Broadcasting students at Fanshawe College are demanding tuition refunds after losing access to campus radio station, 106.9 The X (CIXX-FM), for the winter 2026 semester.
After suspending numerous programs earlier this year amid a sharp decline in enrolment, including Broadcasting – Radio & Media Production, Journalism – Television and Digital News, and Advanced Live Digital Media Production, the London-based college made an appeal for partners to keep the station going earlier this fall saying that without future students in the radio program beyond April 2026, Fanshawe was unable to continue supporting the campus radio station financially. It appears without a partner stepping forward, the station is slated to go dark by the end of December.
This week, students from the Broadcasting – Radio and Media Production and Journalism – Broadcast programs submitted a formal letter to Dean Mary Harrison, Associate Dean Jeff Miles, and President Peter Devlin, outlining concerns about how loss of access to the station will impact “program delivery, tuition value, and advertised academic services.”
While Fanshawe also operates online radio station CFRL, the letter maintains that “CFRL does not provide licensed FM broadcasting experience and cannot replace the educational, regulatory, and professional value of CIXX-FM.”
It goes on to state that under provincial consumer protection guidelines, the college has breached what was marketed and expected.
“Colleges cannot advertise licensed FM experience, enroll students based on this claim, charge tuition accordingly, and later remove that component without adjustment.”
“The licensed FM experience is a primary recruiting tool, core differentiator, and key employability factor,” it continued. “Removing access directly contradicts the conditions under which students committed to this program.”
Students are requesting a tuition reassessment or partial refund for the winter 2026 semester, “proportional to the removal of licensed FM access and the resulting failure to deliver a materially advertised component of the program.” They are also circulating a petition.
Fanshawe College said it plans to respond to student concerns soon.
“We understand that our Broadcasting – Radio and Media Production students have questions and concerns about upcoming changes to the operation of CIXX-FM,” the college said in a statement. “As requested, we have committed to responding to the students with further details soon. For now, I can confirm we are in the process of engaging with community partners who have voiced an interest in Fanshawe’s broadcasting license.”
Broadcast Dialogue has learned that with the campus station slated to go off the air, layoff notices have been handed out to three full-time and one part-time Fanshawe staff members.
