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CHNW-FM (94.3 FM, "Alt 94.3") is a radio station in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Owned by Jim Pattison Group, it broadcasts a modern rock format. The station's studios are located at 177 Lombard Avenue in Downtown Winnipeg (along with its sister station CFQX-FM), while its transmitter is located near Oak Bluff.
| Broadcast area | Winnipeg Metropolitan Region |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 94.3 MHz (FM) |
| Branding | Alt 94.3 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Modern rock |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| CFQX-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | November 7, 1963 |
Former call signs | CJQM-FM (1963–1965) CFRW-FM (1965–1975) CHIQ-FM (1975–2021) |
Call sign meaning | "Now" (former branding) |
| Technical information | |
| Class | C |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 111.5 meters (366 ft) |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | alt943.com |
Early years/Q94
CHIQ-FM first launched in 1963 as CJQM-FM, which simulcast CJQM-AM, an easy listening station owned by Winnipeg Broadcast Associates Ltd. (a division of Vancouver Broadcast Associates, the original owner of Vancouver stations CHQM and CHQM-FM). Despite the success of the format in Vancouver at CHQM, CJQM failed to attract an audience in Winnipeg and was sold in 1965, becoming CFRW-FM, and then was bought by CHUM Radio. CHUM Radio then changed CFRW's call letters to CHIQ-FM in 1975.[1]
After 1975, CHIQ was branded as Q94FM. It aired an adult contemporary format, and used the slogan "Winnipeg's Lite Rock Choice". In the mid-1990s, CHIQ was an affiliate of the syndicated dance music show "Pirate Radio" with Chris Sheppard. In 1997, CHIQ switched to a Hot AC format, still named "Q94FM", with the slogan of "Today's Best Music".
On August 29, 2006, at 8:45 a.m., CHIQ announced that after 25 years that it would no longer exist and that a new station would be created within a seven-day time span based on comments provided by listeners.[2] Prior to the announcement, the regular morning staff had not shown up for work. This left many to speculate that they knew of the upcoming changes and did not want to announce their own demise. A later report debunked that theory for the interim.[3] The station then went on for two weeks allowing listeners to call in and choose how they wanted the new 94.3 to be like.
On September 5, 2006, at 7:45 a.m., CHIQ re-launched its Hot AC format as the All New Q94, and kept its callsign, as well as its slogan and personalities.
In 2007, CHIQ-FM along with the other CHUM stations were sold to CTVglobemedia (now Bell Media). During this time, long-time morning show hosts Beau and Tom, who had been on CHIQ since 1989, moved to sister station CFWM-FM.
Curve 94.3
On August 29, 2008, at 8:45 a.m., CHIQ-FM relaunched again, this time with an alternative-leaning CHR (similar to Modern AC) format as "Curve 94.3", "Winnipeg's Pop Alternative", playing 943 songs in a row, commercial-free. When the 943 songs concluded, the station resumed broadcasting with an on-air staff, contests and "40 Minutes of Non-stop Good Stuff". In addition, CHIQ-FM was added to Mediabase's Canadian alternative rock panel.
On September 3, 2010, the station changed its slogan to "Real Music Variety" while only slightly changing its genre of music.
Fab 94.3
On November 17, 2010, a majority of the station's airstaff was released.[4] On November 23, CHIQ began stunting with Christmas music for the holiday season.[5] On December 26, 2010, at 3:00 p.m., CHIQ-FM flipped to classic hits as Fab 94.3; the new format was promoted as primarily featuring music from the 1960s and 1970s, supplanting CFRW's former oldies format before its flip to sports radio.[6] A morning show was reintroduced on January 4, 2011, with Beau, Tom and Frazier returning to CHIQ after a tenure on CFWM-FM (the former Curve morning duo of Jay Richardson and Andrea Collin concurrently moved to CFWM).[7]
On January 27, 2012, long-time personality Tom Milroy retired from radio after 20 years on CHIQ-FM (Q94FM and FAB 94.3), three years on sister station CFWM-FM and almost 40 years in the radio business.[8]
Jim Pattison Group ownership
On May 16, 2013, the Jim Pattison Group announced a deal to acquire both CFQX-FM and CHIQ-FM for an undisclosed amount as a part of Bell's acquisition of CFQX's parent company Astral Media. The deal will give the Jim Pattison Group its first stations in Manitoba, and would make CHIQ a sister station to CFQX.[9] On December 20, 2013, the CRTC approved Jim Pattison's acquisition of CHIQ-FM and CFQX-FM, The acquisition was closed in early 2014.[10]
On February 5, 2016, at 10:00 a.m., CHIQ flipped to classic rock as 94.3 The Drive, dropping 1960s music in favour of focusing on rock hits from the 1970s and 1980s. Winnipeg radio veteran Tom McGouran hosted the morning show with Vicki Shae, Kelly Parker hosted middays, Alix Michaels hosted afternoons, and Dez Daniels hosted on weekends.[11][12][13]
On October 13, 2021, CHIQ released its on-air talent and began running jockless. At the same time, cryptic billboard advertisements containing the word "NOW" began to appear across the city.[14][15] At 1 p.m. on October 18, CHIQ flipped to hot adult contemporary branded as 94.3 Now! Radio; the brand and format was modeled after Edmonton sister station CKNO-FM, which carried a focus on topical discussions and listener engagement wth DJs.[16] The station changed its call letters to CHNW-FM to match the new branding.
On October 31, 2024, at midnight, the station dropped Now! and flipped to modern rock as Alt 94.3; the new format competes to an extent with CJKR-FM, which had recently flipped to a classic alternative format. General manager Mark Patric stated that the station would feature current hits and classic alternative rock from the past 25 years, with the station promoting core artists such as Arkells, Cage the Elephant, Coldplay, Death Cab for Cutie, and Foo Fighters.[17][18]
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