everyone on board. CHIN-FM
assisted CHAY in temporarily restoring its signal until the tower was replaced one year later.
In 1989, CHAY-FM Program Director Paul Richards began to move the station's sound from traditional easy listening to a more modern soft adult contemporary format. Throughout the transition period, the station continued to attract an audience of a quarter million listeners per week. Richards introduced "Solid Gold Sunday Night" with host Ken Trew to go along with CHAY's popular "Big Band Saturday Night" weekend programming.
On October 15, 2000, CHAY-FM flipped from adult contemporary to a CHR
format as "Energy 93.1" simulcasting some programing from its sister station CING-FM
out of Burlington, Ontario
. The flip to top 40 caused newer sister station CIQB-FM
acquiring the adult contemporary format. The Dance format became more of a CHR format, until on August 15, 2003
, the station reverted back to an adult contemporary format as The New CHAY 93.1 FM, causing sister station CIQB-FM
to revert to hot AC.
The station rose to prominence during this 2003-2007 Darren Stevens
era as program director. Stevens created the popular "Flashback Diner" radio show & on June 18, 2005 Stevens also hired Keith Hampshire
to host "SuperHits Saturday Night" - a Saturday night 60's-70's oldies show.
On Monday, August 11, 2008, the station relaunched as "Barrie's Fresh Music Mix... FM 93".
The station covers the counties of Simcoe, Muskoka, Parry Sound, Victoria, Grey, Dufferin and Haliburton, from the 1000 Islands to the Kawartha Lakes, and from Kitchener to Tobermory.
On March 11, 2011
, the station switched to adult hits
as CHAY Today @ 93.1 FM, reducing the amount of currents and leaving only CKDX-FM
and newcomer CISO-FM
as the only adult contemporary radio stations in Barrie
. The adult contemporary format was moved back to its CKCB-FM
sister station, a weaker signal based in Collingwood, Ontario
which cannot be heard clearly in Barrie
, meaning CISO-FM & CKDX-FM cannot be heard in Collingwood at all. Prior to CHAY Today, CKCB-FM
aired an adult top 40 format. As with CHAY-FM switching to adult hits
, it ends a three-year absence for the adult hits
format in Barrie
when CICX-FM
flipped from adult hits
back to country
after being a sister station with CICZ-FM
, which in turn dropped country for classic rock
. Most recently, CICZ-FM adopted a classic hits
format, making CICZ-FM a competitor to CHAY-FM, although CHAY-FM for a week was still listed on the Canadian AC panel on Mediabase even after the station became adult hits
.
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...
radio station based in Barrie
Barrie
Barrie may refer to:* Barrie, city in Ontario, Canada* Barrie , Canadian federal electoral district* Barrie , provincial electoral district* Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford, former Canadian electoral district...
, 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....
broadcasting with 100,000 watts at 93.1 on the FM dial. It provides an upbeat adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
format to Simcoe County, including the communities of Orillia
Orillia, Ontario
Orillia, pronounced ōrĭl'ēə, is a city located in Simcoe County in Southern Ontario, Canada, between Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe, 135 kilometres north of Toronto.Originally incorporated as a village in 1867, the history of...
, Midland
Midland, Ontario
Midland is a town located on Georgian Bay in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada.Situated at the southern end of Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands, Midland is the economic centre of the region, with a 125-bed hospital and a local airport. It is the main town of the southern Georgian Bay area...
, Collingwood
Collingwood, Ontario
Collingwood is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it is situated on Nottawasaga Bay at the southern point of Georgian Bay.-History:...
, and dozens of others.
History
CHAY-FM began signed on with an easy listeningEasy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
format on May 21, 1977
1977 in radio
In the year 1977, significant events in radio broadcasting included the President of the United States participating in a call-in radio program.-Events:*KSTP-FM in St...
, but changed to more of an adult contemporary format the following decade with the decline of beautiful music on FM radio stations. The station broadcast from a 1,000 foot tower just south of Barrie that it shared with local television station CKVR-TV
CKVR-TV
CKVR-DT, is a television station in Barrie, Ontario, Canada, owned by Bell Media, it serves as the flagship station of Bell Media's secondary television service, CTV Two, with facilities located at 33 Beacon Road in Barrie...
. Later that year, on September 27, a small plane crashed into the tower, destroying it and killing everyone on board. CHIN-FM
CHIN-FM
CHIN-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts multilingual programming at FM 100.7 in Toronto, Ontario. It should not be confused with FM 91.9, a rebroadcaster of AM sister station CHIN with a different programming schedule...
assisted CHAY in temporarily restoring its signal until the tower was replaced one year later.
In 1989, CHAY-FM Program Director Paul Richards began to move the station's sound from traditional easy listening to a more modern soft adult contemporary format. Throughout the transition period, the station continued to attract an audience of a quarter million listeners per week. Richards introduced "Solid Gold Sunday Night" with host Ken Trew to go along with CHAY's popular "Big Band Saturday Night" weekend programming.
On October 15, 2000, CHAY-FM flipped from adult contemporary to a CHR
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
format as "Energy 93.1" simulcasting some programing from its sister station CING-FM
CING-FM
CING-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 95.3 FM in Hamilton, Ontario. The station airs a classic hits format branded as Vinyl 95.3.CING was launched in 1976 by Burlington Broadcasting, at 107.9 FM in Burlington, Ontario...
out of Burlington, Ontario
Burlington, Ontario
Burlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...
