CHRW-FM

Infobox Radio Station


name = 94.9 CHRW
airdate = 1981
frequency = 94.9MHz (FM)
area = Primary: London, ON
format = Public
owner = [http://www.usc.uwo.ca University Students' Council Of the University of Western Ontario]
erp = 6 kW
branding = "94.9 CHRW"
slogan = "Your Cure For Corporate Radio"
class = A
website = [http://chrwradio.com chrwradio.com]
callsign_meaning =

94.9 CHRW 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 is based on the campus of the University of Western Ontario.

94.9 CHRW receives no funding whatsoever from the university. It is operated solely through contributions from the undergradate students at the university, donations, and a small amount of advertising and other revenue sources.

The station has its roots in a weekly radio show that was broadcast on the city's CFPL starting in 1971. The University Students' Council subsequently launched a closed circuit station, which was added to the city's cable FM service in 1978. The station was available on 91.5 through the Rogers cable service until it was moved to Digital Channel 943 in 2007.

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. The station moved to the public airwaves in October of that year, with 50 watts at 94.7 on the FM dial. CHRW's chief announcer, John R. Quain, played CHRW 94.7 FM's first song -- "On the Air" by Peter Gabriel -- on October 31, 1981. In 1990, the station increased its power to 3,000 watts. In November 2003, the station increased power again, to 6,000 watts, moved to its current frequency, and its tower was moved to One London Place from its previous location in the city's Cherryhill area. The station 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.

94.9 CHRW is the "True Voice of the Western Mustangs", UWO's sports teams. The station has broadcast live football, hockey, and basketball, as well as other sports such as those at the 2001 Canada Summer Games, for 25 years - since 1980 on a closed-circuit system. One of CHRW's first on-air broadcasts in 1981 was Saturday afternoon football. CHRW continues regular live coverage of Men's and Women's Basketball, and Men's Hockey, during the regular season and throughout the playoffs in any part of the country the Mustangs are playing in.

In 2000, CHRW was recognized for Outstanding University Sports Coverage with the [http://www.cisport.ca/e/forms/documents/Sgambati_form.pdf Fred Sgambati Media Award] ... the only media "team" to ever win the award, and also the only campus broadcaster to have won it as well.

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.

Global National anchor Kevin Newman got his start in broadcasting at CHRW when he was a student at Western, shortly after the station signed on.

External links

* [http://chrwradio.com/ 94.9 CHRW]
* [http://chrwradio.com/listen/ Listen Online]
* [http://chrwradio.com/25years.html 25th Anniversary, Oct 31, 2006!]

References

* [http://communications.uwo.ca/western_news/story.html?listing_id=4885 CHRW wins Fred Sgambati Award]