Editing CHOQ-FM

{{short description|Franco-Ontarian community radio station in Toronto}}
{{Infobox radio station
| logo = CHOQ FM.png
| logo_size = 200px
| name = CHOQFM 105.1
| airdate = {{Start date and age|2006|5|1|p=fy}} (history dates back to 1991)
| frequency = 105.1 [[MHz]] ([[FM radio|FM]])
| city = [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]]
| format = [[Franco-Ontarian]] [[community radio]]
| owner = Cooperative Radio-Toronto
| erp = 1 kW
| branding = The French Vibe of Toronto
| affiliations = [[Toronto Maple Leafs]] ([[National Hockey League|NHL]])<br>[[Toronto Argonauts]] ([[Canadian Football League|CFL]])
| class = A
| website = [http://www.choqfm.ca www.choqfm.ca]
| callsign_meaning = 
}}
'''CHOQ-FM''' is a Canadian radio station which began broadcasting in 2006. A [[non-profit]] [[community radio]] station for [[Franco-Ontarian]]s in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], the station broadcasts at 105.1 on the [[FM radio|FM]] dial. CHOQ is also available as a [[digital television radio]] feed on [[Rogers Cable]] in the [[Greater Toronto Area]] on channel 957. CHOQ's studios are located on Lansdowne Avenue (near [[Dundas Street]] West) in the [[Dufferin Grove]] neighbourhood, while its transmitter is located atop [[First Canadian Place]].

CHOQ is owned by a [[cooperative]], La Coopérative Radiophonique de Toronto.

==History==

The history of this station dates back to 1991, when the group was granted a special temporary FM licence for a [[French-language]] community radio programming undertaking at Toronto, on a frequency of 99.1&nbsp;MHz.<ref>[http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/1991/DB91-369.HTM Decision CRTC 91-369]</ref> The station would broadcast programs during "La Semaine française à Toronto", from June 16 to 23, 1991 and was incorporated as "La Coopérative radiophonique de Toronto inc." on July 5 the same year.

On June 16, 2000, the station was denied a licence to operate a French-language community FM radio station at Toronto on the frequency 93.5&nbsp;MHz.<ref>[http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2000/DB2000-206.htm Decision CRTC 2000-206]</ref> This 93.5 frequency was awarded to [[CFXJ-FM]].

On April 17, 2003, La Coopérative radiophonique de Toronto inc. received [[Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission|CRTC]] approval for a new French-language community FM radio station at Toronto, to operate at 105.1&nbsp;MHz.<ref>[http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2003/db2003-116.htm Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2003-116]</ref>

On October 18, 2004 the station received a $75,000 startup grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

The station's launch was originally scheduled for 2005. The station did air a testing signal for three weeks in November of that year, but did not launch its permanent signal until May 1, 2006.

CHOQ-FM was one of 27 applicants for the 88.1 frequency vacated by the revocation in early 2011 of [[CKLN-FM]]'s license,<ref>"Stations vie for vacant radio licence". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', December 18, 2012.</ref> applying to move to the frequency.<ref>[http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2012/2012-126.htm#12 Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2012-126]. Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, March 2, 2012.</ref> The bid was unsuccessful and the CRTC awarded the frequency to [[CIND-FM]].

In 2011 and 2012, the station participated in the launch of campaign to establish a "French Quarter" in Toronto along [[Carlton Street]], where several of the city's francophone institutions — including the Sacré-Cœur church, the Collège Français high school and the head offices of [[TFO]] — are located.<ref>[http://news.nationalpost.com/toronto/a-french-quarter-for-toronto-mais-oui "A French Quarter for Toronto? Mais oui!"]. ''[[National Post]]'', August 6, 2011.</ref>

In January 2015, the station manager revealed that due to a tight advertising market and expenses related to the relocation of its transmitter, the station was in a financial crisis and may be forced to close as early as March if a solution could not be found.<ref>[http://metronews.ca/news/toronto/1268597/torontos-only-french-radio-station-struggling-to-stay-afloat/ "Toronto’s only French radio station CHOQ 105.1 FM struggling to stay afloat"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150812053936/http://metronews.ca/news/toronto/1268597/torontos-only-french-radio-station-struggling-to-stay-afloat/ |date=2015-08-12 }}. ''[[Metro International|Metro]]'', January 22, 2015.</ref> In March, the station confirmed that while an emergency [[crowdfunding]] campaign had fallen short of the goal, it was continuing to seek out other cooperative funding arrangements to allow it to continue broadcasting.<ref>[http://ici.radio-canada.ca/regions/ontario/2015/03/13/004-choqfm-survie-financiers.shtml "CHOQ-FM demeure en ondes malgré les difficultés"]. [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|Radio-Canada]], March 13, 2015.</ref>

==Programming==
The station primarily plays a francophone [[pop music]] format during the day, with some informational and magazine programming airing evenings and weekends. The station also publishes a weekly Top 40 singles chart in ''[[L'Express de Toronto]]''.

Writer [[Gabriel Osson]] has been the host of ''Franco découvertes'', a [[world music]] show devoted to international music from francophone countries,<ref name=icirc>[https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1155331/gabriel-osson-auteur-animateur-radio "Gabriel Osson, auteur et animateur radio à Toronto"]. [[Ici Radio-Canada]], February 27, 2019.</ref> and writer [[Aristote Kavungu]] has been host of the cultural magazine show ''Franco-Hebdo''.

The station used to broadcast [[dance music]] programming nightly between the hours of 10p.m. and 6a.m., branded as '''Energy 105.1 (Shock FM)'''. This programming aired in English, and was not produced by Radio-Toronto, but was leased out to another company.<ref>[http://www.mediaincanada.com/articles/mic/20080718/energy.html "Energy puts radio stream on iPhone"], ''Media in Canada'', July 18, 2008.</ref> This programming no longer airs on the station as of 2009; the station now produces its own programming during the overnight hours.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.choqfm.ca Official website]
* [https://broadcasting-history.ca/radio/radio-stations/ontario/ontario-city-of-toronto/CHOQ-FM CHOQ-FM] at The History of Canadian Broadcasting by the [[Canadian Communications Foundation]]
*{{RecnetCanada|CHOQ-FM}}

{{Toronto FM}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Choq-Fm}}
[[Category:Radio stations in Toronto|Hoq]]
[[Category:Community radio stations in Canada|Hoq]]
[[Category:Rhythmic Top 40 radio stations in Canada|Hoq]]
[[Category:Media cooperatives in Canada]]
[[Category:French-language radio stations in Ontario|Hoq]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 2006]]
[[Category:2006 establishments in Ontario]]