Wow FM

Not to be confused with WOW FM 100.5 (ACMA call sign 5WOW), licensed to Semaphore, South Australia.

Wow FM 100.7

Broadcast area	Penrith, Sydney
Frequency	100.7 mHz FM
Programming
Format	Community radio
Ownership
Owner	Way Out West Fine Music Inc.
History
First air date	2001
Call sign meaning	2 = New South Wales Way Out West
Links
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	Official website

Wow FM (100.7 FM, callsign "2WOW") is a community radio station based in St Marys in Sydney. The station broadcasts to part of Western Sydney, mainly centered on the City of Penrith.^[1] Wow FM is a volunteer-run organisation and is funded through listener support, grants and limited commercial sponsorship.^[2]

Programming

During its minimal live broadcasting times, WOW FM's programs covers differenet music styles on an ad-hoc basis, including adult contemporary, rock and roll, country, multicultural and Christian programming,^[3]. Wow FM also broadcasts programs that are presented by special interest groups or in languages other than English.^[4][5]

The station encourages all listeners to become members and to volunteer to present programs of interest to the community^[6]

History

In June 2001, "Way Out West (WOW) FM" beat one other radio station for a permanent license from the Australian Broadcasting Authority.^[7] This was due to the perceived need for multicultural programs in the Penrith area, which WOW FM devoted a large proportion of their airtime, although only 10% of Penrith LGA residents come from a non-English-speaking background.

In September 2001, 2WOW was a finalist for the Hillbilly Radio Station of the Year Award from the Australian Independent Country Music Awards, along with every other station that plays country music.^[8]

In November 2001, WOW FM began broadcasting national news updates produced in Bathurst by media students at Charles Sturt University.^[9]

WOW FM added a "Kids Club" feature that allows local primary school students to learn about radio broadcasting and promote their schools.^[10] The station joined the "Work for the Dole" project by giving thirty unemployed young people the chance to study interviewing, computer skills, and Internet broadcasting,^[11] and introduced new programs for refugees that have moved into the listening area.

Today, WOW FM 100.7 is mainly an irrelevant force in local media, having achieved very little in 25 years since licensed. A large amount of airtime is unfilled with a mix of automated filler music being broadcast for a large majority of the week.

See also

• List of radio stations in Australia

References

1. White, Kevin (31 October 2008). "FM Radio New South Wales". AusRadioStations.com.
2. "Wow FM About Us". Wow FM 100.7. 2008. Archived from the original on 18 July 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
3. "WOW FM 100.7". CBOnline. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
4. "Historical society interview downloads". stmaryshistoricalsociety.org St Marys Historical Society. 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
5. "Penrith Wall of Achievement". City of Penrith. 2008. Archived from the original on 3 August 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
6. "Membership". WowFM 100.7. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
7. "Station WOWs 'em for permanent licence". Penrith Press. 12 June 2001.
8. "Share in show history". Penrith Press. 11 September 2001.
9. "WOW tunes in for local news". Penrith Press. 4 December 2001.
10. "Wowing new audience becomes child's play". Penrith Press. 12 February 2002.
11. "Giving west a new voice". Penrith Press. 26 February 2002.

External links

• Official website

33.7683°S 150.7734°E / -33.7683; 150.7734