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| Jack Stark |
1960
CHQM-FM 103.5 signed on the air on August 10. Like sister CHQM-AM, the station had an easy listening format. The station was owned by Vancouver Broadcast Associates Ltd. led by Jack Stark, and operated from studios and offices at 1134 Burrard Street.
1961
CHQM-FM began broadcasting in stereo on November 4.
1963
CHQM-FM was authorized to increase its effective radiated power from18,950 to 100,000 watts.
1969
On August 23, the corporate name changed to Q Broadcasting Ltd.
1979
John E. Stark became president as well as chairman of Q Broadcasting. He would manage the day-to-day operations, having assumed complete control. Co-founder Bill Bellman moved on to become a major shareholder in Vancouver's CKVU-TV.
1990
CHQM-FM was granted approval to decrease effective radiated power from 65,000 to 49,000 watts in connection with an increase of antenna height.
CHUM Ltd. announced plans to purchase CHQM-FM and the Q Music division from Q Broadcasting. CHUM had been trying for years to get and FM station in Vancouver. The company had unsuccessfully applied three times for an FM licence to complement CFUN-AM. Q Music would provide an entry into B.C. for the CHUM Satellite Business Music Network. The deal also included CHQM-AM.
On October 17, CHUM Limited of Toronto was given approval to purchase CHQM and CHQM-FM Vancouver from Q Broadcasting Ltd. Because a company could only own one AM and/or one FM station in the same market and in the same language, CHUM was directed to sell CHQM-AM to a third party as the company already owned CFUN-AM in the city. Q Broadcasting Ltd., was owned by John E. Stark and other shareholders long involved in the broadcasting industry in Vancouver and elsewhere in British Columbia. Mr. Stark and his partners decided to divest themselves of their broadcast holdings, essentially for estate planning purposes.
1992
CHQM-FM dropped it's mainly instrumental easy listening format and became an adult contemporary station.
1993
For the record, on December 14, the CRTC approved the sale of CHQM-AM by CHUM Ltd. to a company 80% owned by James Ho. This would end the common ownership of CHQM-AM and FM.
1994
CHQM-AM became CHMB under new ownership
In March, CHQM-FM moved into new studio facilities with CFUN-AM in the former Bendorf Vester Building on 2nd Avenue.
1998
On November 3, CHQM was authorized to add digital radio transmitters on 1458.048 MHz (channel 2) with Effective Isotropic Radiated Power of 5,046 watts at Mount Seymour and 2,774 watts at Burnaby.
2000
On January 19, CHQM was given permission to operate a transitional digital radio undertaking at Vancouver. The station would operate on 1459.792 MHz with an effective isotropic radiated power of 5,046 watts from Mount Seymour and 2,774 watts from Burnaby.
2001
Ross Langbell, vice president of research at CHQM/CFUN left to become general manager of RCS Canada as of March 1.
On October 30, Jack Stark (CHQM’s founders) passed away at the age of 83.
On November 26, CHQM was granted an increase in effective radiated power from 49,000 to 53,000 watts and the effective antenna height from 604 to 617.6 metres.
2003
CHUM Ltd. purchased CKST 1040.
2005
Allan Waters, the founder of CHUM Limited, owner of CHQM-FM, passed away at the age of 84, on December 3rd.
2006
On July 12 it was announced that Bell Globemedia would pay C$1.7 billion for CHUM Ltd., in a deal that would see the company become part of the BCE-owned media conglomerate, subject to CRTC approval. On August 31, the two companies announced that BGM had been successful in its offer to acquire approximately 6.7 million common shares and approximately 19.2 million non-voting Class B shares of CHUM. The shares were to be placed in the hands of an independent trustee pursuant to a voting trust agreement approved by the CRTC.
On December 12th, it was announced that Bell Globemedia would henceforth be known as CTVglobemedia.
2007
A CRTC hearing on the CTVglobemedia application to acquire the assets of CHUM Limited was held on April 30th 2007. On June 8 the CRTC approved the acquisition of CHUM Ltd. by CTVglobemedia, on condition that CTV sell off its five City-TV stations, CITY-TV Toronto, CHMI-TV Portage La Prairie/Winnipeg, CKEM-TV Edmonton, CKAL-TV Calgary and CKVU-TV Vancouver. Rogers Communications announced on June 25th that a deal had been reached for them to buy these stations from CTV, subject to CRTC approval. Among the CHUM assets acquired by CTVglobemedia in the deal were seven television stations, 21 specialty channels and some 33 radio stations, including CHQM-FM.
2009
On August 28, the CRTC renewed the transitional digital radio licence of CHQM-DR-1.
Written by Gord Lansdell, Bill Dulmage - Updated September, 2009
