CHTZ-FM

CHTZ-FM

City of license	St. Catharines, Ontario
Broadcast area	Niagara Region, Hamilton, Greater Toronto Area, Buffalo, New York
Branding	CHTZ - 97.7 HTZ-FM
Slogan	Southern Ontario's Best Rock
Frequency	97.7 MHz
First air date	February 1, 1986
Format	Active rock
Power	50,000 watts
Class	B
Callsign meaning	HTZ = Hits
Owner	Bell Media (Bell Media Radio)
Website	www.htzfm.com

CHTZ-FM is a radio station in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. The station airs at 97.7 MHz FM, and broadcasts an active rock format with the brand name HTZ (Hits) FM. CHTZ's studios are located on Yates Street in downtown St. Catharines, while its transmitter is located near Thorold.

Because of its transmitter location, as well as its total power output, CHTZ is one of the more powerful stations in Southern Ontario, as it can be heard not only in the Niagara Region, but also in Hamilton, the portion of the Greater Toronto Area that includes Burlington, Oakville and Mississauga, and in Buffalo, New York.

Music

HTZ FM features an active rock format that capitalizes on hard rock, and heavy metal. Core artists include Metallica, The Tragically Hip, Rob Zombie, Billy Talent, AC/DC, Linkin Park, Three Days Grace, Soundgarden, and The Standstills.

History

The station launched in 1949 as an FM simulcast of the city's CKTB. The station later launched distinct programming, and adopted a country music format with the new callsign CJQR in 1979. Niagara District Broadcasting, the owner of CKTB and CJQR, was acquired by Standard Broadcasting in 1980.

The station subsequently adopted its current callsign and a contemporary hit radio format in 1986, which would later morph into its current rock format in 1995.

In 1998, the station was sold to Affinity Radio Group. In 2000, Affinity was acquired by Telemedia, which was in turn acquired by Standard in 2002. Standard retained ownership of CHTZ after the reacquisition.

On October 26, 2007, Astral Media bought the station, as it acquired all of Standard's radio stations. The following year, along with sister station CFBR-FM in Edmonton, Alberta, Astral shifted the stations to active rock from mainstream rock. Astral's sister rockers CKQB-FM/Ottawa (which has since been sold to Corus and flipped to Top 40/CHR) and CJAY-FM/Calgary followed suit by 2010.

CHTZ's former logo.

HTZ FM's current airstaff includes Biggs & Barr in morning drive, Paul Morris, better known as "Paulie," in middays, Jesse Modz in afternoons, and Brittany Anastacio in evenings. Nikki Sixx hosts "Sixx Sense", a syndicated show that is broadcast late night from Dallas. Longtime afternoon (and formerly morning) DJ "Iron" Mike Bensson died on November 7, 2013 after a battle with cancer. Jesse Modz is the new Afternoon Host as of March 2014. As of December 2014, Brittany Anastacio has taken over as weekday night and weekend midday host.

With Astral's merger with Bell Media on June 27, 2013, CHTZ is now owned by Bell Media.

Over the years, CHTZ has been home to many interesting personalities, including Scruff Connors, Byrd (now at WDRV Chicago), Eric Samuels, Jack Peets (now at sister station CKLH-FM in Hamilton, ON), Derek Botton, Joe Cahill, Batty, Darryl Henry (now at CHFI/Toronto), Jon "Gonzo" Mark (now at CKQB-FM/Ottawa), LJ Vonn (now at TSN), Brett Ness Monster (now at sister CHRE), Codi Jeffreys, Reverend Randy Taylor, Chris Lukas, Mike Tyler, Ben McVie (in Hamilton), Joanne Wilder (now at CILQ-FM/Toronto) and Zack Hewitt (now at CKCE-FM/Calgary).

External links

• 97.7 HTZ FM
• CHTZ-FM history - Canadian Communications Foundation
• Query the REC's Canadian station database for CHTZ-FM
• Merritt House (CHTZ-FM studio) Paranormal Investigation by Haunted Hamilton