City Belleville, Ontario Slogan Today's Best Country First air date 2001 | Branding Cool 100.1 Frequency 100.1 MHz (FM) Format country | |
CHCQ-FM is a Canadian radio station, which airs a country music format branded as Cool 100.1 at 100.1 FM in Belleville, Ontario.
History
CHCQ was licensed to Belleville Radio Limited by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission in 2000, and began broadcasting on October 31, 2001, known as "Q100". On September 12, 2001, CHCQ Ltd. received CRTC approval to decrease CHCQ-FM's effective radiated power for CHCQ from 40,000 to 21,000 watts, and the relocation of the transmitter site to the northwest of Belleville (Seaway). It was announced in January, 2002, that Belleville Radio Limited was sold to John Sherratt, and its two radio stations would be operated under the new parent company, Starboard Communications. CHCQ remained "Q100" until February 23, 2004, when it underwent a repackaging, and was launched as "Today's Best Country, Cool 100".
Cool 100 operated from studios and offices at 354 Pinnacle Street in downtown Belleville from October 31, 2001 through January 11, 2010, when it moved to its current location at 497 Dundas St, West, Belleville. This new building was acquired by Starboard Communications on May 1, 2009, and underwent significant renovations to accommodate new, state-of-the-art broadcast facilities.
The current on-air line-up includes longtime broadcaster Greg Hunter, hosting Cool 100's, "More Music Morning Show". Jenn MacKay hosts the 10A-2P midday show. Cool 100 Program/Music Director Paul Ferguson hosts the PM drive show, with producer Al Lewis anchoring the 7P-11P evening show. Featured on weekends is the "Casey Clarke Country Countdown". This replaced the long-running "Foxworthy Countdown" in January, 2010, after Jeff Foxworthy announced that his countdown show would cease production at the end of 2009.
Starboard Communications also owns and operates CJOJ-FM.