CKDU has beaten out some major bandwidth in their win for Best Local Radio Station. From its humble beginnings in 1964 as a radio club, the station has developed into a volunteer-run, 24-hour station (found at 97.5FM). “Our mandate is to provide an alternative on the radio,” says music director Jessica Whyte. “We don’t play top 40, we play what you don’t hear on public or commercial radio.” Among its many roles, the station plays an integral one in the local music scene. “We’re the only station that plays a lot of local music,” says Whyte. “Almost every week the majority of our chart is made up of local artists, and we’re also doing something now where if you have a local CD release, we’ll give you 20 free ads.”
Runners-up: Q104, C100
