CKWD-FM is a Canadian radio station broadcasting at 95.3 FM in Calgary,

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

owned by Jim Pattison Group. The station broadcasts a

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...

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 CKCE-FM (101.5 FM, ''101.5 Today Radio'') is a radio station in Calgary. Owned by the Jim Pattison Group, it broadcasts a hot adult contemporary format. CKCE's studios are located on 58th Avenue Southwest in Calgary, while its transmitter is lo ...

. 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 Numeris (formerly the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement, or BBM Canada) is a Canadian audience measurement organization. Established on May 11, 1944 as a division of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, Numeris is the primary provider of viewers ...

History

CKWD-FM's license was granted by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission on May 24, 2012. On May 16, 2013, the Jim Pattison Group acquired

from

Bell Media Bell Media Inc. (French: ) is a Canadian company formed by the amalgamation of several companies. Establishment (2011–13) On December 9, 2011, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan announced the sale of its majority stake in Maple Leaf Sports ...

, as part of divestments from its purchase of Astral Media; CKCE would move to the studio being built for the new station. The station officially launched as CHPK-FM on April 25, 2014 with an

adult album alternative Adult album alternative (also triple-A, AAA, or adult alternative) is a radio format. See pages 9 and 10Mills, Joshua. "A New Radio Music Format: Rock for Prosperous Adults" New York Times, Feb 28 1994, p. 2. ProQuest. Web. Accessed September 4, 2 ...

format as ''95.3 The Peak''. On February 29, 2016, CHPK flipped to

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 CKRY-FM is a Canadian radio station that broadcasts a country format at 105.1 FM in Calgary, Alberta. The station uses its on-air brand name ''Country 105''. The station is owned by Corus Entertainment, which also owns sister stations CHQR, CF ...

; Stafford stated that ''Wild'' would target a younger audience, and have a focus on newer material and fewer "throwback" songs. In October 2022, Pattison began to extend the ''Wild'' brand to some of its other country stations, including Alberta's

CHAT-FM CHAT-FM is a Canadian radio station that broadcasts a country format at 94.5 FM in Medicine Hat, Alberta. The station is owned by the Jim Pattison Group. History The station originally began broadcasting as an AM station on November 1, 1946 a ...

and

CHLB-FM CHLB-FM is a Canadian radio station that broadcasts a country format at 95.5 FM in Lethbridge, Alberta. CHLB is currently owned by the Jim Pattison Group. History The station originally began broadcasting in 1959 as CHEC at 1090 AM. It was ...

, as well as

CHBZ-FM CHBZ-FM (104.7 FM, ''Wild 104.7'') is a radio station in Cranbrook, British Columbia. Owned by Pattison Media, it broadcasts a country format. History The station originally began broadcasting in 1995 as CKKR until it was changed to the curr ...

in Cranbrook,

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

References

External links

Wild 95.3
* * KWD KWD KWD Radio stations established in 2014 2014 establishments in Alberta {{Alberta-radio-station-stub