WOW FM 100.5 explained

WOWfm 100.5
Callsign:5WOW
City:Semaphore, South Australia
Area:Adelaide Western Suburbs
Frequency:100.5 MHz FM
Format:Community Radio
Owner:Way Out West Broadcasters Incorporated
Airdate:1994
Callsign Meaning:Way Out West Broadcasters
Licensing Authority:ACMA
Acma Bsl:1150738
Erp:400 watts

WOWfm 100.5 (ACMA call sign 5WOW[1]) is a community radio station based in Semaphore, South Australia, named in reference to its location in Adelaide's Western suburbs.

WOWfm is owned and operated by Way Out West Broadcasters Incorporated, a not-for-profit organisation registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC)[2] incorporated in 1984. All presenters and Board members are volunteers.

The studios of WOWfm are located on Kaurna country.

History

From 1994 through 2000, WOWfm held a number of short-term licences under the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) Temporary Community Broadcasting Licence (TCBL) scheme, broadcasting on 100.7 MHz.[3]

As a result of these successful transmissions, WOWfm commenced part time broadcasting in August 2000, originally broadcasting for 12 hours a day on 100.7 MHz from 4am to 4pm daily. This frequency was shared with Dance 100 FM,[4] a contemporary dance music station broadcasting from 4pm to 4am daily.

On 11 August 2001, WOWfm commenced 24 hour broadcasting on 100.5 MHz.

In October 2005, WOWfm's studios were the subject of an arson attack, causing $50,000 worth of damage[5] and taking the station off-air for at least two weeks.[6] This occurred after several weeks of threats being received by the station and its volunteers.[7]

In 2010, WOWfm held a fundraising concert at the Semaphore Palais to raise funds for the purchase of a new mast to broadcast "louder and wider across Adelaide".[8]

Programming

WOWfm has approximately 30 volunteer presenters, with programs[9] spanning a range of musical genres including:

WOWfm also has a number of community-based talk programs, including a Spanish language program.

Awards

WOWfm has won multiple South Australian Community Broadcasters Association (SACBA) Bilby Awards,[10] including Small Station of the Year in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2020.[11]

Affiliations

Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA)[12]

South Australian Community Broadcasters Association (SACBA)[13]

References

  1. Web site: Register of Radiocommunications Licences. 4 August 2021. acma.gov.au.
  2. Web site: 2021-04-21. Way Out West Broadcasters Inc. 2021-08-05. www.acnc.gov.au. en.
  3. News: Innes. Stuart. 11 August 2001. COMMUNITY RADIO FINDS ITS OWN NICHE ON THE AIRWAVES; Volunteers heard loud and clear. 46. Advertiser, The (Adelaide). News Australia Limited.
  4. News: McDonald. P. Yeaman. S. 1 August 2000. New radio station launches contemporary dance music. 20. Advertiser, The (Adelaide). News Australia Limited.
  5. News: 23 October 2005. SA: Radio station targeted in arson attack. AAP Australian National News Wire. Australian Associated Press.
  6. Web site: No new home yet for fire bombed WOW FM radioinfo. 2021-08-04. radioinfo.com.au. en.
  7. Web site: 2005-10-23. Radio station devastated by fire bombing. 2021-08-05. www.abc.net.au. en-AU.
  8. News: 11 August 2010. WOW FM sets its sights high. 47. Weekly Times (Adelaide). News Limited Australia.
  9. Web site: Program Guide. 2021-08-04. en-AU.
  10. Web site: Awards. 2021-08-04. en-AU.
  11. Web site: Bilby Awards 2020 – SACBA. 2021-08-04. en-AU.
  12. Web site: 11 December 2020. CBAA Find a Station. 4 August 2021. cbaa.org.au.
  13. Web site: SACBA Member Stations. 4 August 2021. sacba.org.au.

External links

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "WOW FM 100.5".

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