News
Imprint, Friday, January 18, 2008
CKMS: Station could lose funding Continued from cover
The notion of Feds starting their own radio station is somewhat ironic, considering the station now known as CKMS started out as a group funded by Feds. CKMS only gained bureaucratic autonomy from Feds in 1977 as a condition for being granted a broadcasting license from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunication Commission (CRTC). In 1978 the portion of the Feds fee which funded the station was rolled into its own fee, the fee at the focus of this debate. While students against the fee have pointed out that the CKMS fee was added without a referendum (something not possible today) and thus this will be the first time the entire full-time undergraduate body will vote on the issue, council at the time did vote in favour and undergrads provided a petition with 2,500 signatures of support. In a statement from Radio Waterloo president Bob Puersten, the $5.50 refundable fee makes up about 90 per cent of the station’s funding. The remainder comes “from several sources, including the general community, through various fundraisers throughout the year,” said Puerton, adding: “All community members at CKMS also pay a $15 fee individually for the privilege to become members. Students who pay their fee are automatically members of CKMS. “We are charitable corporation, meaning that we apply for grants from time to time to support various initiatives and projects, but this funding is not operational and is sporadic.” Puersten also said that although they do not subscribe to the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement due to cost, “[the] general consensus in the industry, I believe, is that a campus station in a college community of our size is that, given the general population of the area we broadcast to, we could have around 2,500 active listeners at any given time.” According to the CKMS website, “CKMS-FM will provide programming that is an alternative not merely for the sake of being different, but with the intent of providing a service to the community.” By and large, this mandate for alternative programming is set not just for CKMS but for all campus radio stations by CRTC. “The commission’s primary objective for the campus radio sector is that it provide programming differing in style and substance from that provided by other elements of the broadcasting system, particularly commercial stations and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). The commission considers that campus stations should add diversity to the broadcasting system by providing alternative programming in both music and spoken word.” Of the CRTC regulations, Puersten said, ”It is what this sector does. It is what campus radio is morally required to fulfill. It is the spirit of the entire endeavour ultimately.” Feds councillor Andrew Falcao was a vocal opponent of the referendum. During the council meeting he said that if the question as put to referendum did pass, the people who want to support the radio station would no longer have the means to do so. “If the vote does pass, those who don’t like CKMS will be speaking for everyone.” President Kevin Royal responded to this line of thought towards the end of the meeting, saying, “I think
Nikoo Shahabi
that if support continued to exist it shouldn’t be facilitated by a tax system but rather a voluntary donation system.” When Imprint solicited Falcao’s response to this position, he said, “From a theoretical approach I might be inclined to agree, but in a real world situation the removal of the CKMS fee would spell the rapid decline of the station, if not the outright death.” Feds councillor Justin Williams reluctantly voiced support for holding a referendum at the council meeting, citing concern that since the referendum was brought about by council and not by a student petition there was no “groundswell” to advocate the yes and no sides of the issue. However, both councilllors Andrey and Falcao have stated they know people interested in heading the Yes and No committees respectively. Also, “Join the YES Committee for the CKMS referendum” and “I support CKMS” groups have already popped up on Facebook. Hopefully in the coming month, students will see some good debate capped off with a firm resolution. mdavenport@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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