. The flip to top 40 caused newer sister station CIQB-FM
CIQB-FM
CIQB-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts a Top 40 format at 101.1 FM in Barrie, Ontario The station uses the on-air brand name B101 and broadcasts to Barrie & surrounding areas of Simcoe County, including the communities of Orillia, Midland, Collingwood, and dozens of...
acquiring the adult contemporary format. The Dance format became more of a CHR format, until on August 15, 2003
2003 in radio
The year 2003 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:* October 10 - Facing an investigation surrounding allegations of illegal drug use, American right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh publicly admits that he is addicted to prescription pain killers, and will seek treatment.-Debuts:*March...
, the station reverted back to an adult contemporary format as The New CHAY 93.1 FM, causing sister station CIQB-FM
CIQB-FM
CIQB-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts a Top 40 format at 101.1 FM in Barrie, Ontario The station uses the on-air brand name B101 and broadcasts to Barrie & surrounding areas of Simcoe County, including the communities of Orillia, Midland, Collingwood, and dozens of...
to revert to hot AC.
The station rose to prominence during this 2003-2007 Darren Stevens
Darren Stevens
Darren Stevens may refer to:* Darren Stevens , Canadian radio personality* Darren Stevens , English cricketer- See also :*Darrin Stephens, fictional character in American TV series Bewitched...
era as program director. Stevens created the popular "Flashback Diner" radio show & on June 18, 2005 Stevens also hired Keith Hampshire
Keith Hampshire
Keith Hampshire is an English-born Canadian popular singer of the 1970s, famous in Canada for three top ten hits , and the successful television show Music Machine...
to host "SuperHits Saturday Night" - a Saturday night 60's-70's oldies show.
On Monday, August 11, 2008, the station relaunched as "Barrie's Fresh Music Mix... FM 93".
The station covers the counties of Simcoe, Muskoka, Parry Sound, Victoria, Grey, Dufferin and Haliburton, from the 1000 Islands to the Kawartha Lakes, and from Kitchener to Tobermory.
On March 11, 2011
2011 in radio
The following events occurred in radio broadcasting in 2011.-Events:*January 1: 2 Knoxville stations change formats as WDLF and WYLV flip to K-LOVE and Air 1 , and a few Pittsburgh station change formats, as ESPN Radio moves from WEAE to WBGG, and Radio Disney moves from WWCS to the renamed WDDZ,...
, the station switched to adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
as CHAY Today @ 93.1 FM, reducing the amount of currents and leaving only CKDX-FM
CKDX-FM
CKDX-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 88.5 FM in the Greater Toronto Area. Although officially licensed to Newmarket, the station's studios are located in Toronto...
and newcomer CISO-FM
CISO-FM
CISO-FM is a new Canadian radio station, that will broadcast an adult contemporary music format at 89.1 MHz in Orillia, Ontario. The station's branding will be Sunshine 89.1....
as the only adult contemporary radio stations in Barrie
Barrie
Barrie may refer to:* Barrie, city in Ontario, Canada* Barrie , Canadian federal electoral district* Barrie , provincial electoral district* Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford, former Canadian electoral district...
. The adult contemporary format was moved back to its CKCB-FM
CKCB-FM
CKCB-FM is a radio station in Collingwood, Ontario with an adult contemporary format broadcasting at 95.1 FM that uses the on-air branding 95.1 The Peak FM....
sister station, a weaker signal based in Collingwood, Ontario
Collingwood, Ontario
Collingwood is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it is situated on Nottawasaga Bay at the southern point of Georgian Bay.-History:...
which cannot be heard clearly in Barrie
Barrie
Barrie may refer to:* Barrie, city in Ontario, Canada* Barrie , Canadian federal electoral district* Barrie , provincial electoral district* Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford, former Canadian electoral district...
, meaning CISO-FM & CKDX-FM cannot be heard in Collingwood at all. Prior to CHAY Today, CKCB-FM
CKCB-FM
CKCB-FM is a radio station in Collingwood, Ontario with an adult contemporary format broadcasting at 95.1 FM that uses the on-air branding 95.1 The Peak FM....
aired an adult top 40 format. As with CHAY-FM switching to adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
, it ends a three-year absence for the adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
format in Barrie
Barrie
Barrie may refer to:* Barrie, city in Ontario, Canada* Barrie , Canadian federal electoral district* Barrie , provincial electoral district* Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford, former Canadian electoral district...
when CICX-FM
CICX-FM
CICX-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 105.9 FM in Orillia, Ontario. The station airs a country format under the KICX-FM brand.-History:...
flipped from adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
back to country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
after being a sister station with CICZ-FM
CICZ-FM
CICZ-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 104.1 FM in Midland, Ontario. The station, owned by Larche Communications, airs a classic hits format branded as 104.1 The Dock.-History:...
, which in turn dropped country for classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
. Most recently, CICZ-FM adopted a classic hits
Classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
format, making CICZ-FM a competitor to CHAY-FM, although CHAY-FM for a week was still listed on the Canadian AC panel on Mediabase even after the station became adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
.
External links
- CHAY Today Official site
- History on CHAY 93.1 FM from the 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....