CFWC-FM

CFWC-FM (93.9 FM, "Hot Country 93.9") is a radio station in Brantford, Ontario. Owned by Evanov Radio Group, the station broadcasts a country music format.

CFWC-FM
CityBrantford, Ontario
Broadcast areaSouthern Ontario
Frequency93.9 MHz (FM)
BrandingHot Country 93.9
SloganBrantford's Country Station
Programming
FormatCountry music
Ownership
OwnerEvanov Radio Group
CKPC (AM), CKPC-FM
Technical information
ClassA
ERP1,700 watts
Repeater(s)92.1 CKPC-FM-HD2
Links
WebcastListen Live
WebsiteHot Country 93.9

History

On October 11, 2001, Anthony Schleifer, on behalf of a company to be incorporated, received approval from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to operate an English-language specialty FM radio programming undertaking at Brantford.[1] The station's original frequency was 99.5 FM and was branded as "Freshwind 99.5" when it began broadcasting in early 2002. Its transmitter located atop a church steeple, with its studios and offices at 271 Greenwich Street in Brantford. The station has also been given permission to increase power to 250 watts, but was not carried out at the time it was granted.

On May 20, 2004, CFWC-FM was given CRTC approval to change frequency from 99.5 to 93.9 MHz and to increase effective radiated power from 50 to 250 watts. Antenna height remained 23.9 metres EHAAT.[2] When CFWC moved to 93.9 MHz, it adopted the name "Power 93.9".

In 2010, an application was filed with the CRTC, under which the station would be sold to Durham Radio, and would change its format from Christian programming to a mainstream commercial format. On February 10, 2011, the CRTC denied the application, noting that it appeared to be an attempt to bypass the normal competitive licensing process.[3]

On February 17, 2012, an application was filed with the CRTC under which the station would be sold to Sound of Faith Broadcasting Inc. The deal was subsequently approved by the CRTC on June 28, 2012,[4] with Sound of Faith Broadcasting officially taking ownership on August 24, 2012. The station was subsequently renamed FaithFM.

On July 20, 2017, the CRTC approved the sale of the station to Evanov Radio Group. The sale was completed August 31, 2017.[5]

In February 2020, the CRTC approved a request by Evanov to change CFWC and CKPC's licensed formats, so that CKPC could move its country music format to FM on CFWC, in exchange for CFWC's Christian format. Evanov cited that the country music format would have a larger audience and be more profitable on an FM signal, improving their ability to compete with out-of-market stations, and that both stations had been unprofitable for several years.[6] The CRTC also approved a power increase for the station, increasing its effective radiated power from 250 watts to 1,700 as a Class A signal.[6]

The switch took effect on-air on September 4, 2020, with CFWC flipping to country as Hot Country 93.9, and the previous Arise Brantford programming moving to AM 1380. In comparison to the previous AM country format, Hot Country has a larger focus on current artists.[7]

References

  1. Decision CRTC 2001-642, New Christian music FM radio station, CRTC, October 11, 2001
  2. Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2004-187, CFWC-FM Brantford - Technical change, CRTC, May 20, 2004
  3. Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2011-85, CFWC-FM Brantford – Change in effective control and amendments to conditions of licence, CRTC, February 10, 2011.
  4. Broadcasting Information Bulletin CRTC 2012-353, Applications processed pursuant to streamlined procedures, CRTC, June 28, 2012
  5. "Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2017-260". CRTC. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
  6. "CFWC-FM Brantford and CKPC Brantford – Technical changes and licence amendments". CRTC. 2020-02-17. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  7. Thiessen, Connie (2020-08-31). "Evanov's Brantford country station gets FM relaunch this week". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 2020-09-16.

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