CIWE-FM

CIWE-FM (89.3 MHz, "89.3 The Raven") is a radio station in Edmonton, Alberta. Owned by the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society (AMMSA), it broadcasts a freeform format targeting Central Alberta's First Nations communities.

CIWE-FM

Edmonton, Alberta
Broadcast area	Edmonton Metropolitan Region
Frequency	89.3 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding	89.3 The Raven
Programming
Format	Freeform radio First Nations community radio
Subchannels	HD2: Indigenous hip hop "Red Beats" HD3: Indigenous variety "CUZIN Radio"
Ownership
Owner	Aboriginal Multi-Media Society
Sister stations	CFWE-FM-4
History
First air date	February 1, 2021
Call sign meaning	Disambiguation of CFWE-FM
Technical information
Class	C
ERP	100,000 watts
HAAT	153.7 metres (504 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	53°38′44.88″N 114°0′14.4″W
Links
Webcast	Listen Live Listen Live (HD2) Listen Live (HD3)
Website	ravenradio.ca redbeats.ca (HD2) cuzinradio.ca (HD3)

History

Following the collapse of the Aboriginal Voices Radio Network (which broadcast on 89.3 MHz in Edmonton as CKAV-FM-4), the CRTC pursued new applicants for indigenous radio stations to fill its frequencies. The Aboriginal Multi-Media Society, owner of the Edmonton-based CFWE radio network, was granted licenses in Calgary and Edmonton.^[1] While the Calgary station would air a country music format in the mold of CFWE, AMMSA founder Bert Crowfoot described the Edmonton station as a freeform station that would play "anything but country". As with the other AMMSA stations, its schedule would include specialty programming presented in Indigenous languages, and featuring Indigenous music.^[2]

AMMSA prioritized constructing the Calgary station, CJWE-FM, which went on air in April 2018.^[2][3] The wait would be nearly three years longer in Edmonton; CIWE had been planned to launch in April 2020,^[2] but the COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta prompted AMMSA to seek a one-year extension.^[4][5] Its transmission tower, named for long-time AMMSA board member Noel McNaughten, is located 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of Spruce Grove.^[2]

The station began test broadcasts on January 11, 2021. On February 1, 2021, CIWE officially launched as 89.3 The Raven; it primarily plays classic rock and pop hits, as well as genre- and decade-based specialty shows (such as blues rock, hip hop, and R&B). Indigenous programming is carried in the Cree, Dene, Nakota, and Michif languages.^[2][4]