CHPQ-FM

CHPQ-FM

Parksville,British Columbia
Broadcast area	Parksville Qualicum Beach
Frequency	99.9MHz(FM)
Branding	The Lounge 99.9
Programming
Format	Adult standards/classic hits
Ownership
Owner	Jim Pattison Group (Island Radio)
History
First air date	January 2,1995(rebroadcaster ofCKWV-FM) February 11,2005(separate station)
Former call signs	CKWV-FM-1 (1995–2005)
Call signmeaning	CoombsHilliersParksvilleQualicum Beach
Technical information
Class	A
ERP	horizontal polarizationonly: 1.1kWsaverage 2.1 kWs peak
HAAT	114 meters (374 ft)
Links
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	thelounge999

CHPQ-FM(The Lounge 99.9) is a Canadianradio stationoperating inParksville,British Columbiaat 99.9FM.Island Radio, a division of theJim Pattison Group,owns the station.

History

The roots of CHPQ can be traced indirectly back to Parksville's first radio station (nowCIBH-FM), which also used the call sign CHPQ (which stood forCoombs,Hilliers,Parksville andQualicum Beach); that station first went on the air on December 3, 1973 as a semi-satellite ofNanaimostationCHUB(owned by Nanaimo Broadcasting Co.), operating at 1370AMwith 1000 watts of power.

The current station got its start when, in 1994, Benchmark Ventures (which bought CHPQ and CHUB from Nanaimo Broadcasting in 1986) merged with Central Island Broadcasting Ltd. (later Island Radio), and theCanadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission(CRTC) granted CHUB permission to move to 102.3 FM (as CKWV) and to place a rebroadcaster in Parksville (CKWV-FM-1) at 99.9 FM. The switch took effect on January 2, 1995.

On January 19, 2005, Central Island Broadcasting changed its corporate name to Island Radio, reflecting its expanded presence onVancouver Island(with the addition ofCourtenaystationCKLR-FMand the acquisition ofCJAVinPort Alberni). On February 11 that year, Parksville's CKWV-FM-1 ceased rebroadcasting CKWV and became a separate station catering to the residents of Parksville and Qualicum Beach, assuming CIBH's original call sign of CHPQ and broadcasting a combined format ofmiddle of the roadandeasy listeningmusic. Somestation IDsfor CHPQ are announced viavoice-trackingby late Americandisc jockeyand voice actorGary Owens.CHPQ has since transitioned to a mixedadult standards/classic hitsformat.

The sale to Jim Pattison

On November 1, 2005, the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group, a division of theJim Pattison Group,and Island Radio Ltd. announced that Island Radio had agreed to sell its six radio stations (including CHPQ) to the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group; following CRTC approval, Pattison assumed ownership of the Island Radio stations at midnight on June 30, 2006.

External links

• The Lounge 99.9
• CHPQ-FMat The History of Canadian Broadcasting by theCanadian Communications Foundation
• CHPQ-FMin the REC Canadian station database