CHYR-FM

Infobox Radio station
name = CHYR-FM


city = Leamington, Ontario
area = Essex County
branding = Mix 96.7
slogan =
airdate = 1955
frequency = 96.7 FM
format = hot adult contemporary
power = 10 KW
erp =
class =
callsign_meaning = CHEER
former_callsigns = CJSP, CHIR
owner = Blackburn Radio
webcast =
website = http://www.mix967.ca
affiliations =

CHYR is a Canadian radio station, which airs at 96.7 FM in Leamington, Ontario. The stations current format is Hot AC, branded as Mix 96.7 (formerly "96.7 Cheer FM").

History

The station was launched in 1955 by Sun Parlor Broadcasting at 710 AM. It was a daytimer with a 250 watt transmitter, using the callsign CJSP. The station increased its power to 1,000 watts in 1960. In 1967, the station adopted its current callsign, and received approval from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to broadcast at nighttime; due to clear channel rules, the station remained on 710 during the day, but shifted to 730 at night. The switch in frequency was called "fine tuning time" and was accompanied by a Lou Tomasi voiced sixty second audio bed series of varying-pitched beeps which helped the listener re-tune (hopefully) to the station where they would be told "you're back on the beam with Cheer Radio". The station also used a different callsign, CHIR, but ALWAYS referred to as just CHEER when broadcasting on 730, between sunset and sunrise daily. During its years of operation on two frequencies, the station had two licenses, one for each set of callsigns. As "Cheer Radio, Channel Seven," CHYR/CHIR aired a top 40 music format. In the mid seventies they started to spell out the daytime call letters on-air "C-H-Y-R" as well as use the phrase "Super Seven Cheer" and variations with a new Pepper/Tanner jingle package (mostly as a light poke at the "Big 8" just up the road in Windsor), but overall the format approach and on-air policy was always "bright, tight, brief and real!"

CHYR was acquired by Rogers Communications in 1968. In 1974, the CHIR calls were quietly abandoned, and the station retained its CHYR callsign throughout the day.

Other notable dates

*1974 On July 24, CHIR 730 was given permission to increase power from 250 to 500 watts (Night, directional), using the same towers and site. CHYR/CHIR became known as CHYR/CHYR-7.

*1975 On November 24, Dancy Broadcasting Ltd. was given approval to acquire Sun Parlor Broadcasters (CHYR and CHYR-7).

*"Undated" Rogers re-acquired CHYR and CHYR-7.

*1979 On December 7, studios and offices moved to 100 Talbot Street East from 23 Erie Street North.

*1980 CHYR increased night power on 730 kHz to 1,000 watts (directional). John C. Garton died. He was General Manager of CHYR from 1962 to February of this year. He was an original CJSP staffer and was also the voice of the Windsor Bulldogs on CHYR.

*In 1987, the station's ownership was spun off to Blue Water Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Maclean-Hunter. That same year, CHYR moved from Top 40 to an adult contemporary format.

*In 1991, the station adopted a country music format. In 1993, the station received CRTC approval to move to the FM band. [ [http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/1993/DB93-52.HTM Decision CRTC 93-52] ] In preparation for the move, most of the AM transmitter towers had to be demolished to make room for the new FM tower; as a result, the 730 frequency was abandoned and the station operated full-time at reduced power on 710 for a few months. The move to FM was completed in July of that year. CHYR-AM ceased operations on 710 kHz on September 10, 1993 at 6 p.m.

*In 1994, Maclean-Hunter was acquired by Rogers. The Blue Water group was sold to Blackburn Radio.

*In 2001, the station adopted its current format.

*On January 3, 2007, CHYR FM moved its broadcast tower from just outside Point Pelee, Ont., to a new tower in Cottam, making the signal available to over 70-thousand more homes. [ [http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2006/db2006-286.htm Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2006-286] ]

*On July 9, 2007 Blackburn Radio Inc. was given approval by the CRTC to open up a new country music radio station at FM 92.7 MHz to serve Leamington with the new callsign CJSP-FM which was the original callsign for what is now co-owned with CHYR-FM, which was CJSP (AM) when that station began broadcasting as an AM station in the 1950s and later changed to CHYR/CHIR (AM) and to its current CHYR-FM. [ [http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2007/db2007-223.htm Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2007-223] ] See CJSP-FM information from Michiguide.com [http://www.michiguide.com/dials/radio/cjsp.html]

*On March 3, 2008, the station rebranded as Mix 96.7. CHYR's new logo is similar to that of Clear Channel Communications' "Mix" AC/Hot AC stations in the United States.

Founders

* [http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/personalities/personalities.php?id=251 Al Bruner (1923-1987)]
*John Garton Sr.
*Lou Tomasi
*Art Gadd

Sources

[http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/radio/histories.php?id=345&historyID=135 Canadian Communications Foundation (Bill Dulmage)]

References

External links

* [http://www.mix967.ca CHYR-FM]
*