After the University of Ottawa ends funding for their campus radio, CFMU weighs in on the importance of community radio for McMaster and community

In a referendum ending on Oct. 13, students at the University of Ottawa voted to end the levy granted to their campus radio station, CHUO 89.1.

CHUO had been on the air in Ottawa since their licensing in 1991, broadcasting before then over closed circuit on university campus and in the residence buildings. As Canada’s first independent bilingual station, CHUO hosts a variety of shows and provides many language and cultural communities with information and entertainment in Ottawa. However, with the recent referendum, the future of the station could be in jeopardy.

With a record high voter turnout of 7.7 percent, students were asked to vote on 10 referendum questions in addition to the University of Ottawa’s Students Union’s byelection. One of the questions posed to students: “Do you support stopping the $4.99/year inflation-adjusted levy collected on behalf of the external organization CHUO 89.1 FM?”

69.7 per cent of those who voted moved in favour of ending the levy, which will result in a loss of funding to the CHUO approximating $360,000-380,000 or about 80 per cent of their total operating budget. With this blow to the station, acting manager Grant Stein explained that while it remains to be seen if the station will close, if it remains in operation, it will be a different one than before.

In an open letter to the University of Ottawa's independent student news outlet, the Fulcrum, Stein expressed his concerns over the legality of the decision in accordance with the UOSU constitution. He claims that the bylaws were manipulated and have led to an unfair result.

Barry Rooke, the executive director for the National Campus and Community Radio Association, wrote in an op-ed that local radio in Canada is vital for connecting local communities as they are able to focus on more regional stories and the people behind them.

“The defunding of even one station is a blow to the rich tapestry of local content that binds our communities,” said Rooke.

The defunding of even one station is a blow to the rich tapestry of local content that binds our communities.

Barry Rooke, Executive Director, National Campus and Community Radio Association

The loss of the programs on these stations that encourage diversity and provide reliable news is a problem today more so after Meta's removal of local Canadian news content from their social media platforms.

At McMaster University, CFMU 93.3 has been broadcasting since 1978 and is Canada’s third oldest campus radio station. Priding themselves on providing independent broadcasting, they say that they are unafraid to cover risky subjects that need attention and are completely listener supported.

Jamie Tennant, who is the current programming director at the CFMU and has been with the station since 1999, said in an interview that the necessity of a campus radio station has been questioned to the CFMU before.

Tennant spoke on the troubles the CFMU has faced by those who do not see the purpose for a campus radio station.

“In every instance we have managed to show them the value. . .of what CFMU brings to the table in terms of programming, in terms of student opportunities. . .and we have made an effort and continue to do so that we are meeting students where they are, not just as an FM radio station,” said Tenant.

In every instance we have managed to show them the value. . .of what CFMU brings to the table in terms of programming, in terms of student opportunities. . .and we have made an effort and continue to do so that we are meeting students where they are, not just as an FM radio station.

Jamie Tenant, Programming Director, CFMU

Despite this ability to showcase the value of the station, the CFMU has faced budget cuts in the past.

“Several years ago we took a cut to our fee and we accepted it, we were like, that's fair to students, we can try to reorganize and continue forward and we did,” said Tennant.

Tenant noted that the station has worked closely with the MSU and has their support through the help CFMU offers to other MSU clubs and organizations.

Tenant explained that unlike commercial stations, campus radio is unburdened by the necessity to earn money for corporate sponsors. The freedom to broadcast content that they want to air allows them to deliver a localized focus that can lack from a mainstream for-profit station.

“There is a certain thing that community radio — campus radio — can do that other platforms can’t,” said Tenant.

Adrienne Coddett, host of CHUO’s Black on Black, echoed this statement.

"This type of radio serves the needs of a very important niche community that unfortunately sometimes don't get seen or heard through mainstream radio," stated Coddett.

As staff at CHUO look to find an avenue to continue broadcasting, the upcoming UOSU elections in February 2024 present the possibility to reevaluate the decision made on Oct. 13. As any student at the University of Ottawa is able to propose a referendum question, the future of CHUO is up to those students who recognize and value its contribution to the community.

In an isolating pandemic, music serves as a crucial way for us to cope

By: Jesica Martinez de Hoz, Contributor

The arts are repeatedly seen as non-essential. Yet, as COVID-19 has heightened issues in our economic, social and political structures, we look to music not only as a distraction from the outside world but as a means of connection.

Though it may seem like more than a lifetime ago, if you think back to March of this year you might remember the viral story about people all over Italy stepping out onto their balconies and joining together in song. After being restricted to their homes due to a country-wide lockdown, many Italians chose to use music as a way to keep their spirits up and stay in touch throughout an extremely distressing time.

A lot of musicians, rather than singing from the rooftops, have been using this time indoors to concentrate on making music. While some artists, like Taylor Swift, were able to write, record and make music videos for an entire album during the pandemic, others have had to come up with innovative ideas on how to collaborate and continue creating. Yet, regardless of any new struggles they have to face, the pandemic has not stopped musicians from making music. 

