98.5 CKWR - CKWR - FM 98.5 - Waterloo, ON

From humble beginnings, FM 98.5 CKWR has grown into a thriving community-licensed radio station. Wired World Inc.’s (o/a FM 98.5 CKWR) inception is largely due ... See more to federal youth grants, given to University of Waterloo (UW) students. Riding the community media wave in 1973, the students received money from the Canadian government to start a community television station. Their ambitious goal was also expensive, compelling them to find an alternate project as Grand River Cable took over the role of community cablecaster. That was the start of community radio — FM 98.5 CKWR — and the first station of its kind in Canada. The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) gave Wired World Inc. non-profit charitable status, a license to operate a non-commercial, community-oriented station in 1974. The CRTC said, “We applaud Wired World Inc. for their noble ambition. The Commission will follow with interest this experiement in facilitating community expression on radio, and hopes that it may help to develop a more meaningful role for community dialouge in the private broadcasting sector." Operating initially as CKWR 98.7, the little FM station broadcast from a cramped office inside a house at 1342 King St. East in Kitchener. The premises were owned by UW professor Henry Crapo, who also served on the station’s Board of Directors. The primary reasons for broadcasting, as reflected by it's mandate, were: “ to advance education and to expand the scope and integrity of information and artistic expression in Waterloo Region.” Two moves and 34 years later, FM 98.5 CKWR has come a long way since its inception with its fair share of growing pains along the way. Professional in its approach to programming, the community can find something on the station that is of interest to it. A listener can hear everything from Tchaikovsky to talk shows, and from easy listening to Spanish. It’s an eclectic blend with a soft-and-easy format during the day, specialty programs in the evenings and multicultural on weekends. After 34 years, FM 98.5 CKWR continues to be the “voice of our community”, providing local and regional listeners with alternative programming that reflects the diversity of the region. ------ Shows: Holy Rosary, First Baptist Church, Croatian, Serbian, Romanian, Radio Portugal, Lost and Found, German Hit Parade, Radio Italia, Voice of Christ Full Gospel Church, A Musical Tour in Spanish, Adventures in Plasticland, Beat Of The Bands, Candlelight, Caribbean Vibrations, Chinese Canadian Women’s Foundation, Continental Breakfast, FM 98.5 CKWR Drive Show, Gospel Rock, Gospel Rock Show, Greek Show, Irish Horizons & Tom Molloy, Jazz beats, Jigs And Reels, Joyful Country, Knox Presbyterian Church, KW Magazine, Light Classics, McLean and Company, Merritt in Stereo, Message Of Salvation, Monday Night, Musik Melodies, Night Magic, Old Chicago Blues, Overdrive, Polish Late Night Show, Sandy beach Oldies Show, Songs from the Wood, Sons De Portugal, Stereo Latino, Sturgeon in the Morning, Stu's Place, The Allan Bush Show, Tom Quick, Wind Down Your Day ----- Hosts: Carlo Santarossa, Mario Congi, Stan Hilborn, Tony Luciani, Claude Mcdonald, Clary M, Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, Vernon Finlay, Dean Clarke, Pat Murphy, John Maciel, Fred Merritt, Mary-lou Schagena, Willy "a", Irek Milczarcek, Sandy Beach, Tony Brito, Stu Munro, Allan Bush