City | Toronto, Ontario |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Greater Toronto Area |
Branding | Q107 |
Slogan | Great Hits & Real Classics |
Frequency | 107.1 MHz FM |
First air date | May 22, 1977 |
Format | Classic Hits |
ERP | 40 KWs |
HAAT | 420.5 meters (1,380 ft) |
Class | C1 |
Callsign meaning | Derived from the word "silk" |
Owner |
Corus Entertainment (Corus Premium Television Ltd.) |
Sister stations |
Radio: CFMJ, CFNY-FM TV: CIII-DT |
Webcast | Listen Live |
Website | www.q107.com |
CILQ-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 107.1 FM in Toronto, Ontario. The station broadcasts a classic hits format branded as Q107 and is also available through streaming audio and on Bell TV channel 954. The station is owned by Corus Entertainment. CILQ's studios are located at the Corus Quay building on Dockside Drive at Toronto's Harbourfront neighbourhood, while its transmitter is located atop the CN Tower, with backup facilities located atop First Canadian Place.
Q107 signed on the air on May 22, 1977. The first song played on the station was "Hard Rock Town" by Murray McLauchlan, although the station officially signed on with Deodato's "Also sprach Zarathustra".
Q107 debuted with an album rock format, part of the numerous "Superstars" formatted stations developed by Lee Abrams in the US, one in each major radio market. Roughly 1,000 songs revolved in a playlist in a revolving card category system based on media sales data. Platinum albums were category B1 or B2. Golden oldies were D1 or D2. Canadian content was another. Most of the music library was locked in the back and not accessible to anyone except the music director and his assistant. Announcers would pull albums from a shelf in the control room limited to about 1,000.
The original lineup for announcers was John Rode in mornings, Murray Smith in late mornings, Program Director Dave Charles in early afternoons, John Donabie in afternoon drive, Mary-Ann Carpentier in evenings and Scott Marwood in nights. At 2 am, Marwood featured "Odds & Ends" a full album played in its entirety from his personal collection.
CILQ's original owner was CFGM Broadcasting, a division of J. Allan Slaight's Slaight Communications. The station was acquired by Western International Communications in 1985 when Slaight bought Standard Broadcasting, and became part of Corus Entertainment in 2000 when WIC's assets were divided between Corus and Canwest Global.