CFWC-FM
 | |
| Broadcast area | Southern Ontario |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 93.9 MHz (FM) |
| Branding | Hot Country 93.9 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Country |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Evanov Communications |
| CKPC (defunct), CKPC-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | Early 2002 |
| Technical information | |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 1,483 watts (2,630 watts maximum) |
| HAAT | 40 metres (130 ft) |
| Repeater | 92.1 CKPC-HD2 |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | hotcountry939.com |
CFWC-FM (93.9 MHz, Hot Country 93.9) is a commercial radio station in Brantford, Ontario. Owned by Evanov Communications, the station broadcasts a country music format. The studios are on West Street at Harris Avenue in Brantford.[1]
CFWC-FM is a Class A FM station with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 1,483 watts (2,630 watts maximum). The transmitter is atop a tower on Edmondson Street near West Street in Brantford.[2]
History
[edit]Freshwind 99.5
[edit]On October 11, 2001, Anthony Schleifer, on behalf of a company to be incorporated, received approval from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to operate an English-language specialty FM radio station in Brantford.[3] The station's original frequency was 99.5 FM and was branded as Freshwind 99.5 when it began broadcasting in early 2002.[4]
Its transmitter was 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 this was not carried out at the time it was granted. It had a Christian radio format.
Move to 93.9 FM
[edit]On May 20, 2004, CFWC-FM was given CRTC approval to change its frequency to 93.9 MHz. It was also permitted to increase its effective radiated power from 50 to 250 watts. The antenna height remained 23.9 metres (78 ft) in height above average terrain (HAAT).[5]
The power increase and taller tower allowed the station to cover not just Brantford but several adjacent communities. When CFWC moved to 93.9 MHz, it adopted the name Power 93.9.
Changes in ownership
[edit]In 2010, Durham Radio filed an application to acquire CFWC. That was coupled with getting approval in a separate application to remove license conditions requiring it to primarily broadcast "non-classic religious music." That move would allow it to drop its Christian format in favour of a mainstream secular format. On February 10, 2011, the CRTC denied the application, noting that it appeared to be an attempt to undermine the normal competitive licensing process.[6]
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.[7] Sound of Faith Broadcasting officially took ownership on August 24, 2012. The station was subsequently renamed FaithFM.
Evanov Radio
[edit]On July 20, 2017, the CRTC approved the sale of the station to Evanov Radio Group. The sale was completed August 31, 2017.[8] The station continued its religious programming and was renamed Arise Brantford 93.9.
In February 2020, the CRTC approved a request to swap the license conditions of CFWC on the FM dial and its AM sister station 1380 CKPC. That would allow CKPC's country format to be moved to FM in exchange for CFWC's Christian format moving to the AM band. Evanov stated that both stations had been unprofitable for several years. But the country music format would have a larger audience and be more profitable on an FM signal, and that the swap would improve their ability to compete with out-of-market stations.[9] The CRTC also approved a power increase for the FM station, increasing its effective radiated power from 250 watts to a 1,700 watts as a Class A signal.[9]
The switch took effect on-air on September 4, 2020, with CFWC branded as Hot Country 93.9. The previous Arise Brantford programming moving to AM 1380. In comparison to the previous AM country format which included classic country hits of the past, "Hot Country 93.9" has a larger focus on current artists.[10] CKPC 1380 remained unprofitable and was shut down on August 4, 2023.[11][12]
References
[edit]- ^ HotCountry939.com/ContactUs
- ^ FCCdata.org/CFWC-FM
- ^ Decision CRTC 2001-642, New Christian music FM radio station, CRTC, October 11, 2001
- ^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2010 page D-367. Retrieved Dec. 12, 2025.
- ^ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2004-187, CFWC-FM Brantford - Technical change, CRTC, May 20, 2004
- ^ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2011-85, CFWC-FM Brantford – Change in effective control and amendments to conditions of licence, CRTC, February 10, 2011.
- ^ Broadcasting Information Bulletin CRTC 2012-353, Applications processed pursuant to streamlined procedures, CRTC, June 28, 2012
- ^ "Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2017-260". CRTC. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
- ^ a b "CFWC-FM Brantford and CKPC Brantford – Technical changes and licence amendments". CRTC. 2020-02-17. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
- ^ Thiessen, Connie (2020-08-31). "Evanov's Brantford country station gets FM relaunch this week". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
- ^ Ruby, Michelle (August 4, 2023). "CKPC AM 1380 signs off the air". Brantford Expositor. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ "CKPC-A (Arise Christian Radio AM 1380)/Brantford, ON Shuts Down". All Access. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
External links
[edit]- Hot Country 93.9
- CFWC-FM at The History of Canadian Broadcasting by the Canadian Communications Foundation
- CFWC-FM in the REC Canadian station database