Community radio to get cash for training and skills development

Volunteer-run radio broadcasters, long starved of cash, will receive a jab in the arm next year with the launch of a new national program for training and skills development.Armed with $1.4 million in its coffers, the Community Radio Fund of Canada (CFRC) is looking to launch two programs to support community broadcasting. The funding comes from Astral Media Inc. and will be used to manage the Astral Media Radio Talent Development Program and the Astral Media Youth Development Program over seven years, or about $200,000 annually.“If all goes well, we plan to launch the call at the end of January, and stations will have a month to apply,” says Melanie Kaestner, CFRC’s executive director. CFRD members will have a month to submit proposals and Kaestner expects money will be dispersed by next April.The CFRC was launched in May as a collaboration between the National Campus and Community Radio Association, Alliance des radios communautaires (ARC) du Canada and the Association de radiodiffuseurs communautaires du Québec, three of Canada’s largest community radio associations.The CFRC elected its inaugural board of directors in September, and held its first board meeting held Oct. 28.Kaestner says while the $1.4 million funding from Astral Media Inc. is welcome, the board will start exploring other sources of funding. She decried the minimal funding that is available to community broadcasters in Canada.“Given our resources, we just don’t have the ability to be as strong as the public and private broadcasters,” she says, emphasizing why the board will be engaged in pursuing other sources of funding.Currently, Kaestner says the CFRC has established links with the Department of Heritage for potential funding but adds that at the moment, it is unlikely that this will be forthcoming because the Department still has to get to know more about the CFRC.“It’s moving forward but we are not there yet and certainly with the current government—and looking at something they did in their previous term in regards to cutting arts and culture funding—we don’t want to put all our eggs in one basket, but we certainly are going to leave some in,” says Kaestner, adding that the board will also be exploring funding opportunities with private broadcasters and government departments.The CRFC was also certified by the CRTC earlier this year as an eligible recipient for Canadian Content Development contributions, enabling it to work with private broadcasters to create other granting programs. As funding is secured, the CRFC will support a variety of programming initiatives, with a focus on local news, public affairs programming, community access, and the work of emerging musical artists. Stations will also receive assistance in responding to community needs, with help in building capacity in volunteer support, governance, community relations, and new media technologies.With the advent of media concentration, Kaestner says it is important to maintain an independent line of broadcasting services through community broadcasters to sustain Canada’s democracy and the obligations stipulated in the Broadcasting Act, which recognize the existence of public, private and community broadcasters. There are currently 130-140 community radio stations across Canada, broadcasting in about 40 languages.“From town to town, most radio — whether it is CBC or commercial — sounds just like the radio you find in Montreal or Vancouver or Toronto. It doesn’t reflect unique regional and local diversity,” Roger Ouellette, President of ARC du Canada said earlier this year. “The programming of each community radio station is produced and hosted by staff and volunteers from vastly different backgrounds, all of whom make their own editorial decisions. We are grassroots local.”

Community radio to get cash for training and skills development

Broadcast | November 20, 2008

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