Program a new slot in your AM/FM radio dial, because the region’s newest entrant Summit 107 FM will be up to full operation in a week or so.
Melissa Hamm, station manager of Summit 107 FM, said the preparations for the full launch are going great.
“We’re in our testing period now, with just music, nothing live, for three weeks, just to get all the signals sorted out and make sure there aren’t any kinks in the system,” she said. “Then we’ll be going live at the end of the week of September the 8th.”
That will include shows and news.
The testing phase is mandated by Industry Canada as part of the process of setting up a radio station.
Hamm said they have been getting great responses to the music, including a lot of phone calls.
“We’ve been getting a lot of great feedback and we’re excited to be here,” she said.
She described the music as Adult Contemporary.
“It’s old stuff, new stuff, softer rock — it’s kind of a niche that’s missing in the market right now,” she said.
You can listen to the station right now at 107.5 in Cranbrook, 107.7 in Invermere, 107.9 in Fernie and 107.1 in Sparwood.
Crews have also finished putting in all the equipment and transmitters on the mountaintops.
“They’re all installed now and we’re just testing and should be good to go in a couple weeks,” she said.
Hamm said bringing a new radio station into a region is a complicated endeavour.
“It’s been quite a process, there’s a lot of red tape with the radio stuff,” she said.
There are 10 people on staff starting this week, which will consist of both newsroom and on-air staff.
“We’ll have a live morning show, a midday show and an afternoon show,” she said, adding that they will be covering community events in the region.
Summit 107 is a division of Clear Sky Radio Inc, based out of Alberta. They have stations in Lethbridge and Medicine Hat.
