CHLY signed on the air on October 5, 2001; 23 years ago (October 5, 2001). But before gaining a broadcast licence, the station had its beginnings on the Internet. It first began airing programming on April 1, 2000, before receiving a licence from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) on June 5.[3] CHLY aired a test signal at 101.7 FM on September 21, and ran promotional material about the station for two weeks before officially signing on at 6:00 p.m. on October 5, 2001.[4]
CHLY's studios are in the basement of the Queens Hotel on Victoria Crescent in downtown Nanaimo. The station features an eclectic format with a variety of music genres including jazz, classical, reggae, alternative rock, hip-hop, blues, roots music, folk and electronica. It also airs locally produced and syndicated news and talk programs reporting on issues of the campus, local community and the world.
Tchadas Leo; An Indigenous journalist and podcaster behind the "Our Native Land" podcast from CHEK.[5] During his years at CHLY he hosted a program called "A Native Perspective" while attending Vancouver Island University.
Cole Schisler; Journalist. Sat on CHLY's non-profit board of directors & hosted CHLY's late night hip-hop program "The Kinetic Flow" while attending university at Vancouver Island University. Worked for the Black Press, and now works for Citytv's CityNews in Vancouver as an anchor.[6]