CHRW-FM

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CHRW-FM
Chrw logo.png
CityLondon, Ontario
Frequency94.9MHz (FM)
Branding94.9 CHRW (1981-2016), 94.9 Radio Western (2016-)
Programming
Formatcampus radio
Ownership
OwnerUniversity of Western Ontario
History
First air date
1981
Call sign meaning
C H Radio Western
Technical information
Licensing authority
CRTC
ClassA
ERP6 kW
HAAT107.4 meters (352 ft)
Links
WebcastListen Online
Website94.9 Radio Western

CHRW-FM (branded as Radio Western) is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 94.9 FM in London, Ontario. It is licensed as a community-based campus radio station by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. The station broadcasts from Room 250 of the University Community Centre of the University of Western Ontario.

The station is operated primarily by volunteers from both Western and the greater London community, although it is managed by a small team of industry trained staff and governed by a Board of Directors.[1] Radio Western regularly broadcasts live coverage of Western Mustangs sports games during the regular season and throughout the playoffs, including men's and women's basketball, and men's hockey.

History[]

Origins[]

Radio Western's origins date from 1959 when student politicians suggested the idea for a student-run radio station. It was not until 1971 that a group of students began broadcasting for six hours every Sunday night on CFPL-AM 980. This encouraged the Western University Students’ Council (USC) to give financial support for a closed-circuit station to be set up first in Somerville House and inside the University Community Centre.[2]

1970s[]

The station has its roots as a weekly radio show called "Radio Western" that was broadcast overnights on CFPL-FM starting in 1971. The University Students' Council subsequently launched a carrier current station, which was added to the city's cable FM service in 1978 and was available on AC radios in some university buildings at 610 kHz.

1980s[]

In January 1980 the station formally organized as CHRW and applied to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission for an FM license, which was granted in 1981 with 50 watts at 94.7 MHz on the FM dial. The station moved to the public airwaves on October 31st of that year. Chief announcer, John R. Quain, played the station's first song, "On the Air" by Peter Gabriel. In 1987, Radio Western increased its power from 50 to 5,000 watts and decreased it from 5,000 to 3,000 watts in 1990.[3][4]

1990s[]

The power increase to 3,000 watts was granted and implemented in October 1990, allowing coverage of the surrounding area from Chatham to Woodstock. The official date of the power increase was October 31, exactly 9 years after the station's first broadcast.

2000s[]

In 2000, the station was recognized for Outstanding University Sports Coverage with the Fred Sgambati Media Award.[5]

In November 2003, the station increased power again to 6,000 watts, moving to its current frequency 94.9 FM and its tower was moved to One London Place from its previous location in the city's Cherryhill area.[6] Radio Western can be heard across London and through several counties in Southwestern Ontario, reaching past Woodstock, St. Thomas and surrounding communities between Lake Erie and Lake Huron.

2010s[]

In January 2018, the Western University Students' Council held a referendum to determine if the station was still relevant to students' funding. The vote resulted in a decrease in student tuition funding from $12 to $10.50 over a period of three years.[7]

In November 2018, a previously unreleased recording of an interview with Kurt Cobain from 1991 was released by a former volunteer.[8]

2020s[]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the station halted all co-op and work-study opportunities for volunteers in March 2020,[9] in accordance with Western University's lockdown procedures.[10]

Notable alumni[]

Adrienne Arsenault – CBC News.[11]

Dan Shulman – ESPN Major league baseball.[11]

Kevin Newman – Former Global National anchor got his start in broadcasting at CHRW while a student at Western, serving as the station's first News Director.[11]

Stephen Brunt – Hosted a jazz show on CHRW while at Western before turning his attention to Sports writing.[11]

Elliotte Friedman – CBC Hockey Night in Canada.

Thalia Assuras – Formerly of Global News and ABC News.

Rob Faulds – Rob was involved in Radio Western before it became CHRW; now at Rogers Sportsnet.

James Rocchi – Former Program Director who went on to join Netflix and is currently a freelance film critic in Los Angeles.

Bryan Webb – Former Music Director, now lead vocalist for the Constantines.

Steve Argintaru – TSN.

John McKenna – Executive Producer, CHCH TV Hamilton.

Basia Bulat – Singer-songwriter was a student at Western when she started her performing career. Her first EP was recorded at Radio Western in 2005.[12]

Avis Favaro – CTV News Medical Correspondent.

Steve Patterson (Comedian) – Renowned Canadian comedian (Yuk Yuks, CBC Radio etc.).

Paul Vermeersch – Canadian poet co-hosted a comedy program on CHRW from 1994-1996.

John R. Quain – Former CHRW Chief Announcer, journalist and current contributor to The New York Times.[13][14][15]

References[]

  1. ^ "Governance". 94.9 Radio Western. Retrieved 2021-06-17.
  2. ^ "Radio Western History". 94.9 Radio Western. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
  3. ^ Decision CRTC 87-100
  4. ^ Decision CRTC 90-470
  5. ^ CHRW wins Fred Sgambati Award
  6. ^ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2002-404 Archived 2011-06-07 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Tariq, Hamza. "Motion for CHRW referendum fails in council". The Gazette • Western University's Student Newspaper. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
  8. ^ Mallia, Carmen (3 November 2018). "Western alumnus unearths 1991 CHRW interview with Kurt Cobain". Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  9. ^ "Volunteer with Radio Western". 94.9 Radio Western. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  10. ^ News, Gazette. "Western announcing tomorrow whether classes moving online; events around campus cancelling". The Gazette • Western University's Student Newspaper. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Alumni". 94.9 Radio Western. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
  12. ^ An Interview With Basia Bulat, retrieved 2021-03-19
  13. ^ "Cars Suck Up Data About You. Where Does It All Go?". Retrieved 2018-07-25.
  14. ^ "Makers of Self-Driving Cars Ask What to Do With Human Nature". Retrieved 2018-07-25.
  15. ^ Quain, John R. (2007-03-01). "Coaxing More Bars Out of That Cellphone". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-03-19.

External links[]

Coordinates: 42°59′09″N 81°14′47″W / 42.98583°N 81.24639°W / 42.98583; -81.24639

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