90.1 Chilli FM

Chilli 90.1fm
Launceston, Tasmania, Australia;
Broadcast area	Launceston RA1
Frequency	90.1 MHz FM
Programming
Language(s)	English
Format	Contemporary hit radio
Ownership
Owner	ARN; (Bass Radio Pty Ltd);
Sister stations	89.3 LAFM
History
First air date	1938 (as 7EX)
Former call signs	7EX (1938–2011)
Former frequencies	1008 kHz AM (1978–2011); 1010 kHz AM (1938–1978)
Call sign meaning	Variation of final AM call sign 7EX; station was set up by The Examiner
Technical information
Licensing authority	ACMA
ERP	5,000 watts
Transmitter coordinates	41.439743°S 147.137945°E
Translator(s)	101.1 FM Launceston CBD (328 watts)
Links
Website	www.chillifm.com.au

Chilli 90.1fm (call sign 7EXX) is an Australian radio station in Tasmania. Owned and operated by ARN, it broadcasts a contemporary hit radio format to Launceston and surrounding areas. First broadcast in 1938 as 7EX,^[1] the station currently broadcasts from studios in York Street, alongside sister station 89.3 LAFM. Chilli90.1fm also has a Scottsdale version called Chilli99.7FM which has repeat frequencies of 99.7 MHz in Scottsdale and the North-East of Tasmania and 94.5 MHz in Weldborough and St Helens.

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History

The station was set up in 1938 by The Examiner newspaper and shared a fierce rivalry with rival 7LA, splitting the city's audience through much of the 1980s. Eventually, the station changed hands numerous times, before forming the Tote Sport Radio horse racing radio network.

In 2002, television station ABNT-3 vacated VHF channel 3, opening up space for further FM radio services in Launceston. In 2005, it was announced that 7EX, along with 7LA and ABC Northern Tasmania was to move to the FM band – 7LA on 89.3, 7EX on 90.1 and ABC Northern Tasmania on 91.7.^[2] In 2010, Grant Broadcasters purchased the 7EX licence from Tote Sport Radio^[3] – who in turn purchased a narrowcast licence on 7EX's old AM frequency – before relaunching in 2011 as contemporary hit radio-formatted Chilli 90.1fm.^[4]

Today, the station networks the majority of its programming to Scottsdale-based Chilli 99.7.

In November 2021, Chilli FM, along with other stations owned by Grant Broadcasters, was acquired by the Australian Radio Network. This deal allowed Grant's stations, including Chilli FM, to access ARN's iHeartRadio platform in regional areas. The deal was finalised on 4 January 2022.^[5] Chilli FM integrated with ARN's KIIS Network but retained its current name.