Wawatay Native Communications Society Facts for Kids

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The Wawatay Native Communications Society, often called Wawatay for short, was started in 1974. It was created by the people of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation in Northern Ontario, Canada. Their main goal is to provide important communication services like radio, television, and newspapers to Oji-Cree communities. Wawatay works to keep the Oji-Cree language and culture alive in their service areas. The main office is in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, with other offices in Timmins and Thunder Bay.

Wawatay's mission is to use technology to help people of Aboriginal background in Northern Ontario connect. The name "Wawatay" comes from the Oji-Cree word for the aurora borealis, also known as the Northern Lights. Wawatay is a key source of news for many remote areas in Northern Ontario.

Wawatay Radio Networks
- Wawatay Radio Network (WRN)
- Wahsa Radio
Wawatay TV Productions
Wawatay News Paper
More Information

Wawatay Radio Networks

Wawatay runs two different radio networks that serve communities across Northern Ontario.

Wawatay Radio Network (WRN)

The Wawatay Radio Network (WRN) broadcasts news, talk shows, sports, and both local and popular music. You can hear programs in both Indigenous languages and English. For many communities in the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, the local WRN station is the only radio station they can easily listen to.

WRN operates its main stations and many smaller repeater stations:

89.9 CKWT-FM in Sioux Lookout, Ontario
106.7 CJWT-FM in Timmins, Ontario

Here are some of the repeater stations:

89.9 CKMT-FM Attawapiskat
90.1 CFBL-FM Bearskin Lake
89.9 CJPS-FM Cat Lake
89.9 CKID-FM Constance Lake
90.1 CKDL-FM Deer Lake
90.1 CKFA-FM Fort Albany
90.1 CKFS-FM Fort Severn
90.1 CFKP-FM Kasabonika

90.1 CKAS-FM Kashechewan
90.1 CFKL-FM Kingfisher Lake
89.9 CFHL-FM Lansdowne House
105.1 CFMD-FM Muskrat Dam
90.1 CFNP-FM Naicatchewenin
89.9 CKFC-FM North Spirit Lake
89.9 CKWN-FM Peawanuck/Winisk
90.1 CFBY-FM Poplar Hill

90.1 CFEY-FM Sachigo
89.9 CHIX-FM Seine River
90.1 CHBJ-FM Slate Falls
89.9 CKYW-FM Summer Beaver
89.9 CHIO-FM Wapekeka
90.1 CHWL-FM Weagamow Lake
90.1 CKPN-FM Webequie
90.1 CHPM-FM Wunnumin Lake

You can also listen to WRN across Canada on Bell Satellite TV channel 962.

Wahsa Radio

Wahsa Radio is another network of radio stations. It broadcasts educational programs, including distance learning classes, and other helpful information. This network is run together with the Northern Nishnawbe Education Council.

Wahsa Radio can be heard on these stations:

91.9 CIDE-FM in Sioux Lookout, Ontario

Here are some of its repeater stations:

91.9 CIDE-1 Bearskin Lake
91.9 CIDE-2 Big Trout Lake
91.9 CIDE-3 Cat Lake
91.9 CIDE-4 Deer Lake
91.9 CIDE-5 Fort Severn
91.9 CIDE-6 Kasabonika
91.9 CIDE-21 Keewaywin

91.9 CIDE-7 Kingfisher Lake
91.9 CIDE-8 Lac Seul
91.9 CIDE-9 Muskrat Dam
91.9 CIDE-10 North Spirit Lake
91.9 CIDE-11 Osnaburgh
91.9 CIDE-12 Pikangikum
91.9 CIDE-13 Poplar Hill

91.9 CIDE-14 Sachigo
91.9 CIDE-15 Sandy Lake
91.9 CIDE-16 Slate Falls
91.9 CIDE-17 Wapekeka
91.9 CIDE-18 Weagamow Lake
91.9 CIDE-20 Webequie
91.9 CIDE-19 Wunnumin Lake

Wahsa Radio is also available nationwide on Bell Satellite TV channel 972.

Wawatay TV Productions

Wawatay TV creates television shows about Indigenous culture and life. These shows are broadcast across Canada on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. In the past, Wawatay TV also used to share broadcast time on the Ontario Parliament Network in remote Northern Ontario communities.

Wawatay Television has made many different types of programs. These include documentaries, children's shows like Wawatay Kids TV, and outdoor adventure programs.

Wawatay News Paper

Wawatay News is a newspaper published twice a month. It also has an online version called Wawatay News Online. The newspaper is printed in a tabloid size and is given out for free to people living in 93 First Nations communities in Northern Ontario. It is also sold at newsstands in other Northern Ontario communities. People outside of the main distribution area can subscribe to get the newspaper delivered. Wawatay News prints about 9,300 copies, reaching over 58,000 Aboriginal readers.

More Information

Wawatay News Online

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Wawatay Native Communications Society facts for kids

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