I was in Banff/Lake Louise yesterday and was listening to CKUA on the car radio. It's their fund raising drive & given the money coming in I think community orientated radio still matters. Community radio is a "micro" business & has a small but loyal audience.  G98.7 & The Grand 92.9 create great local radio & appear to do quite well.  I think the reason is simple; they focus on their core audience & know what they want.  

CKWR needs to reset itself completely & do something interesting perhaps like a CKUA.  A strong focus on the local arts scene from Elora through to Stratford (all elements of arts).  Or it could do something like Whistler 101.5 is doing.  Whistler 101.5 is a micro station that is all things Whistler BC.  It supports all things local and even does a live to air from local pubs.  

You know what's sad about community radio in KW?  It's all just lost.  CKWR is invisible.  The Sound had all the potential to become the voice of the "streets" of Waterloo.  CJIQ needs a plan beyond their white bread paint by numbers "alt rock" sound all day.  And their website makes ZERO sense.  They are "Rock Alternative" but their 3 shows on the front page of their website are the LEAST likely shows that match their regular format.  And 2 are from staff members to boot.