CHRD-FM

CHRD-FM, 105.3 Rouge, Drummondville

StationYearFreq.PowerOwner/Info
CHRD-FM2013105.33,000Bell Media
CHRD-FM2001105.33,000Astral Radio Group Inc.
CHRD-FM1996105.33,0003224503 Canada Inc.
CHRD-AM19541340250Radio Drummond Ltee

1953

Daniel Chantal applied an AM station at Drummondville, using a frequency of 1340 kHz and full-time power of 250 watts. The CBC Board deferred the application but heard it again later in the year and approved it. 

1954

CHRD signed on the air December 23. The station was owned Radio Drummond Ltee and it had no network affiliation.

Daniel Chantal was manager.

1955

The application to transfer CHRD from Radio Drummondville Ltee to M. & Mme. J.A. Brochu, Ovide Brochu, Daniel Chantal, Henri DesFosses, Arthur Girouard, J.O. Roberge and H. Sigouin, was denied.

1957

Ownership of Radio Drummond Ltee: M. Sigouin 12.5%, D. Chantal 12.5%, A. Girouard 12.5%, J. O. Roberge 12.5%, H. Desfosses 12.5%, B. Pinard 2.5%, J. A. Brochu 2.5%, 9 other shareholders 32.5%.

Maurice Sigouin was president of the company and Bonoit Vanier was manager and commercial manager of CHRD.

1965

CHRD 1340 still had a power of 250 watts. Maurice Sigouin was president of the company and J. A. Savoie was manager of CHRD.

Undated

CHRD increased power to 10,000 watts day and night. 

1969

J. Alex Savoie was managing director. Andre Boulanger was sports director. 

1972

On December 21, the sale of Radio Drummond Ltee to Radio Inter-Cite Inc. was approved. Franklin Delaney, Maurice Sigouin, Gerard Lemieux, Jacques Sigouin and Mrs. G. Delaney would each hold one common share to qualify as directors.

1980

On March 21, CHRD received approval to increase power from 10,000 watts day and night to 50,000 watts day and 35,000 watts at night. 

1981

Radio Drummond (1980) Inc. purchased CHRD from Radio Inter-Cité (1978) Inc. 

1984

On January 25, the CRTC approved the application for authority to transfer effective control of Radio Drummond (1980) Inc., licensee of CHRD Drummondville, through the issuance of an additional 408,000 common shares from the treasury to Radio Inter-Cité (1978) Inc. and the transfer of 54,400 of the issued common shares from Radio Inter-Cité to Pierre Thibault. As a result of this transfer of effective control, the ownership of the voting shares was as follows: Radio Inter-Cité holds 353,600 common shares (65%), Gérard Lemieux 103,500 common shares (18.9%), Pierre Thibault 54,400 common shares (10%), Jean-Guy Ruel 25,000 common shares (4.7%) and Jacques Pépin 7,500 common shares (1.4%). The Commission further approved the transfer of control of the capital stock of Radio Inter-Cité, which was owned by Mr. Franklin Delaney. This transfer was the result of a trust agreement dated 1 August 1982 between Mr. Delaney (the vendor) and Mr. Pierre L. Lapointe (the trustee). Mr. Lapointe became the holder and trustee of Radio Inter-Cité as if he were the beneficial owner.

1985

On August 9, the CRTC approved the transfer of effective control of Radio Drummond (1980) Inc. through the transfer of 1.4% of the common shares from Jacques Papin to Pierre Thibault. The shares now held by Placements Delaney Inc. (65%) and Gerard Lemieux (19%) will be bought back by the licensee company and cancelled over a seven year period. In the end, Pierre Thibault would own 71.2% and Jean-Guy Ruel would hold 28.8%.

1987

CHRD was given approval to decrease power from 50,000 day and 35,000 watts night to 10,000 watts day and night.

CJDM-FM launched on August 15.

1988

On June 10, the CRTC denied the applications by Cogeco Inc. to acquire Radio Drummond (1980) Inc. (CHRD-AM) and Communications Grantham Inc. (CJDM-FM). The Commission said Cogeco did not satisfactorily prove that the proposed transfers would yield significant benefits for the community and would not be in the public interest.

1990

2643-8275 Québec Inc. purchased CHRD from Coopers & Lybrand Limitée, trustee of the assets of Radio Drummond (1980) Inc.

1993

CHRD was purchased from the trustee of the assets, Mr. Yves Guay of the firm Raymond, Chabot, Fafard, Gagnon Inc., trustee in bankruptcy, by Communications Robert Lauzon Inc. doing business under the name Radio Drummond CHRD (1993).

1996

3224503 Canada Inc. purchased CHRD from Communications Robert Lauzon inc.

CHRD was given approval to convert to the FM band, operating on 105.3 MHz with an effective radiated power of 3,000 watts.

1997

CHRD 1480 was replaced by CHRD 105.3. CHRD-AM left the air.

1998

A power decrease from 3,000 to 2,900 watts was approved.

2001

3224503 Canada inc. was purchased by Astral Radio Group Inc.

2007

CHRD-FM received approval to decrease average effective radiated power from 2,900 watts to 2,742 watts (4,750 watts to 4,500 watts maximum), increase antenna height from 87 metres to 112.6 metres and to move the antenna site. The signal would remain directional. 

2008

CHRD-FM received permission to increase effective radiated power from 4,500 watts maximum (2,742 watts average) to 5,345 watts maximum (3,257 watts average). The same transmitter site and directional antenna would be used. 

2011

In August, Astral Media rebranded its “Rock Detente” stations as “Rouge FM,” with little change in the Adult Contemporary sound. 

2013

On June 27, 2013, after a previous such application had been denied in 2012, the CRTC approved an application by Astral Media Inc. to sell its pay and specialty television channels, conventional television stations and radio stations to BCE Inc., including CHRD-FM.

2018

CHRD changed format in June from Adult Contemporary to CHR but retained the Rouge 105.3 branding.

The story continues elsewhere…
Effective September 1st 2019, we will only be adding new material to these station histories in exceptional circumstances. Our intent to chronicle the early days of these radio and television stations has been achieved, and many new sources and technologies, from the CRTC website to Wikipedia, and others, are now regularly providing new information in these areas.

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