CJWE-FM
{{short description|First Nations radio station in Calgary}}
{{Infobox radio station
| logo = CJWE 88.1FMCalgary logo.jpg
| logo_size = 150px
| format = Country/Aboriginal community radio
| subchannels = HD2: CKER-FM simulcast
HD3: CIWE-FM simulcast
| class = C
| owner = Aboriginal Multi-Media Society
| name = CJWE-FM
| city = Calgary, Alberta
| area = Calgary Metropolitan Region
| branding = CJWE
| airdate = June 2018
| sister_stations = CFWE-FM
| translators =
| frequency = 88.1 MHz {{HD Radio}}
| erp = 100,000 watts
| haat = {{convert|298.6|meters}}
| webcast = [https://cjwe.ca/player/?playerID=2868 Listen Live]
| website = [https://cjwe.ca/ cjwe.ca]
| callsign_meaning = Disambiguation of CFWE-FM
}}
CJWE-FM (88.1 MHz) is a radio station in Calgary, Alberta. Owned by the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society, it broadcasts programming targeting southern Alberta's First Nations communities, including mainstream country music, and specialty shows featuring indigenous music or presented in Indigenous languages. It is similar in format to its sister radio network CFWE, which focuses primarily on northern Alberta's First Nations communities.
The station operates full-powered rebroadcasters in southern Alberta, CJWE-FM-1 serving Lethbridge (103.5 FM), and CJWE-FM-2 serving Medicine Hat (106.3 FM), giving it full coverage across the Treaty 7 territory.
History
Following the collapse of the Aboriginal Voices Radio Network (which broadcast on 88.1 MHz in Calgary as CKAV-FM-3), the CRTC pursued new applicants for indigenous radio stations to fill its frequencies. The Aboriginal Multi-Media Society (owner of the indigenous network CFWE) was granted stations in Calgary and Edmonton.{{Cite web |url=http://theturtleislandnews.com/index.php/2017/06/14/crtc-grants-licences-five-radio-stations-serve-indigenous-people-urban-centres-country-wide/ |title=CRTC grants licences for five radio stations to serve indigenous people in urban centres country wide |work=Turtle Island News |access-date=2017-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170614222316/http://theturtleislandnews.com/index.php/2017/06/14/crtc-grants-licences-five-radio-stations-serve-indigenous-people-urban-centres-country-wide/ |archive-date=2017-06-14 |url-status=dead }}
The Calgary station, named CJWE-FM, began testing its signal in April 2018, and officially launched in June. The station features similar programming to its Edmonton-based counterpart CFWE, including a mix of mainstream country music, and specialty programs targeting Southern Alberta's indigenous communities in the Blackfoot, Cree, Nakoda, and T'suutina languages.{{Cite web|url=https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/indigenous-radio-returns-to-calgary-airwaves-1.3908996|title=Indigenous radio returns to Calgary airwaves|date=2018-04-30|website=CTV News Calgary|language=en|access-date=2019-07-26}}
In December 2018, the CRTC granted approval for the AMMSA to convert the CFWE rebroadcaster CFWE-FM-2 (Piikani 147) to a rebroadcaster of CJWE, as it would broadcast content of greater relevance to the region.{{Cite web|url=https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2018/2018-460.htm|title=CJWE-FM Calgary – New transmitter at Peigan/Blood Reserve Porcupine Hills|publisher=Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission|date=2018-12-12|access-date=2019-07-26}}
In May 2022, the CRTC granted approval for the AMMSA to add a new, 100,000-watt rebroadcaster in Lethbridge on 103.5 FM, which would operate as CJWE-FM-1.[https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2022/2022-125.htm Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2022-125], CJWE-FM Calgary – New transmitter in Lethbridge, CRTC, May 10, 2022 The following year, the CRTC also approved a 100,000-watt rebroadcaster serving Medicine Hat on 106.3 FM; in combination with its Calgary and Lethbridge transmitters, this would give CJWE full coverage across the Treaty 7 territory.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-02 |title=CJWE-FM Calgary - New transmitter to serve Medicine Hat and surrounding areas |url=https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2023/2023-170.htm |access-date=2025-04-27 |publisher=CRTC}} CJWE-FM-1 and CJWE-FM-2 signed on in January and March 2024 respectively.{{Cite web |title=Milestone achieved in Medicine Hat as the Windspeaker Radio Network powers up to one million watts |url=https://windspeaker.com/news/windspeaker-news/milestone-achieved-medicine-hat-windspeaker-radio-network-powers-one-million |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=Windspeaker.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Driver |first=Keith |title=CJWE adds new Lethbridge signal at 103.5 FM |url=https://cjwe.ca/2024/01/30/cjwe-gets-stronger-signal-in-lethbridge-area-with-new-channel-103-2-fm/ |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=CJWE, Alberta's Best Country |language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.cjwe.ca|CJWE}}
- [https://broadcasting-history.ca/radio/radio-stations/alberta/alberta-south/cjwe-fm/ CJWE-FM history] - Canadian Communications Foundation
- {{RecnetCanada|CJWE}}
{{Calgary Radio}}