CHOA-FM

CHOA 96.5 signed on the air on September 21, operating with 51,000 watts effective radiated power. The station also operated CHOA-FM-1 at Amos/Val-d’Or. CHOA-FM was owned and operated by Radio-Nord Inc.

Approval was granted for CHOA-FM to decrease effective radiated power from 51,000 watts to 36,700 watts and for CHOA-FM-1 to decrease ERP from 55,300 watts to 44,300 watts.

CHOA was given approval to add an additional transmitter at Val-d’Or, operating on 96.5 MHz with an effective radiated power of 50 watts. The new transmitter was required to solve a major reception problem with CHOA-FM-1.

CHOA-FM-1 was granted a power increase to 100,000 watts. With the power increase, CHOA-FM-2 (approved in 1993) would be deleted.

Approval came for CHOA to add a transmitter at La Sarre, operating on 103.9 MHz with a power of 264 watts.

Radio Nord became known as RNC Media.

96.5 CHOA changed from COULEUR FM to PLANETE 96.5 (includes CHOA-1 103.5 Amos and CHOA-2 103.9 La Sarre).

In March, CHOA changed from Adult Contemporary PLANETE 96.5 to Hot Adult Contemporary RYTHME FM. This included CHOA-1 Amos and CHOA-2 La Sarre.

In January the CRTC approved a decrease in ERP for CHOA-FM-1 Amos-Val d’Or, from 100,000 to 67,075 watts (maximum ERP would remain 100,000 watts). Antenna height would be lowered from 164.5 to 153.6 metres (EHAAT). The transmitter would be relocated to the
existing CHGO site.

In August, CHOA rebranded from Rythme FM to Wow FM (Wow 96.5).

On October 11, the CRTC approved the application by Cogeco inc. on behalf of its subsidiary Cogeco Media Inc. for authority to acquire CHOA-FM, CHOA-FM-1, CHOA-FM-2 and several other stations from RNC Media Inc.