CJMP 90.1FM awarded $50,000 from Community Radio Fund of Canada
CJMP Radio Station / Photo provided
CJMP 90.1 FM and the Powell River Community Radio Society are pleased to announce that the Society has received a $50,000 grant from the Community Radio Fund of Canada. These funds will develop and support the CJMP Community News Stream.
The main goal of this project is to develop a news department created by and for the community. It includes creating workshops taught by media professionals; one on how to report the news, the other on the technical aspects of getting it on the air. Volunteers will then produce a one-hour weekly news show. The grant will fund three staff positions for one year, including Station Manager, News Director and Community Engagement Editor. There will also be funds and mentorship available for contract documentary producers.
Carrie Swiggum, Powell River Community Radio Society President, at CJMP 90.1FM / Photo provided
“This is a chance for the station to really connect with and grow our audience in a way that we haven’t been able to before,” said Carrie Swiggum, society president. “At the very least, the grant will provide the means to create a solid training ground for aspiring producers while informing the community on important topics.”
The grant builds on the success of Powell River Votes, CJMP’s election coverage that informed listeners about the 2014 municipal race. In early 2015, the society sent a survey to its members and a majority responded that local political coverage, First Nations content, and environmental reporting was “high priority” or “essential” programming.
The CRFC awards annual grants through a competitive application and review process. The Society has received several CRFC grants in the station’s five-year history since it went back on the air in 2011.
