CHLP-AM

CHLP began broadcasting on December 31 at 11:40 p.m. Its frequency was 1200 kHz and power was 100 watts. The “LP” in the call sign represented the co-owned newspaper, La Patrie. There were plans for the station to move to 1120 kHz later in the year but this change never happened. Paul L’Anglais joined CHLP.

The Association of Independent Stations of the Province of Quebec was formed at the end of January, with CKAC, CHLP and CFCF Montreal; CHRC and CKCV Quebec; CKCH Hull; CJBR Rimouski; CHNC New Carlisle; CHLT Sherbrooke; CHLN Trois-Rivieres; and CKRN Rouyn as members. Phil Lalonde of CKAC was elected president; Narcisse Thivierge, CHRC, vice-president; Alex Dupont, CKCH and Marcel Lefebvre, CHLP, directors.

Announcer Bernard Goulet left CHLP for CKAC.

Under the Havana Treaty, CHLP moved from 1120 to 1490 kHz (Class IV) on March 29. Power was 100 watts. To meet growing demands for network time during the evenings, largely due to the war, the CBC set up a second network for commercial sponsorship. The network’s first sponsor (on an experimental basis) was the Gillette Safety Razor Co. The Mutual Broadcasting System originated boxing events for 26 Canadian stations through the CBC, plus the MBS affiliate – CKLW Windsor. The second network had 23 Canadian stations with alternative stations in Montreal to meet local conditions there. The new network would operate only after 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Over the past year, private stations had been anxious to have such a network – outside of CBC control. However, under the Radio Act, the CBC had full control over all networks in the country. It was felt that a full second network with full day and night programming was not feasible or economically possible at this time. CBC-owned stations affiliated with the new network: CBK Watrous, CBA Sackville and CBY Toronto. Privately-owned stations affiliated with the new network were: CJOR Vancouver, CHWK Chilliwack, CFCN Calgary, CFRN Edmonton, CJRM Regina, CJGX Yorkton, CJRC Winnipeg, CKCA Kenora, CJIC Sault Ste Marie, CKOC Hamilton, CKTB St. Catherines, CFPL London, CFCO Chatham, CKLW Windsor, CKCR Kitchener, CKCO Ottawa, CFCF or CHLP Montreal, CHLT Sherbrooke, CKNB Campbellton, and CJLS Yarmouth.

On May 11, CHLP opened their new transmitter at Cote St. Michel. The event was marked by a two hour special broadcast from the studios in the Sun Life Building, followed by a reception at the Mount Royal Hotel. The new transmitter was a 250 watt RCA unit and the station broadcast on 1490 kHz.

CHLP became a member of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters.

Marcel Lefebvre was CHLP’s manager.

On June 4 Press News inaugurated a radio news service in French to stations in Quebec and Ontario (including CHLP). The service was based on the regular PN English service, translated and then transmitted from the Canadian Press bureau in Montreal. CHLP’s Marcel Lefebvre reported late in the year that a new transmitter site had been purchased and that the station would soon go 1,000 watts on 1150 kHz.

CHLP advertised the fact it would be changing frequency to 1150 kHz and increasing power to 1,000 watts. Apparently the frequency change never took place. Chief engineer J.C. Charlebois left CHLP for the soon to open CKVL in Verdun. The president of CHLP was Hon. P.R. Du Tremblay. Business manager was O. Louis Bourque. Chs. Arthur Berthiaume was station manager. Romeo Mousseau was assistant manager. Simon Gendron was sales manager. Fernand Burgevin was production technical director. Armand Goulet was publicity director. Octave Boutin was traffic director and Alphonse Cloutier was chief engineer.

CHLP 1490 was listed with 250 watts of power (pending: 1,000 watts). The station was owned by La Patrie Publishing Co. Ltd. Studios and offices were in the Sun Life Building, and the transmitter was at Ville St-Michel. CHLP was on the air daily from 8:00 a.m. to midnight, and 11 a.m. to midnight on Sundays. C.A. Berthiaume was manager and F. Bergevin was commercial manager. CHLP hoped to increase power from 250 to 1,000 watts early in 1948. Work underway at the antenna site at Laprairie to install the new transmitter was expected to be done by the end of 1947, to coincide with the station’s 15th birthday. Marcel Lefebvre, former CHLP managing director, died on December 20. He had left the station earlier in the year due to poor health.

Armand Goulet was CHLP’s sports director. He was assisted by Jerry Trudel.

CHLP moved to 1410 kHz and increased power to 1,000 watts. A single directional pattern was used for day and night operation.

C.A. Berthiaume was manager and F. Bergevin was commercial manager.

CHLP’s owners made an application for the transfer of 15,363 shares.

The CBC approved the transfer of 230 shares in La Patrie Publishing Co. Ltd. (CHLP). Flavius Daniel was named manager of CHLP. He had been with CKAC since 1934. The CBC Board turned down the transfer of 52 1/2 common shares in La Compagnie de Publication de la Patrie Ltee on the grounds that under the proposal, J.A. Dupont, owner of CJAD, would acquire an interest in another station in the same area.

Pamphile R. DuTremblay died October 6 at the age of 76. In 1921, he started CKAC, Canada’s first French language radio station, as an affiliate of his La Presse newspaper. Twelve years later, another French language newspaper presided over by DuTremblay, obtained CHLP. He became a Member of Parliament, member of the Legislative Council for Quebec, and was appointed to the Senate.

A government listing shoed La Compagnie de Publication “La Patrie” Ltee as CHLP’s owner. La Cie de Publicaton La Presse Ltee was the largest shareholder of La Patrie with 93% interest. Other shareholders included Gilles Berthiaume, Hon. P. R. DuTremblay, Mme. A. DuTremblay, A. Mayrand, J. L. Densereau, R. Dubois and 17 others. Mrs. P. R. Tremblay was president of the company. Fernand E. Bergevin was manager, commercial manager and program director. Armand Goulet was news director and Rolland Ricard was sports director. It was announced in the autumn that CHLP-AM and the daily edition of La Patrie were to be discontinued. Both operations were controlled by La Presse. At the time of the announcement, no closing date was announced for the operations. CHLP left the air on November 15 at midnight. La Patrie was closed down around the same time. (The 1410 frequency in Montreal remained silent until 1962 when CFMB signed on the air.)