Listen to CHMB radio here, which is 100% multicultural and ethnic, with 24/7 programming in 12 languages (primarily Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese, but also in other languages).
CHMB AM1320 (known as “華僑之聲” or “Overseas Chinese Voice”) is an ethnic and multicultural station in Vancouver, British Columbia, focusing primarily on Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese) language programming.
A Little History
CHMB has deep roots in Vancouver’s immigrant community.
The 1320 AM frequency originally launched on December 10, 1959, as CHQM, an English-language easy listening station owned by Vancouver Broadcast Associates Ltd., with nostalgic hits like Phil Moore’s “Misty Moon” as its opening theme.
Operating at 10 kW, it became a local icon for decades, even with its FM sister station (CHQM-FM) simulcasting in 1960.
But the big change came in 1993: after 34 years, CHQM closed with Bob Hope’s moving “Thanks for the Memories” and was reborn as CHMB to serve the growing multicultural population, incorporating programming from Overseas Chinese Voice (OCV), which had begun in 1973 as the first Chinese station in Vancouver.
Under owner James Ho (a local businessman), it established itself as a voice for the Asian diaspora, and in 2002, Ho used his influence to launch the TV channel Channel M.
Today, in 2025, it remains a mainstay for more than 800,000 ethnic residents in the area, with a focus on cultural integration and community events.
CHMB is 100% multicultural and ethnic, with 24/7 programming in 12 languages (primarily Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese, but also Brazilian Portuguese, Greek, Filipino, Japanese, Tamil, Ukrainian, First Nation Indigenous languages, Vietnamese, Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian, and Swedish).
It’s not rock or pop; it’s news, current affairs, culture, traditional music, and interactive shows that reflect Vancouver’s diversity.
