CHQR

Calgary, Alberta
Broadcast area	Southern Alberta
Frequency	770 kHz (AM) C-QUAM AM Stereo
Branding	QR Calgary
Programming
Format	News/talk
Affiliations	Global News Calgary Stampeders
Ownership
Owner	Corus Entertainment (CKIK-FM Ltd.)
Sister stations	CFGQ-FM, CKRY-FM, CICT-DT, CISA-DT
History
First air date	August 15, 1964
Former frequencies	810 kHz (1964-1986)
Call sign meaning	"Calgary's Highest Quality Radio"
Technical information
Class	B
Power	50,000 watts
Transmitter coordinates	50°49′16″N 114°03′07″W / 50.8211°N 114.052°W / 50.8211; -114.052
Repeater(s)	105.1 CKRY-FM HD2 (Calgary) 107.3 CFGQ-FM (Calgary)
Links
Website	globalnews.ca/radio/qrcalgary/

CHQR is a radio station owned by Corus Entertainment operating in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Broadcasting at AM 770, it airs talk programming. With the exception of one show, all of CHQR's weekday programming is produced in-house. CHQR is also the exclusive radio voice of the Calgary Stampeders. CHQR is also the last AM station in the Calgary market to broadcast in C-QUAM AM Stereo. CHQR is a Class B station on the clear-channel frequency of 770 kHz.

CHQR's studios are located on 17th Avenue Southwest in Calgary, while its transmitters are located just south of the Calgary city limits near De Winton.

As of Winter 2021, CHQR is the most-listened-to radio station in the Calgary market according to a PPM data report released by Numeris.^[1]

History

The station originally began broadcasting at 810 AM in 1964 and received approval to move to its current frequency on June 26, 1986.^[2]

On November 9, 2011, Corus Entertainment Inc., on behalf of its wholly owned subsidiary CKIK-FM Limited applied to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to add an FM transmitter to serve Calgary on the frequency 106.9 MHz to rebroadcast the programming of CHQR 770.^[3] This application was denied on May 24, 2012.^[4]

In December 2015, CHQR was added to sister station CKRY-FM's HD2 sub-channel when they activated HD Radio services, becoming the first station in Alberta to do so.

On January 9, 2023, CHQR rebranded as QR Calgary and added an FM simulcast on CFGQ-FM.^[5] That spring, following inquiries by the CRTC regarding whether the simulcast complies with broadcasting regulations, Corus filed a set of applications with the CRTC to formalize the simulcast by re-designating CFGQ as the originating station of the news/talk format under a specialty FM licence, revoking CHQR's AM licence, and repurposing the current 770 AM facility as a rebroadcaster of CFGQ. In doing so, Corus questioned the format's continued viability on AM in Calgary, reiterating the arguments it had made during its 2011 rebroadcaster application while also referencing increased interference and reduced support in electric vehicles.^[6]