CKCU-FM

CKCU-FM is a Canadian community-based campus radio station, broadcasting at 93.1 FM in Ottawa, and offering live and archived on-demand audio streams from its website. The station broadcasts 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

CKCU-FM
CityOttawa, Ontario
Broadcast areaNational Capital Region
Frequency93.1 MHz (FM)
BrandingCKCU, The Mighty 93.1
SloganOttawa's Community Radio Station
Programming
FormatCampus Radio/community radio
Ownership
OwnerRadio Carleton Inc.
History
First air date
14 November 1975 (1975-11-14)
Call sign meaning
C K Carleton University
Technical information
ClassB
ERP12 kWs
HAAT262.5 meters (861 ft)
Links
WebcastMP3 Flash
Websitewww.ckcufm.com

The station's studios are located on the campus of Carleton University, on the fifth floor of the University Centre building.[1] The station's signal is radiated from the Ryan Tower in the Gatineau Hills, along with most of Ottawa's other private and public radio stations, meaning that it enjoys full broadcast power and a listening area with a radius of 100 km.

History

CKCU Radio Carleton is Canada's oldest community-based campus radio station. On May 22, 1973, Carleton University Association Inc. was granted a licence from the CRTC to operate a carrier current AM station, operating on 670 kHz with power of only 16 watts. Its first broadcast at 93.1 FM on November 14, 1975 when it played Joni Mitchell's You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio.[2] CKCU broadcasts live 24 hours a day to a 100 km radius on FM 93.1.[2]

CKCU airs over 100 different shows each week, including programs in 14 languages. The schedule includes both general and specialty music programs, public affairs and spoken word programming, and features many shows with a topical or international flavour. Some shows feature live in-studio performances by local artists. CKCU actively supports, sponsors and promotes local independent musicians, venues, concerts and festivals.

Volunteers from the campus and community program and host all shows. Often dubbed the mighty 93 by devotees, CKCU has a freeform format that allows the hosts to pick all the music played, and has many community programs.[2][3]

The listener-supported station has an annual funding drive in late October and early November, to raise money for its annual operating budget.[2] In 2018, this raised over $140,000. Further money is raised from university student levies, along with revenue from advertisers and sponsors. The station self-produces much of the advertising material it carries, giving the advertising a campus flavour popular with listeners.

Each March break and several times during the summer, CKCU runs a unique Radio Camp for kids ages 10–14. The camp has been growing in popularity since 2001 and features a live two-hour kids broadcast.[4]

CKCU-FM was included amongst other architecturally interesting and historically significant buildings in Doors Open Ottawa.

On July 3, 2020, a construction mishap knocked CKCU-FM's tower down, knocking the station off the air. [5][6] A new tower will be constructed and will be back on the air soon. In the meantime, CKCU-FM is available to listen online over the internet.

Selected programs (Currently on)
  • The Back 40 - A program of traditional country, western, and bluegrass music.
  • Both Kinds of Music
  • Black & Blues
  • Canadian Spaces - A folk/roots/acoustic music show which has aired since 1980.
  • Earthgauge - environmental news and interviews hosted and produced by Mark Brooks.
  • Friday Morning Cartunes - Hosted by John Westhaver, of Birdman Sound fame.
  • In a Mellow Tone - A jazz program heard every Wednesday from 9 to 11 pm.
  • The Filibuster - A political music/news show which airs every Monday morning at 9:00 am
  • The Red Zone - A weekly program dedicated to sports talk radio. Hosts debates and special features on a regular basis.
  • An Indian Morning - Hosted by Harsha Dehejia and Kishore Sampat, the show focuses on the music of India, including folk, classical and devotional and film music.
  • Special Blend - A morning show which airs weekdays from 7 to 10 a.m., the show follows a talk/music format with a focus on current affairs, particularly news stories of local interest.
  • CKCU Literary News - An internet-based broadcasting service of CKCU-FM, affiliated with Carleton University in Ottawa. This service includes Literatures in Europe Today, Les actualités littéraires dans le monde francophone, hosted by Hans G. Ruprecht, alternating with Das Literarische Echo, co-hosted by Hans G. Ruprecht and Helmut Zobl.
  • Reggae in the Fields - hosted by Junior Smith, Saturdays, 3–5:30 pm. Canada's longest-running radio program.
  • Swing Is in the Air - A weekly swing and mainstream jazz program.
  • This Island Earth - A world music program heard every Sunday from 1 to 4 pm EST and hosted by the This Island Earth Collective.
  • Turn Up The Radio
  • Vintage Love
  • Whatever's Cool With Me - A general music show.
  • Barrio Latino - Latin Music Friday 6 pm to 8 pm
  • Heatwave hosted by Massive Vibes & Selecta Dri Dri.

Famous alumni

References
  1. https://carleton.ca/departments/2010/ckcu-fm-93-1/ Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine CKCU 93.1 - Directories - Carleton University
  2. http://www.ckcufm.com/about About | CKCU-FM
  3. http://www.ckcufm.com/volunteer CKCU Volunteers | CKCU
  4. http://www.ckcufm.com/radio-camp Radio Camp | CKCU-FM
  5. Construction mishap knocks CKCU-FM off air, Ottawa Citizen, July 7, 2020
  6. Construction mishap knocks CKCU-FM off air, Ottawa Sun, July 7, 2020

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