Radio station expected to go on air this week
Posted By John Phair, SUN MEDIA
Posted 1 month ago
A new sound will hit the airwaves in the Wallaceburg/Dresden area this week when Five Amigos Broadcasting debuts its new community radio station, CKXS 99.1 on the FM dial.
General manager Gary Patterson says if all goes well broadcasting will begin this Wednesday.
"We're going to start spinning about 5,000 songs commercial-free, we'll just keep rolling for a couple of weeks," he said.
"Hopefully, we'll bring out a full package (of programming) about two weeks later.
Patterson said the new station, located at 520 James St. in Wallaceburg, will become fully operational with a full service station with news, weather and sports, as well as a morning flea market and Monday night sports program.
"The focus is on community. It's going to be a community radio station," he said, adding that the plan is to work with local charities and service groups as well as featuring local sports.
"We intend to be partners with the communities we cover such as Wallaceburg, Dresden, Thamesville, Mitchell's Bay, the entire area."
Patterson said the station intends to feature live coverage of the Wallaceburg Lakers and Dresden Jr. Kings games, as well going live with some high school sports.
"You know Wallaceburg is a very resilient community and in spite of all the things that have gone on here in last few years, such as plant closures and things, it's a town that will always bounce back and we're thrilled to be a part of this community," he said.
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"There are wonderful opportunities here in the Wallacburg and Dresden communities, this area has so much to offer."
Patterson -- a familiar face and voice in the area as the long-time sports director at Blackburn Radio's CKCO station in Chatham -- said he had always dreamed of owning a radio station.
However, he said when he was released from his duties at Blackburn Radio in early 2008, a result of the company's downsizing, it really got the ball rolling.
"I knew there was a (radio) signal available here and after I got turfed and got done feeling sorry for myself for a couple of days, I dusted myself off and said that's what we're going to do."
Patterson said he approached four of his friends -- Greg Aarssen, Max Fantuz, Greg Hetherington and Mike Kilby -- about the idea and shortly after Five Amigos Broadcasting was born.
He said he and Hetherington, another well-know former Blackburn radio personality, are the only two partners who will be actively engaged in the company. Both are natives of the Thamesville area. Patterson is a graduate of Lambton-Kent Composite School.
"The rest are all in upper management with another company and really just want to be silent partners and owners," Patterson said.
Initially, the station will employ seven full and part-time employees.
"The real strength at this radio station is going to be our employees," he said, adding that along with himself and Hetherington, the on-air staff includes Dana Treacy of Wallaceburg, a former Chatham radio announcer, Jay Smith, originally from Thamesville and Chris Prince of North Buxton.
"These are people who are not just wanting to work at the radio station, they are all community-minded and are all involved in projects within their own communities.
Treacy, who will be the station's program manager and production director and also host the midday program, says she is thrilled to be working with such a dynamic team.
"I've been in radio for 10 years but I've never been involved in starting a station from the ground up and I'm just so excited about it," she said.
