About

History:
The CKUA Radio Network was founded in 1927 on the University of Alberta campus in Edmonton. CKUA is Canada's first educational broadcaster and Canada's first public broadcaster.
Since its inception, CKUA has grown from a one room, low wattage radio station staffed by exceptionally dedicated amateur radio enthusiasts, into a full fledged radio and Internet broadcast network staffed by world class broadcast and business professionals.

CKUA has evolved from a government of Alberta operation to a public not-for-profit foundation, with a limited commercial license. CKUA currently enjoys over 160,000 weekly listeners and is financially supported by listener donations, program sponsorships, subscriptions, and through corporate partnership.

Our Charitable Registration Number is 118776830RR0001.


Broadcast Capabilities:
CKUA's radio signal is carried province-wide on AM and FM through a network of 17 transmitters, strategically located throughout Alberta. CKUA also broadcasts in western Canada on select satellite providers and around the world through ckua.com.

Recent Achievements:
• Three time winner of the Prairie Music Awards for Media Outlet of the Year (2003, 2001, 2000)
• Western Canadian Music Alliance - Media Outlet of the Year Award for Western Canada (2003)
• Jazz Broadcaster of the Year Award to Bill Coull, host of Afternoon Edition and Coull Jazz. (January, 2003)
• Alto Award to Lisa Robinson, host of Travel Treasures for Media Excellence in Tourism Reporting (November, 2001)
• Five time winner of The Alberta Recording Industry Award as Radio Station of the Year, through the 1990's and into 2000
• University of Alberta 90th Anniversary as Builder of Alberta (1998)
• Emerald Award: Outstanding Achievement in Environmental Programming for The Ecofile program (1996)

Unique Programming:
CKUA is recognized as the voice of Alberta artists, musicians and cultural enthusiasts. Each week, CKUA broadcasts 168 hours of eclectic and entertaining programming that, in keeping with tradition, includes educational based music and informational series. Blues, Jazz, Classical, Celtic, Folk, Contemporary and Alternative music all make up CKUA's broadcast day. This broad spectrum of music is drawn from CKUA's internationally renowned music library. Comprised of more than a quarter million CD's and LP's, the library contains an excess of 1.5 million musical selections.

On-line:
On February 29, 1996 CKUA became the first radio station in Canada to go online, carrying its entertaining message of life long learning to people everywhere. In April of 2000 CKUA launched its redesigned website and currently enjoys over 85,000 visitors per month, from around the globe. We currently are running in excess of five hundred streams, five times the original number and still increasing.   

75th Anniversary:
In Nov, 2002, CKUA Radio celebrated its 75th Anniversary in broadcasting. Numerous celebratory events were planned throughout the province along with significant media attention throughout the year.
The 75th Anniversary milestone for CKUA was particularly significant considering the current trends in mainstream media consolidation and homogenization. CKUA stands alone as a unique independent alternative community based public broadcaster with unprecedented audience support