Wikipedia

NCI FM

(Redirected from Native Communications)

NCI FM is a First Nations radio network in Manitoba. Owned by Native Communications Inc. (NCI), it broadcasts programming targeting First Nations communities in Manitoba, including mainstream country music, and specialty programs featuring Indigenous music.

CICY-FM
Broadcast area
Winnipeg Metropolitan Region
Frequency105.5 MHz
BrandingNCI FM
Programming
FormatCountry; First Nations community radio
Ownership
OwnerNative Communications Inc.
CIUR-FM
History
First air date
1998 (1998)
Technical information
ClassC1
ERP100,000 watts
HAAT143 metres (469 ft)
TranslatorSee below
Links
WebcastListen live
Websitencifm.com

The network is headquartered at 1507 Inkster Boulevard in Winnipeg, where it is heard locally on the Selkirk-licensed transmitter 105.5 CICY-FM. NCI operates 57 transmitters and rebroadcasters across the province.[1][2]

History

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NCI was first established in 1971 as a radio broadcaster targeting First Nations communities in Northern Manitoba, founded by Donald A. McIvor (1925-2006)—a former mayor of Wabowden, Manitoba, and member of the Northern Association of Community Councils.[3] Initially, NCI served as a producer of programming, which it aired as time-buys on local stations.[2]

In the 1990s, NCI began to build out a radio network of its own, receiving licenses for transmitters serving various Manitoba communities. In 1994, NCI received approval from the CRTC for a First Nations radio station in Thompson, Manitoba on 96.3 FM; CINC-FM would serve as the initial originating station for the NCI network,[4] carrying at least 126 hours of programming per-week in the English, Cree, Dene, Oji-Cree, and Saulteaux languages. At least 54 hours of programming per-week would be networked programming, produced by NCI from Thompson, and supplied from CFWE in Lac La Biche, Alberta.[5] In 1997, NCI was granted a license for a transmitter on 105.5 FM in Selkirk, Manitoba, which would serve Winnipeg.[4]

The NCI network officially launched in 1998.[2] In 2000, the Selkirk transmitter became the separately-licensed station CICY-FM, and the NCI network phased out CFWE programming in favour of programs originating from CICY's studios in Winnipeg.[4]

In June 2008, the CRTC approved an application by NCI for a second station in Winnipeg, CIUR-FM, which would initially launch in 2009 as Streetz 104.7—a separate urban contemporary station carrying music targeting Aboriginal youth.[6][7][8] As of April 2026, the station operates as rhythmic adult contemporary Ziibi 104.7.[9]

Transmitters

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Call signFrequencyCity of License
VF219696.9 FMBerens River[10]
VF233996.9 FMBloodvein[11]
CIWM-FM107.5 FMBrandon/Dauphin[12][13]
VF222096.9 FMBrochet[14]
VF242093.9 FMCamperville[15]
VF231296.9 FMChurchill[16]
VF226196.9 FMCormorant[17]
CICP-FM96.9 FMCranberry Portage[18]
VF219593.5 FMCross Lake[19]
CIDM-FM97.3 FMDauphin[20]
VF242193.5 FMDauphin River
VF226296.9 FMDuck Bay
VF233793.5 FMEasterville
CIFR-FM96.9 FMFairford/Lake St. Martin[21]
CIFF-FM101.1 FMFlin Flon[22]
VF233493.5 FMFox Lake[23]
VF219896.9 FMGarden Hill
VF2333101.1 FMGillam
VF217493.5 FMGods Lake Narrows[24]
VF217593.9 FMGods River
VF226396.9 FMGrand Rapids
VF233693.5 FMGriswold
VF234093.5 FMHollow Water/Manigotagan[25][26]
VF242293.9 FMIlford/War Lake
VF240493.5 FMJackhead
VF210696.9 FMLac Brochet
VF233593.5 FMLake Manitoba
VF240693.5 FMLeaf Rapids
VF240796.9 FMLittle Grand Rapids
VF2382101.7 FMLong Plain
VF242396.9 FMLynn Lake
VF231396.9 FMMoose Lake
VF222296.9 FMNelson House
CINR-FM92.9 FMNorway House[27]
VF231496.9 FMOxford House
VF250493.3 FMPaint Lake
VF240593.5 FMPauingassi [28]
CIPM-FM100.9 FMPeguis
CKQX-FM96.9 FMPelican Rapids
VF226496.9 FMPikwitonei
VF216796.9 FMPukatawagan [29]
VF210896.9 FMRed Sucker Lake
CIST-FM93.5 FMSt. Theresa Point[30]
CICY-FM105.5 FMSelkirk (Winnipeg)
VF219996.9 FMShamattawa
VF234293.5 FMSherridon [31]
VF246296.3 FMSnow Lake[32]
CISI-FM96.9 FMSouth Indian Lake [33]
VF226596.9 FMSplit Lake
CISF-FM90.5 FMSwan Lake
CISV-FM93.3 FMSwan River[34]
VF210996.9 FMTadoule Lake
CITP-FM92.7 FMThe Pas
VF233896.9 FMThicket Portage
CINC-FM96.3 FMThompson [5]
VF216896.9 FMWabowden
CIWR-FM93.5 FMWaterhen
CHYL-FM93.5 FMYork Landing

