CFGQ-FM

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CFGQ-FM
Broadcast areaCalgary Metropolitan Area
Banff
Frequency107.3 MHz
Branding107.3 The Edge
Programming
FormatClassic alternative
Ownership
Owner
CHQR, CKRY-FM
History
First air date
April 15, 1982 (as CKIK-FM)
Technical information
ClassC
ERP100,000 watts
HAAT298.5 meters (979 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
51°03′00″N 114°04′30″W / 51.050°N 114.075°W / 51.050; -114.075
Links
WebcastListen Live
Website1073edge.com

CFGQ-FM (107.3 FM, "107.3 The Edge") is a radio station in Calgary, Alberta. Owned by Corus Entertainment, it broadcasts a classic alternative format. CFGQ's studios are located on 17th Ave SW near Westbrook Mall, while its transmitter is located at 85th Street Southwest and Old Banff Coach Road in western Calgary.

As of Winter 2020, CFGQ was the 7th-most-listened-to radio station in the Calgary market according to a PPM data report released by Numeris.[1]

History

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The station was launched on April 15, 1982, as CKIK-FM, and first broadcast an adult album rock format. Throughout the 1980s and much of the 1990s, CKIK (known on-air as 107 KIK FM and later as Rock 107) played a variety of rock formats.[2][3][4] Early in its history, the station encountered financial difficulties, which were alleviated in 1985, when Harvey Glatt, Ottawa music impresario and founder of CHEZ-FM, acquired a 75% interest in the station, which he held until 1995.[5]

In September 1997, CKIK flipped to contemporary hit radio as Power 107. In January 2002, it flipped to hot adult contemporary as The Peak 107.3. In 2004, the station returned to a rock format as classic rock as Q107,[6] after which it adopted its current call letters.

In 2007, Terry DiMonte, formerly associated with CHOM-FM in Montreal, joined CFGQ as its morning host.[7] In December 2011, Terry DiMonte left CFGQ, returning to CHOM in Montreal. In August 2019, the station replaced its morning show with Willy in the Morning from sister station CFMI-FM.[8]

CHQR simulcast

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On December 16, 2022, it was reported that CFGQ would launch a new format on January 9, 2023, with CFGQ's remaining local personalities (including afternoon hosts "Tarzan Dan" Freeman and Cam Sullivan) announcing the end of their respective shows. On the announced date, the station became an FM simulcast of AM news/talk station CHQR, with both stations collectively rebranded as "QR Calgary".[6][9]

In May 2023, following inquiries by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) regarding whether the simulcast complies with broadcasting regulations, Corus filed a set of applications with the CRTC to formalize the simulcast by re-designating CFGQ as the originating station of the news/talk format under a specialty FM licence, revoking CHQR's AM licence, and formally designating the current CHQR facility as an AM rebroadcaster of CFGQ.[10]

The Edge

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In June 2024, before the CRTC began any action on Corus' application, the company abruptly rescinded the application and announced that it would abandon the CHQR simulcast on CFGQ instead. A Corus spokesperson stated that the choice was made because the company was "not able to monetize QR on both AM and FM the way we had hoped". Corus then confirmed that CFGQ would return to a music-based format by the end of July.[11] Later that month, RadioInsight reported that Corus had purchased the domain name "1073Edge.com", implicating the possibility of a modern rock format modeled after Toronto sister station CFNY-FM 102.1 The Edge.[12]

On July 31, 2024, at 7 a.m., CFGQ flipped to a classic alternative format as 107.3 The Edge. The new format focuses primarily on alternative rock, grunge, and new wave music from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s (marketed by the station as "iconic alternative"). The station will also air Alan Cross's The Ongoing History of New Music, and continue to carry Calgary Stampeders CFL games.[13] The station competes primarily with Harvard Media's modern rock CFEX-FM, and to an extent with Bell Media's active rock CJAY-FM.[14]

Rebroadcasters

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CFGQ also has an FM transmitter in Banff (CFGQ-FM-2), which broadcasts at 100.1 MHz with an effective radiated power of 92 watts.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "Winter 2020 PPM Data". Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  2. ^ 107 Kik FM Commercial, 1987
  3. ^ "Rock 107 KIK FM Commercial, May 3 1996 (1 of 2)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-05.
  4. ^ "Rock 107 KIK FM Commercial, May 3 1996 (2 of 2)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-05.
  5. ^ Pip Wedge, Biography of Harvey Glatt[permanent dead link]; www.broadcasting-history.ca.
  6. ^ a b Thiessen, Connie (2022-12-16). "Hosts mark last day on Calgary's Q107 ahead of format flip". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 2022-12-17.
  7. ^ "Morning host Terry DiMonte leaves Montreal" Archived 2007-11-24 at the Wayback Machine. The Gazette, November 21, 2007.
  8. ^ Thiessen, Connie (2019-08-13). "Corus to air Rock 101 Vancouver morning show on Q107 Calgary". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 2022-12-17.
  9. ^ "Q107 Calgary Flips to CHQR Simulcast - RadioInsight". 2023-01-09. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  10. ^ Thiessen, Connie (May 24, 2023). "Corus formally applies to air news/talk on FM in Calgary, questions viability of AM". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  11. ^ Thiessen, Connie (2024-06-10). "Corus to abandon talk on FM in Calgary". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 2024-06-11.
  12. ^ "Domain Insight 6/27: More Spanish Changes For iHeart In Florida? What's Next For 107.3 Calgary?". RadioInsight. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  13. ^ Thiessen, Connie (2024-07-31). "Corus launches 107.3 the Edge in Calgary". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  14. ^ "Iconic Alternative Arrives In Calgary". RadioInsight. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  15. ^ Decision CRTC 2000-304
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