CHSL-FM
Encyclopedia
CHSL-FM is a classic hits radio station
in Slave Lake
, Alberta
, Canada
. It started out as an AM oldies station. The station's ownership would change countless times over the years. Some of the station's owners included OK Radio Group, Nornet, OSG, and Telemedia
. It was eventually purchased by Newcap Broadcasting
.
In 1985, the station received approval by the CRTC to broadcast on the frequency 1210 kHz and began broadcasting as CKWA in November the same year.
Some time in the 90s the station was rebranded as Cat Country 1210 CKWA. The station was a part of a network of small town Alberta stations that featured local weekday morning shows and network announcers out of Edmonton for the rest of the time.
By the turn of the century the station was known as Cat Country 1210 KWA. Like its sister stations in Athabasca, Westlock and High Prairie, it was operated at a low cost and often ridiculed in the community for its poor signal, bad programming, technical problems and lack of local focus. Because of its call letters of CKWA, the station soon gained the nickname "the Squaw
."
However in September 2006, NewCap officially disbanded the Cat Country
network, and relaunched the radio station from a state-of-the-art studio as 92.7 FM The Fox. It was even given new call letters: CHSL (standing for Classic Hits Slave Lake). The Fox signified the end of Cat Country and also the end of centralization from Edmonton.
Today, The Fox is tied in heavily with its new regional head office out of Edson, Alberta
. It also is the only former Cat Country station that relaunched in 2006 with an FM signal. On May 17, 2010 CHSL was rebranded with the new name 92.7 Lake FM.
On May 15, 2011, the studio and offices were destroyed by the Slave Lake wildfire. This happpened after a power outage that affected the transmitter and studio. Current broadcasts on the station's frequency have been provided by 94.3 FM The Eagle
of Edson.
On May 30, 2011, Lake FM started broadcasting out of a new studio on Main St. in Slave Lake above a video store after engineers spent over 2 weeks working on getting them back in Slave Lake. They changed their slogan to "The Spirit of Slave Lake" at the same time.
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 Slave Lake
Slave Lake, Alberta
Slave Lake is a town in northern Alberta, Canada, in the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124. It is located on the southeast shore of Lesser Slave Lake at the junction of Highway 2 and Highway 88....
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, 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...
. It started out as an AM oldies station. The station's ownership would change countless times over the years. Some of the station's owners included OK Radio Group, Nornet, OSG, and 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....
. It was eventually purchased by Newcap Broadcasting
Newcap Broadcasting
Newfoundland Capital Corporation Limited is a major Canadian broadcasting company, majority-owned by Harold R. Steele. Newfoundland Capital is the parent company of Newcap Inc. . It is currently the number two private-sector radio broadcaster in Canada, just behind Astral Media...
.
In 1985, the station received approval by the CRTC to broadcast on the frequency 1210 kHz and began broadcasting as CKWA in November the same year.
Some time in the 90s the station was rebranded as Cat Country 1210 CKWA. The station was a part of a network of small town Alberta stations that featured local weekday morning shows and network announcers out of Edmonton for the rest of the time.
By the turn of the century the station was known as Cat Country 1210 KWA. Like its sister stations in Athabasca, Westlock and High Prairie, it was operated at a low cost and often ridiculed in the community for its poor signal, bad programming, technical problems and lack of local focus. Because of its call letters of CKWA, the station soon gained the nickname "the Squaw
Squaw
Squaw is an English language loan-word, used as a noun or adjective, whose present meaning is an indigenous woman of North America. It is derived from the eastern Algonquian morpheme meaning 'woman' that appears in numerous Algonquian languages variously spelled squa, skwa, esqua, sqeh, skwe, que,...
."
However in September 2006, NewCap officially disbanded the Cat Country
Cat Country
Cat Country is a country music brand name used for a variety of radio stations in numerous broadcast markets in the United States. Although the cat logo or a cat claw is shared among these stations, most of these radio stations are not associated with each other...
network, and relaunched the radio station from a state-of-the-art studio as 92.7 FM The Fox. It was even given new call letters: CHSL (standing for Classic Hits Slave Lake). The Fox signified the end of Cat Country and also the end of centralization from Edmonton.
Today, The Fox is tied in heavily with its new regional head office out of Edson, Alberta
Edson, Alberta
Edson is a town in west-central Alberta, Canada. It is located in Yellowhead County, west of Edmonton along the Yellowhead Highway and east of the intersection with Highway 47.- History :left|thumb|200px|Welcome Sign...
. It also is the only former Cat Country station that relaunched in 2006 with an FM signal. On May 17, 2010 CHSL was rebranded with the new name 92.7 Lake FM.
On May 15, 2011, the studio and offices were destroyed by the Slave Lake wildfire. This happpened after a power outage that affected the transmitter and studio. Current broadcasts on the station's frequency have been provided by 94.3 FM The Eagle
CFXE-FM
CFXE-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts classic hits from studios in Edson, Alberta. It is owned by Newcap Broadcasting. This facility is the regional hub for NewCap Alberta .-Rebroadcasters & Affiliates:...
of Edson.
On May 30, 2011, Lake FM started broadcasting out of a new studio on Main St. in Slave Lake above a video store after engineers spent over 2 weeks working on getting them back in Slave Lake. They changed their slogan to "The Spirit of Slave Lake" at the same time.
External links
- 92.7 Lake FM
- CHSL 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....
(Note that the history of the station begins as CFOK)