CKWD-FM

{{Infobox radio station

| name = CKWD-FM

| logo = The Wild 95.3 Logo.png

| logo_size = 250px

| city = Calgary, Alberta

| area = Calgary Metropolitan Region

| branding = Wild 95.3

| frequency = 95.3 MHz (FM)

| airdate = April 25, 2014

| format = Country

| erp = 100,000 watts

| haat = 272.9 meters

| class = C1

| callsign_meaning = CK WilD (branding)

| former_callsigns = CHPK-FM (2014–2016)

| affiliations =

| owner = Jim Pattison Group

| licensee = Jim Pattison Broadcast Group Ltd.

| sister_stations = CKCE-FM

| webcast = [http://chpk.streamon.fm Listen Live]

| website = [http://www.wild953.com wild953.com]

}}

CKWD-FM is a Canadian radio station broadcasting at 95.3 FM in Calgary, Alberta owned by Jim Pattison Group. The station broadcasts a country format branded as Wild 95.3. CKWD's studios are located on 58th Avenue Southwest in Calgary, while its transmitter is located on Old Banff Coach Road. The station is owned and operated by Jim Pattison Group who also owns sister station CKCE-FM.

As of Winter 2020, CKWD is the 15th-most-listened-to radio station in the Calgary market according to a PPM data report released by Numeris.{{Cite web |url=https://www.radiowest.ca/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=37459 |title=Winter 2020 PPM Data |access-date=2021-04-01 }}

History

CKWD-FM's license was granted by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission on May 24, 2012.[http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2012/2012-308.htm Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2012-308], Licensing of new radio stations to serve Calgary, Alberta, CRTC, May 24, 2012 On May 16, 2013, the Jim Pattison Group acquired CKCE-FM from Bell Media, as part of divestments from its purchase of Astral Media; CKCE would move to the studio being built for the new station.{{cite web|title=Pattison group looks to buy castoffs from Bell Astral deal|url=https://vancouversun.com/business/Pattison+group+looks+castoffs+from+Bell+Astral+deal/8399588/story.html|publisher=The Vancouver Sun|accessdate=22 May 2013}}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The station officially launched as CHPK-FM on April 25, 2014 with an adult album alternative format as 95.3 The Peak.{{Cite web |title=95.3 The Peak Calgary Debuts |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/88358/peak-launch-set-in-calagary/ |access-date=2022-10-31 |website=RadioInsight |language=en-US}}

On February 29, 2016, CHPK flipped to country branded as Wild 95.3; the station's general manager Eric Stafford cited low interest and ratings for the station's AAA format as an impetus for the switch. He believed that The Peak was unable to fully distinguish itself from its main competitor, CFEX-FM, in order to remain competitive. The new Wild format would compete mainly against the dominant CKRY-FM; Stafford stated that Wild would target a younger audience, and have a focus on newer material and fewer "throwback" songs.{{cite news|title=Calgary's new Wild 95.3 replaces Peak radio, because 'there just wasn't enough interest'|url=https://calgaryherald.com/storyline/goodbye-peak-95-3-hello-to-a-new-country-music-radio-station|accessdate=2 March 2016|work=Calgary Herald|publisher=Postmedia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303110118/http://calgaryherald.com/storyline/goodbye-peak-95-3-hello-to-a-new-country-music-radio-station|archive-date=3 March 2016|url-status=dead}}

In October 2022, Pattison began to extend the Wild brand to some of its other country stations, including Alberta's CHAT-FM and CHLB-FM, as well as CHBZ-FM in Cranbrook, British Columbia.{{Cite web |last=Thiessen |first=Connie |date=2022-10-07 |title=Pattison Media expands its WILD Country radio brand |url=https://broadcastdialogue.com/pattison-media-expands-its-wild-country-radio-brand/ |access-date=2022-10-31 |website=Broadcast Dialogue |language=en-US}}

References

External links

[http://www.wild953.com Wild 95.3]
[https://broadcasting-history.ca/radio/radio-stations/alberta/alberta-south/CKWD-FM CKWD-FM] at The History of Canadian Broadcasting by the Canadian Communications Foundation
{{RecnetCanada|CKWD-FM}}

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KWD

Category:Radio stations established in 2014

Category:2014 establishments in Alberta