As 106.9 The X continues broadcasting through its final academic term at Fanshawe College, students say the station has played a significant role in their training.
The station, which has been on the air for nearly 50 years, is closely linked to Fanshawe’s Broadcasting, Radio and Media Production program. That program was permanently suspended in April 2025 following a review of the college’s academic offerings. Students in the program are completing their final semester, and the station remains operational until the end of the term.
Mary Harrison, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Language at Fanshawe College, said the decision to suspend the program came after an analysis of enrolment trends, labour market demand and financial viability.
“In the spring of 2025, the college was in a position to make some really difficult decisions regarding programming,” Harrison said, citing insufficient provincial funding and financial pressures affecting the post-secondary education institutions.
Following the suspension of the broadcasting program, the college determined it could no longer financially support the licensed radio station, which had been a central component of the program.
Harrison said 106.9 The X served as a key experiential learning environment, allowing students to work in a live, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)-licensed broadcast setting.
“The radio station has been such a point of pride for the college,” she said, noting that many graduates who trained at the station went on to careers in the broadcasting industry.
While institutional decisions explain why the station is set to close, students working inside the station during its final months say its impact has been felt daily.
Emily Slagter, a student announcer and commercial writer at 106.9, said the opportunity to work in an on-campus station was a major draw when she applied to the program.
“When I read the program description and saw that we would actually be working at a station, that really stood out,” Slagter said.
She said the station provided a professional environment that closely resembled industry conditions, with collaboration between radio and journalism students.
“It wasn’t just a training program,” Slagter said. “It felt like a work environment where everyone was learning together.”
Slagter said learning about the station’s future came as a shock, particularly given the sense of connection students developed through their work.
“I didn’t expect to become emotionally attached, but over time I really grew to love being there,” she said.
For former students, the station served as an early professional testing ground.
Alessio Donnini, now a reporter with CBC London, said his experience at 106.9 helped prepare him for the realities of professional journalism.
“People are listening, and the standards are higher,” Donnini said, referring to the station’s status as a CRTC-licensed broadcaster. “That environment really forces you to go above and beyond.”
Donnini said the skills he developed while working at the station were directly transferable to his current role, particularly the accountability that comes with producing content for a real audience.
Looking ahead, Harrison said Fanshawe is in discussions with a local community organization about a possible transfer of the station’s broadcasting licence, a process that would require CRTC approval.
“One of the pieces we’re talking about is continued opportunities for Fanshawe students to be involved with an on-air broadcasting station,” she said.
As 106.9 The X continues broadcasting through its final term, the station remains an important part of the student experience, even as its future is set to change.
