CFRM-FM

CFRM-FM is a Canadian radio station that broadcasts at 100.7 FM in Little Current, Ontario, serving Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands. The station, a community radio outlet owned by Manitoulin Radio Communication, broadcasts a dance-leaning contemporary hit radio format branded as Hits 100.

CFRM-FM
CityLittle Current, Ontario
Frequency100.7 MHz (FM)
(HD Radio)
BrandingHits 100
Slogan80s - 90s & Everything
Programming
FormatHot AC/variety hits
Ownership
OwnerManitoulin Radio Communication
(Craig Timmermans[1])
CHAW-FM
History
First air date
2002
Call sign meaning
C F Radio Manitoulin
Technical information
ClassA
ERP27,500 watts
HAAT155 meters
Links
Websitehits100.ca

History

The station originally began operating in 2001 on 101.1 FM,[2] as Manitoulin's first local community radio station with a rock format including a mix of various formats such as oldies, classic hits, retro music with some current music branded as Rock'n the Rock. One of CFRM's mottos were "rock'n the rock" and "when the lights go out we stay on the air because we're powered by rock and roll". CFRM-FM received approval from the CRTC to increase its power from 1.4 watts to 5 watts on July 12, 2002 [3] and received approval again on September 20, 2005 to increase power from 5 watts to 45 watts.[4]

On October 23, 2006, CFRM-FM changes formats to its current country music format. On March 19, 2007, CFRM-FM moved from 101.1 FM to its current frequency at 100.7 FM with 1,830 watts.[5] After the move to 100.7 FM in 2007, the station became 100.7 The Island.

In 2008, Manitoulin Radio Communication Inc. (Manitoulin Radio) applied to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to add a low-power FM transmitter in Sudbury to rebroadcast the programming of CFRM-FM Little Current. The new transmitter in Sudbury would operate at 107.1 MHz (channel 296LP) with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 50 watts. Citing that this "would allow Sudbury residents who own property on Manitoulin Island to stay connected by providing them with important information relating to local weather, marine and road reports and events specific to Manitoulin." That application was denied by the CRTC on April 29, 2008.[6]

On January 20, 2009, the station applied to change its authorized transmission contours by increasing the average effective radiated power from 1,830 watts to 27,500 watts, by decreasing the effective antenna height above average terrain from 164.5 metres to 155 metres. This would change the station's transmitter class from A to B.[7] This application to change the ERP received approval on March 19, 2009.[8]

In 2010, 100.7 The Island FM won Radio Station of the Year in a Secondary Market at the Canadian Country Music Association Awards.

Expanding horizons

In 2014, Manitoulin Radio filed an application with the CRTC to add a second sister station at 103.1 FM.[9] If the new station is approved as requested, it will take over CFRM's current country format, while CFRM will reformat as a pop and dance station.[9][10][11] The new station was approved on April 1, 2015, as CHAW-FM, with 100.7 becoming "Glow 100".

On April 1, 2016 at 12:00 PM noon, 100.7 The Island, the country music station moved to CHAW-FM 103.1 and CFRM-FM 100.7 become Glow 100 "Manitoulin's Hot Dance" with a top 40/dance music format. The first song to be played on Glow 100 was "Cake by the Ocean" by DNCE.

In June 2019, the station was rebranded as Hits 100 "80s - 90s & Everything".

Station owners Craig and Kelly "KT" Timmermans are also producers of the Manitoulin Country Fest, a local country music festival staged each August.[9]

Going green

CFRM has implemented a plan to become an environmentally friendly radio station.[1] The project to go "green" consists of three phases:

  • Phase I - Installing a wind turbine with grid tie at the tower site to help power the transmitter plant. This project was completed mid June 2008.
  • Phase II - Installing a vertical wind turbine at CFRM's studios in Little Current. This project will be completed by October 2008.
  • Phase III - Installing multiple wind turbines at the tower site, effectively creating a small wind farm which would also put excess power onto the grid.[12]

More recently, the station has pursued further environmental initiatives. As of 2014, the station's daytime studio operations are powered entirely by a diesel electric generator running on used fryer oil recycled from local restaurants.[9] In early 2015, the station also added a bidirectional electricity meter, so that unused power from the generator can be contributed back into the electrical grid.[9]

During its history as a low-power experimental station, CFRM served a testbed for technologies, such as Ibiquity's IBOC digital radio system, which are rarely used elsewhere in Canada.

References
  1. 'The little Manitoulin radio station that could'. Sudbury Star, October 2010.
  2. CRTC Decision 2001-578, New developmental community radio station, CRTC, September 12, 2001
  3. Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2002-186, CFRM-FM Little Current - Technical amendment, CRTC, July 12, 2002
  4. Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2005-470, CFRM-FM Little Current - Technical change, CRTC, September 20, 2005
  5. CRTC Decision 2006-376, CFRM-FM Little Current - Technical change, CRTC, August 16, 2006
  6. CRTC Decision 2008-90, CFRM-FM Little Current - New transmitter in Sudbury, CRTC, April 29, 2008
  7. Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2009-20
  8. Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2009-149, CFRM-FM Little Current - Technical change, CRTC, March 19, 2009
  9. "Running a radio station on used French fry oil". Sudbury Star, January 19, 2015.
  10. Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2014-472, CRTC, September 12, 2014
  11. Dance music station in the works for Manitoulin Island radio waves Archived 2015-02-03 at the Wayback Machine, Manitoulin Expositor, October 1, 2014
  12. "How to run a radio station on green energy for next to nothing". TVOntario, September 21, 2016.

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