CFBW-FM

Bluewater Community Radio was granged a licence on September 12 for a new developmental community radio station at Hanover. It would operate on a frequency of 91.3 MHz with an effective radiated power of 5 watts. The licence would be held by a not-for-profit organization whose structure provides for membership, management, operation and programming by members of the community at large. The applicant proposed to broadcast an average of 105 hours each week. The local programming, consisting of spoken word, music, and community information would form the major part of the day. The station would also broadcast news with a focus on local issues, sports and weather.

CFBW-FM began broadcasting on December 31 and was on the air 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Program format slogan: “From 7 to 6, A Great Music Mix.” Music programming included new country, oldies, rock, folk and Canadian pop music, with local news, weather, a talk show and coumminity happenings. Studios and offices were located at 275 – 10th Street (Suite 4) in Hanover.

On July 8, CFBW was given approval to relocate its transmitter to the Hanover and District Hospital’s rooftop communications tower at 90 – 7th Avenue. The new tower was approximately 750 metres south of the existing site.

On August 12, CFBW was authorized to operate as a Type B community FM radio station. It would still operate on 91.3 MHz but effective radiated power would increase to 250 watts from the same antenna location. The station would broadcast 126 hours of programming each week with a minimum of 108 hours of station-produced programming. The local programming, which would form a major part of the day, would consist of spoken word, music, and community information and focus on local issues, sports and weather.

CFBW Bluewater Radio’s 250 watt power increase went into effect on September 27. 

On October 23, Bluewater Community Radio received approval to change the authorized contours of the English-language Type B community CFBW-FM by increasing the effective height of the antenna above average terrain from 39.8 to 88.5 metres and by relocating its transmitter 8 km to the west of Hanover. The licensee noted that the coverage contours would be displaced closer to Walkerton as a result of the transmitter site relocation. The licensee argued, however, that the increase in EHAAT would minimize the impact on the service area for Hanover and should help maintain a satisfactory signal. The licensee also argued that the overall effect would be to provide more consistent and uniform coverage to the existing Hanover-Walkerton listening area.

On August 31, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CFBW-FM to December 31, 2011.

On August 28, the CRTC administratively renewed CFBW’s licence until December 31, 2012. On December 21, the licence was renewed to August 31, 2017.

In October, Bluewater Radio got a reprieve after Hanover Town Council voted to purchase the building the station occupied and lease it to the station rent free until the end of 2019. The non-profit station had been facing financial challenges and possible closure.