by Corey Matsumoto
Community Radio was my prefered choice of radio listening throughout my youth. I was lucky enough to have grown up in a city with a thriving community-radio station, Calgary, providing me with a continuous stream of new music and stimulating spoken-word programming.
Upon moving to what I thought of as the semi-remote community of Powell River in 2004, I was surprised and excited to discover CJMP 90.1FM (JUMP Radio)—a community-radio station broadcasting from the heart of the old downtown core. The fact that only 18 community-radio stations are listed on the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission website, in a province with over 150 towns and municipalities, makes JUMP Radio a bona fide rare gem indeed.
To my dismay, I realised shortly that this little gem of a radio station was massively under-utilised. According to a report released in October, 2007, by the Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA), the station is not alone in its struggle for community recognition. One of the common difficulties faced by community-radio stations is a population unable to recognise fully the wide-ranging benefits of community-radio development.
So what does community radio mean to a community?
Community radio not only provides an outlet for music lovers with a broadcasting bug, it also empowers members of a community to have their own radio shows to promote clubs and organizations, share ideas and information, or just speak their minds. Community radio also provides a means of improving one’s self-confidence through broadcasting, and provides a valuable training ground for those interested in broadcasting as a career.
The CIMA report states, “Community radio plays a vital role in building vibrant communities, in mobilizing groups to action by informing and empowering citizens, in giving voice to the marginalized groups of society, and in bringing community needs to the attention of local and even national governments”.
Being able to bring open discussion to the airwaves about issues important to the development of Powell River as a thriving community can play an important role in bringing about positive change and forward momentum. Without community radio, we are basically relegated to disconnected pockets of kitchen-table and coffee-shop conversations—with little sense of collective unity or shared common vision.
The key to a strong community-radio station is the involvement of the community through membership and volunteering, as well a responsive management structure able to ensure that the diverse needs of the community are met. A strong volunteer base also brings an abundance of dynamic content—something that JUMP Radio has been lacking.
JUMP Radio is undergoing major changes, the desired outcome to be the rebirth of a new JUMP Radio station with fresh management and a new outlook. If you are interested in the future of independent radio in Powell River, please attend the Riot for Radio event on Saturday March 21 at 8pm (details on back cover).
Source: Community Radio: Its Impact and Challenges to its Development—Working Group Report (October 9, 2007), Center for International Media Assistance—A project of the National Endowment for Democracy (Washington, D.C.)