CJTR manager Neil Adams says the station will need to raise $40,000 in its upcoming fundraiser to “keep the lights on.”
Published Oct 06, 2023 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 4 minute read
You won’t hear Regina’s community radio station broadcasting the same Foo Fighters song every 45 minutes.
CJTR’s station manager Neil Adams delivers that genuine guarantee in a half-joking tone.
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No, the non-profit station found at 91.3 on the FM dial, broadcasts a diverse range of music and spoken-word content that deviates from what a listener might hear on a commercial station.
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And it does this in eight different languages other than English, Adams notes.
But keeping the station afloat has become increasingly difficult. Adams says CJTR will need to come up with $40,000 — the goal of its annual Radiothon fundraiser running Oct. 13-19.
“That’s going to keep the lights on,” he says, noting the amount will largely pay for staff and buy the station “a few months” to secure further funding.
About 80 per cent of the station’s revenue has traditionally been from advertising, but he says after the COVID-19 pandemic slammed small businesses, they couldn’t (and many still can’t) afford to advertise with CJTR.
From the pre-pandemic “good-old days,” revenues have dropped by about 50 per cent, Adams says, noting that the station cut its staff from “up to four at any given time” down to two.
The station has also had its Facebook account blocked in the fallout from the federal government’s Bill C18, which mandated tech companies negotiate deals to compensate news outlets for content.
Meta, Facebook’s parent company, chose instead to block access to news in this country on its platform.
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CJTR, through its obligation to ensure 15 per cent of its programming is spoken word, is somehow considered a “news” outlet by Meta, despite the only actual news content it offers being “Inside Europe,” a program from a German broadcaster, Adams says.
“I don’t blame the government for trying (to help local media). I do blame Meta for their tantrum in response to it.”
He says social media doesn’t have much of a bearing on the station’s day-to-day listenership, but “to not have it during a fundraiser is critical.”
CJTR doesn’t get a dime from the federal government, he added, noting large media outlets like Postmedia have benefitted from government help.
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While he says the station has feverishly sought funding through “every grant imaginable,” it is facing hard choices if it doesn’t get an injection. That might mean changing its ownership, providing a prospective owner was willing to carry on its mandate — or worse, closing its doos.
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Above all, he says protecting the programming is the goal. If CJTR’s antenna ceases to transmit, it will mean the loss of a platform that provides exposure for local musicians, a place to discuss local issues and an audio hub for newcomers looking to connect with their community.
For Zohra Zahir, it’s an emotional time. When she came to Regina from Afghanistan in 2018, she immediately began seeking out people in the city who spoke her language, to help her understand the local culture.
She very quickly became involved with CJTR’s program Navaye Ashena (meaning “Familiar Voice” in Farsi), on which she remains a co-host. The name of the show resonates with her, she says.
“The moment you hear a familiar voice, you’re just like, ‘You know what? I’m safe, I’m happy, I’m here. Like, I have my people.’ ”
She says the station does that — connects people with their community, in this community.
And through listening to other programs on the station, she says she’s connected with other cultures through their music.
Sitting on the station’s board, she says she’s come to realize the difficult situation CJTR is in. She finds the prospect of the station shutting down “heartbreaking,” but it has also energized her to try to find ways to help, she says.
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“Not having CJTR, for me, means not having a voice.”
Should the station go silent, she would feel disconnected from her community, like she didn’t “exist” anymore, she says.
She’s optimistic that the Radiothon will meet its goal, but to do so, those who love the station will need to tell people what its value is, she adds.
She invites anyone who is interested to tune in as she hosts a special show, in English, on Oct. 15 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. She plans to play some Persian music and has invited some of her friends to react to what they hear.
“I hope this Radiothon kind of shows us that there are people hearing us.”
After the station has spent more than 20 years broadcasting to the local community, she says, “we need their help.”
More information about the Radiothon can be found online at cjtr.ca.
bharder@postmedia.com
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