Programming and events

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Some of NCI FM's regular weekly programming includes:

  • The Métis Hour x2, a two-hour Saturday morning program presented by the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF). It features a mix of classic country and Métis music, and news and information oriented towards Manitoba's Métis community (including regular appearances by MMF president David Chartrand). From its premiere in 1998 through 2022, the program was co-hosted by musician Ray St. Germain and Naomi Clarke; St. Germain retired from the program in 2022.[35][36]
  • The Indigenous Music Countdown, a weekly chart show devoted to music by Indigenous performers; the program has been syndicated to other First Nations radio stations in Canada and the United States, and is also carried by SiriusXM Canada's The Indigiverse.[37][38]
  • Friends on Fridays, a weekly all-request call-in show aired on Friday evenings, hosted by Jordan Knight and Davey Gott; the show has been described as being an institution among Manitoba's First Nations communities, with Gott stating it that it receives enough calls that getting on the air was akin to winning a lottery.[39][40]

The network broadcasts Radio Bingo on Saturday mornings.[41]

NCI hosts an annual concert event known as the "NCI Jam", which features a talent show highlighting amateur Indigenous musicians, as well as special guest performances and award presentations.[42][1]

References

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  1. 1 2 "NCI FM Radio: Celebrating over 50 Years of Indigenous Voices and Music". SAY Magazine. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
  2. 1 2 3 "'The sound of home': Indigenous radio station celebrates 50 years of programming". CJOB. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
  3. ↑ "MCIVOR DONALD - Obituaries - Winnipeg Free Press Passages". passages.winnipegfreepress.com. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
  4. 1 2 3 "CINC/CICY-FM – The History of Canadian Broadcasting". Retrieved 2026-05-09.
  5. 1 2 "Decision CRTC 93-631 - New native radio programming undertaking". CRTC. 1993-09-27. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
  6. ↑ "New station on the air with aboriginal hip-hop". Winnipeg Sun. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
  7. ↑ "Hip station plays aboriginal tunes". Winnipeg Free Press. 2009-12-15. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
  8. ↑ "Licensing of new radio stations to serve Winnipeg, Manitoba". CRTC. 2008-08-21. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  9. ↑ Thiessen, Connie (2026-04-21). "NCI reimagines Winnipeg's 104.7 FM as Indigenous young adult station". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  10. ↑ Decision CRTC 98-232
  11. ↑ Decision CRTC 2000-48
  12. ↑ Decision CRTC 2001-126
  13. ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2016-100, CINC-FM Thompson and its transmitter CIWM-FM Brandon - Licence amendment and technical changes, CRTC, March 16, 2016
  14. ↑ Decision CRTC 93-600
  15. ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2003-68
  16. ↑ Decision CRTC 98-146
  17. ↑ Decision CRTC 94-164
  18. ↑ Decision CRTC 99-24
  19. ↑ Decision CRTC 93-71
  20. ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2019-273
  21. ↑ Decision CRTC 2000-18
  22. ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2004-287
  23. ↑ Decision CRTC 2000-32
  24. ↑ Decision CRTC 92-713
  25. ↑ Decision CRTC 2000-97
  26. ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2002-318
  27. ↑ Decision CRTC 95-243
  28. ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2002-170
  29. ↑ Decision CRTC 84-741
  30. ↑ Decision CRTC 99-34
  31. ↑ Decision CRTC 2000-254
  32. ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2004-113
  33. ↑ Decision CRTC 99-257
  34. ↑ Decision CRTC 99-516
  35. ↑ "Apr 2022: Ray St. Germain hangs up mic after 23 years". Winnipeg Free Press. 2022-04-22. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  36. ↑ "Jun 2024: St. Vital street renamed in honour of St. Germain". Winnipeg Free Press. 2024-06-19. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
  37. ↑ Thiessen, Connie (2025-09-26). "Indigenous broadcasters advocate for five per cent music quota". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
  38. ↑ Canada, Roots Music (2024-01-22). "3 new discoveries from the recent Indigenous Music Countdown debuts". Retrieved 2026-05-09.
  39. ↑ "'The sound of home': Indigenous radio station celebrates 50 years of programming". CJOB. Canadian Press. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
  40. ↑ Monkman, Lenard (2021-03-14). "Indigenous radio call-in show a 'bridge' keeping communities connected during pandemic". CBC News. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  41. ↑ "NCI bingo sales support St. Eustache Métis". Winnipeg Free Press. 2020-08-24. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
  42. ↑ Music, Manitoba (2007-09-24). "The NCI JAM Does It Again!". Indigenous Music. Retrieved 2026-05-10.
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