CHUM-FM - History

History

CHUM-FM started broadcasting on September 1, 1963 with an ERP of 18,000 watts and a transmitter and studio at 1331 Yonge Street. It aired a classical music format, the first station in Canada to do so. On March 21, 1966, their ERP was increased to 54,000 watts. In 1968, CHUM-FM received approval for a change in its transmitter location and increase in power to 100,000 watts. The transmitter was to be moved to the top of the Manufacturer's Life Building at 250 Bloor Street East.

On July 2, 1968, CHUM-FM changed formats to progressive rock, a forerunner to today's adult album alternative format, by playing a wide range of music ranging from world music and jazz to classical and folk. The station also aired public affairs programming, such as In Toronto. The station featured many famous Canadian radio personalities such as Larry Green, Walter Michaels, Steve Harris, Pete and Geets, Larry Wilson, David Marsden, David Pritchard and actor Rick Moranis.

On December 14, 1973, the station was authorized, along with other Toronto radio and TV stations, to move their transmitter to the top of the CN Tower. The new transmitter was turned on on May 31, 1976 with a reduced ERP of 40,000 watts.

In 1978, CHUM-FM created a Top 30 Album Chart to complement sister station CHUM-AM's Singles Chart. A television version of the countdown was later broadcast on Citytv, featuring music videos for most of the songs in the countdown; the TV version was discontinued in January 2008, following Rogers Communications' acquisition of Citytv.

In September 1984, the station started evolving towards adult contemporary. Current morning show host Roger Ashby would join the station from CHUM's AM sister station on September 2, 1985. Marilyn Denis and Rick Hodge (who has been doing sports updates on the station since 1974) would join the show a year later, and the show became an instant success, making them some of the best known broadcasters in Toronto radio.

The station evolved towards its current Hot Adult Contemporary format in 1990.

On May 26, 1998, CHUM-FM was granted a license to broadcast in Digital audio broadcasting using the Eureka-147 system. The transmitter was installed on the CN Tower and broadcast at 1456.304 MHz with an ERP of 5,084 watts.

Starting in the mid-2000s, CHUM-FM's playlist has been noticeably more open to periodic, carefully selected rhythmic contemporary crossover songs, including rhythm and blues, reggae, hip hop music, and dance music, while keeping some 1980s, 1990s and 2000s songs, as well as standard pop/rock material that forms the Hot AC format. The reason for this was to balance younger and older audiences. Many hot adult contemporary stations in Canada have followed this pattern and resulted in audience growth nationwide, making Hot AC the country's most listened-to format. The closest local competition musically within the format came from CKFM-FM (99.9 Mix FM), which leaned mostly younger.

CHUM-FM also carried American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest from 2004 to 2006. CIDC and CKFM have been the Toronto affiliates for the show since then.

At the 25th Anniversary Canadian Music Industry Awards, held March 8, 2007, CHUM-FM was honoured as Station of the Year, Program Director of the year for CHUM-FM PD Rob Farina, and air talent of the year for Roger, Rick & Marilyn. Former CHUM President Jim Waters was inducted into the Music Industry Hall of Fame that same evening.

On February 5, 2007, CHUM-FM became the flagship station to a syndicated interactive evening show titled, The Sound Lounge. The show handed over control of the content to the user's hands by an all listener chosen playlist, listener generated remixes and mash ups, and the opportunity to interact with listeners coast to coast via email, SMS, and voice. The show was originally hosted by Cory Kimm. Kimm then moved to Winnipeg and became part of the morning show on CHIQ-FM. Chris Biggs became the new host on September 11, 2007. Biggs moved to CKFM-FM and Richie Favalaro became the new host in early 2008. The show aired on CHUM Radio-O&O Hot AC affiliates in Halifax (CIOO-FM), Brockville (CFJR-FM), Peterborough (CKPT-FM), Kingston (CFLY-FM), Winnipeg (CHIQ-FM), Calgary (CKCE-FM) and Victoria (CHBE-FM). On June 16, 2008, the show was cancelled.

PD Rob Farina moved to CJEZ-FM in early 2007. David Corey, ex-APD at KISS Boston (Kiss 108) took over as program director that same year.

On June 22, 2007, CTVglobemedia purchased CHUM-FM and most of the other assets of CHUM Limited, the station's owners since their sign-on in 1963, following approval by the CRTC, while the Citytv stations were sold to Rogers Communications.

On June 23, 2008, Rick Hodge resigned from both CHUM-FM and 1050 CHUM to pursue other opportunities. Roger Ashby and Marilyn Denis continue to host mornings, which are now called The Roger, Darren & Marilyn Morning Show (when Darren B. Lamb joined the show after a stint of afternoon drive host). Hodge currently works at 105.7 EZ Rock in St. Catharines, Ontario.

Until late 2009, CHUM-FM continued to be the most listened to and most influential radio station in Canada with over 1,166,000 weekly listeners according to the BBM data released on December 3, 2007. But in December 2009, when CJEZ-FM flipped from adult contemporary to adult hits, adult contemporary rival CHFI-FM became the most-listened-to radio station in Canada. During the 2005-2009 season, CHFI continued to usually beat CHUM as the top-rated radio station in Canada, although CHUM had unseated CHFI on some books. Also in 2009, CHUM-FM dropped most modern adult contemporary artists and heavy amounts of 1980s, 1990s and 2000s music from its playlist (though they are still apt to play some from the three decades), and began leaning towards rhythmic AC. As such, CHUM-FM still plays 1970s hits in their playlist, such as Michael Jackson's 1979 hit Rock With You. By 2011, CHUM-FM dropped most rhythmic artists and now patterns itself to be a more mainstream Hot AC. As well, CHUM-FM's playlist is now starting to resemble CHFI's, which began phasing in more currents and rhythmic content.

Today, CHUM-FM competes with AC station CHFI-FM, and Top 40 stations CKFM-FM, CIDC-FM and CKIS-FM, as well as, to a lesser extent, Hamilton-based AC-formatted station CKLH-FM, St. Catharines-based AC-formatted station CHRE-FM, and Buffalo-based Hot AC formatted station WTSS.