Radio CKDU-FM

CKDU-FM (88.1 FM, formerly CKDU 97.5 FM) is a radio station broadcasting in a campus radio format from the campus of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Licensed to broadcast to the Halifax Regional Municipality area, it broadcasts via a 3200 watt transmitter heard primarily to the urban core of Halifax. CKDU, which began broadcasting as an FM station in 1985, is operated by the not-for-profit CKDU-FM Society. Its mandate is to provide the Halifax area with an alternative to public and private radio broadcasting. On February 14, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. AST CKDU began transmitting at 3200 watts at 88.1 FM. Their former frequency was 97.5 FM after first receiving CRTC in 1984. CKDU is a member of the National Campus and Community Radio Association, and hosted the National Campus and Community Radio Conference in 1999.

CKDU-FM music programming director Mark MacLeod, 1986.CKDU evolved from the Dalhousie University radio club, Radio Tiger, which dated back at least to the 1950s. In 1975 the station was dubbed CKDU and began broadcasting via closed circuit to Dalhousie residences from the Dalhousie Student Union Building (the SUB).

By 1985, the only place CKDU could be heard was from a speaker in the ceiling outside a bathroom on the top floor of the SUB. After a successful student referendum to fund the station, and approval from the CRTC, CKDU started broadcasting on FM as a 33 watt station. The signal was sufficient to cover the area around the university, with poorer reception throughout the rest of the city. At the time of launch the station was managed by Doug Varty, formally of CHSR-FM in Fredericton, and Keith Tufts, later to found alternative performance venues the Club Flamingo and the Pub Flamingo.

The former CKDU logo, used from the late 80s to 2006.The station's programming was initially heavily weighted to what was then considered "alternative" popular music, with a strong emphasis on such artists as Bauhaus, Ministry, Kate Bush and the Cure. In addition, the station broadcast several magazine style information programs as well as morning, noon and suppertime news/interview format programs. In late-1985, Mark MacLeod was hired after working at CHMA FM in Sackville, New Brunswick to become the station's program director. Working with other station staff, he diversified the station's music programming to include more jazz, multicultural, and other specialty musics.

In 2000 CKDU-FM received permission from the CRTC to upgrade its transmitter to a power of 3200 watts, and on February 14, 2006, the station became a high-power transmitter and moved from 97.5 FM to 88.1 FM.

On April 9, 2010, CKDU received approval to increase its power from 3,200 watts to 2,460 watts.