CKUA Radio is a community-supported, Alberta broadcasting service that enriches lives by presenting diverse music and original programming that entertains, engages and educates.
Never heard of Robbie Robertson. Did you mean Robber Robertson, the vile thief who lived to rip off his supposed friends in The Band? Now then, I’ve heard plenty about that particular tick turd!
As a volunteer there in the early hand to mouth days of CKUA’s revival, I thought perhaps some announcement on cost cutting would be in order. This is a Hail Mary call. The Board has (according to its own community report) focussed on getting funds from both levels of government for over a year, without success. So the CEO goes online and bashes the feds, then calls for a letter writing campaign. That’s not a plan. Its desperation
I believe that community radio is its own amazing thing. the federal government Funds CBC and its hard enough to get them to find budget to fund that. Why should CKUA Radio get federal funding if CJSR does not? I'm not saying they shouldn't but if I'm going to write a letter asking for government support of a community broadcaster even one as amazing as CKUA is, I want to know where those separations are. CKUA pays the CRTC for a license, pays artists via SOCAN. How does that all work if the government starts putting forth a community or public broadcaster grant/stipend? I love CKUA partially because since it's not funded by the government it has no interest in being answerable to the government its answerable to its community.
This came as a shock. As I understand it, a much beloved radio service was saved from closure by it’s devoted listeners; and, remains a success when measured against other radio services. But it has been burdened with debt and expenses which now drain its cash reserves and threaten its existence. This is a Board and management failure of profound dimension. In pray the listening audience will save the station again; and, that a more responsible Board will not endanger this cultural treasure yet again.
