CHEZ-FM

Harvey Glatt, representing a company to be incorporated, received a licence for an independent FM station in Ottawa. It would broadcast on a frequency of 106.1 MHz and have an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts. A competing application by James F. Sward (manager of CKGM-AM in Montreal) was denied.

CHEZ-FM Inc. opened CHEZ-FM on March 25. Studios were situated atop (fifth floor) a small building at 126 York Street, in the Byward Market. The transmitter and antenna were at Camp Fortune, Quebec. CHEZ-FM and CKO-FM-1 shared a combiner feeding a 20 kw CSI transmitter into a 10-bay Shively antenna. CHEZ also had a 1,000 watt standby transmitter with 250 foot tower at the Ottawa Board of Education Building on Bronson Avenue at the Queensway. The station had already taken advantage of this standby unit later in the year when a thunderstorm knocked the main transmitter off the air for 28 hours.

CHEZ-FM had an album-oriented progressive rock format. It was the 13th station in the Ottawa-Hull market, and the only independent, locally owned station in Ottawa. Owner Harvey Glatt was a successful Ottawa record store and concert entrepreneur. Hugh Batchelor was CHEZ Ottawa’s manager and Tom Young was chief engineer. Chuck Azzarello had been an announcer at CHUM-FM in Toronto. The only other experienced professionals hired for on-air work at CHEZ were Steven Brown from CKGM Montreal and Jeff Winter from Ottawa’s CKOY.

Gary Perrin and Gabriel Karlin joined CHEZ.

On January 11, the CRTC renewed CHEZ-FM’s licence until September 30, 1985.

Brian Perkin left CHEZ to be program director at CKUE-FM in Smiths Falls.

Heather Williams joined CHEZ-FM from CKO-FM.

Harvey Glatt was chairman of CHEZ-FM Inc. Chuck Azzarello was president and general manager. The station’s format was described at this time as album-oriented Adult Contemporary.

Steve Colwill went from on-air work to operations manager. Long-time CHEZ announcer Jeff Winters was now morning man. 

CHEZ-FM teamed up with a local computer company to air an “on-line cyber remote broadcast”. Geoff Winter and Jim Hurcomb spoke with listeners via computer, with a voice generation program that converted listeners’ comments into audio.

On January 9, the CRTC approved the transfer of 34,000 of the issued and outstanding common A shares of CHEZ-FM Inc., from Harvey Glatt to 1146418 Ontario Inc., which is wholly owned by Harvey Glatt. 

CHEZ moved to a new 11,000 square foot facility just down the street from its old operation. The new facility was a converted grocery warehouse at 134 York Street.

Doug Chard left CHEZ as general sales manager to take up the same post at CJBK/CJBX-FM London. Gabriel Karlin left CHEZ where he had been sales manager since 1988.

Thought to be the first deal under the CRTC’s new ownership rules, Rogers Broadcasting announced the purchase of Harvey Glatt’s CHEZ-FM Ottawa and CFMO-FM/CJET Smith’s Falls. Rogers already owned CKBY-FM/CIWW in Ottawa. Glatt, who launched CHEZ 21 years ago, was expected to be named director of Canadian music development at Rogers Broadcasting and be appointed to the board of Rogers Media Inc.

On July 2, the purchase of CHEZ-FM Inc. from Harvey Glatt to Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. was approved. Rogers already owned CIWW-AM and CKBY-FM in Ottawa.

Following the Rogers purchase of CHEZ, the company cleaned house and most on-air staff (including Jeff Winters) were let go. Doc and Woody were hired away from 106.9 The Bear to do mornings at CHEZ. 2019 – On May 17, Doc & Woody announced that they were retiring from the CHEZ morning show. Their last show was scheduled for June 28, 2019. Chris Biggs and Jason Barr were hired from CHTZ St. Catharines to replace Doc & Woody.

Gary Perrin left CHEZ where he had been vice president of sales since 1978.

The Rogers Ottawa stations moved to new studios and offices in the Southern Ottawa Business Park, 2001 Thurston Drive. 

Bill Toffan left CHEZ’s morning show for CFOB Fort Frances.

On November 13, CHEZ was granted a licence to operate transitional digital radio undertakings (DRU) to serve Ottawa. Three transmitters were used: one was located at the CBC’s site at Camp Fortune, Quebec. The other two transmitters were located in Ottawa, one at the CBC’s building on Lanark Avenue and the other at the Time MCI Las Brisas building. All three transmitters operated in a single frequency network, using 1487.696 MHz (DRB channel 21) with an effective isotropic radiated power of 5,928 watts, 2,850 watts and 2,965 watts, respectively. The transmitters employed the EUREKA-147 digital audio broadcasting system.

The corporate name changed from CHEZ-FM Inc. to Rogers Broadcasting Ltd.

CHEZ news anchor Cindy Woods-Lunney died July 17 after a long fight with breast cancer; she was 46.

Early on the morning of December 2nd, Ted Rogers, founder and former Chief Executive of Rogers Communications, owners of CHRZ-FM, died at his home in Toronto, after having suffered from congestive heart failure for some time. 

On August 22, Chuck Azzarello passed away. He was CHEZ’s original program director when the station signed on the air in 1977. He later became president and general manager. Chuck was 60.

Evening announcer Ben McCully left CHEZ to become morning man at CJOK in Fort McMurray.

Former exotic dancer and on-air host Cosmo left 92 CITI-FM Winnipeg for sister Rogers station CHEZ 106 Ottawa. Newly appointed CITI-FM Program Director Jeff Brown took over the 2-7 p.m. shift.

On August 31, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CHEZ-FM until March 31, 2012.

Tom Shock resigned as evening announcer at CHEZ 106.

On March 20, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CHEZ-FM to August 31, 2012.

On August 28, the CRTC administratively renewed CHEZ-FM’s licence to December 31, 2012.

On December 17, the CRTC renewed the licence of CHEZ-FM until August 31, 2019.

Danny Kingsbury, General Manager for the Rogers Radio stations in Kingston and the Maritimes, added GM responsibilities for the Ottawa cluster in November. This was upon the retirement of Vice President/GM Scott Parsons, a 36-year Rogers vet whose position at retirement was EVP, national capital region, Ontario north and Atlantic Canada. Parsons had been with the Ottawa stations since 1995. Kingsbury, now based in Kingston, would move to Ottawa.

Danny Kingsbury became VP & General Manager for Rogers Radio in Ottawa, Kingston and Halifax.

Steve Colwill retired February 26 from CHEZ 106 after more than 39 years with the station. He joined CHEZ as music director when the station launched in 1977. Since then, he acted in almost every capacity including programming and news.

In the summer, CHEZ 106 rebranded as 106.1 CHEZ.