Thank goodness for that. While this was happening across the globe, many Canadian students, including myself, were finishing up the winter 2020 semester online. Now, more than ever, do we need music to help us get by. Just as musicians use their songs as a way to express themselves, we listen to them in order to brighten our mood, better understand our own emotions or simply escape. Whether it was used to pass the time or as a diversion from current events, the amount of media consumed rapidly increased.

Music has helped me cope with the events of the last couple of months through a radio show which I host on CFMU, McMaster University’s community radio station. In being able to produce a new show every week, I’m given a creative outlet to share my thoughts, as well as the chance to promote the artists who have helped me de-stress while being stuck inside.

In being able to produce a new show every week, I’m given a creative outlet to share my thoughts, as well as the chance to promote the artists who have helped me de-stress while being stuck inside.

At first, it was difficult to transition from recording live at the station, to trying to figure out how to use GarageBand all by myself. However, like many musicians, in forcing me to adapt, this pandemic has provided me with the opportunity and incentive to learn a new skill that I would have never otherwise attempted.

With several of CFMU’s hosts also taking steps to record their shows from home, the station has continued to act as a bridge between the McMaster and Hamilton communities during this period of isolation. Locally and globally, radio is helping musicians remain connected with their fans and listeners stay connected within their communities, showing yet another one of the music’s many influences.

We often take for granted how substantial music is in our daily lives, even before COVID-19. Yet, whether it's an outlet for us to be creative and express ourselves, a diversion from stressful current events or a way to feel connected, music has been an essential way for many to manage in this pandemic.

Photo C/O Grant Holt

By: Elizabeth DiEmanuele

“We often don’t realize how resilient we can be,” says Kerri Latham, career counsellor at the Student Success Centre. “The truth is, the more times you fail, the easier it is to try.”

For the Student Success Centre, providing students with the resources and supports needed to develop their resiliency in university is important. One piece of this work is normalizing failure, uncertainty and other factors that contribute to wanting to give up on a goal, project, idea, or dream.

As Jenna Storey, academic skills program coordinator at the Student Success Centre, says, “Students often encounter challenges in achieving their academic goals. Resiliency in academics is about bouncing back after these challenges, and also recognizing and working through them by incorporating better academic and personal management skills.”

Most recently, the Centre led a digital campaign called #StickWithIt, a resiliency campaign that responded to student experiences the Centre addresses in its regular roster of programs, services and workshops. Staff have also participated in the CFMU’s MorningFile show, covering topics from Thriving in Academic Uncertainty to Developing Career Resilience.

In Kerri’s role, resiliency is an ongoing conversation and practice. Whether it’s through her one-on-one appointments, a career and employment session, or a Career Planning Group, one thing is clear: there is a shared uncertainty for many students around what they are going to do and where they are going to go next.

Kerri shares, “Though there are expectations, reflecting on your own priorities can help you stay grounded to pursue a direction that is best for you. Try not to get swayed too much by what others are doing. Know yourself and honour your own path.”

Knowing yourself does not necessarily mean “know your passion.” As Kerri suggests, “This puts a lot of false expectations on students, but the main thing is to pay attention to those seeds of interests and allow them to grow. Though it might feel like everyone has it figured out, there is always change, uncertainty and new directions.  It’s okay to not know right now – uncertainty is to be expected.”

For students focused on what’s next, Kerri recommends breaking big decisions into smaller chunks; and when job searching, focusing more on the opportunities and skills students want to develop. She also encourages students to use their strengths and supports, like family, friends or mentors.

The good news is: students don’t have to go through it alone. The Student Success Centre is a place for students to explore, from the moment they accept their offer of admission and up to ten years after graduation. Upcoming sessions include:

Register for workshops or a career counselling appointment on OSCARplus.

Visit studentsuccess.mcmaster.ca to learn more.

 

[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]

Photo C/O Alexandra Vergyris

When Meghan McPeak first picked up a basketball as a young girl, like a lot of basketball-loving kids, professional dreams were soon on her mind. Growing up with a family who watched and played sports, a father who played baseball and a brother who played basketball, baseball and soccer, sports were destined to be a part of McPeak’s life.

Being a tall kid growing up, a friend of McPeak’s encouraged her to try out for her basketball team, and right off the bat, she fell in love with the sport.

“As a kid, it was a great way to exert my energy and run around with friends, so I just loved it,” said McPeak. “But as I've gotten older, the love of the game has not only grown, it has changed in a way for me, now that I'm in broadcasting.”

McPeak knew early on that she would have a career in broadcasting but she did not expect it to come this early. A former varsity basketball player for Humber College, McPeak had plans to play basketball professionally overseas, but at the same time she was always planning for life beyond playing basketball.

“When I was in school deciding what program I would take, [broadcasting] was more thinking life after basketball,” said McPeak. “It wasn't until I finished college with a really bad injury and realizing that it may not be the pro route for me, I realized that I had to really focus on broadcasting.”

A career-ending injury is not an easy thing for any athlete to endure. After dedicating so much time and effort to one thing only to not get the result one wants, it is easy to want nothing to with the sport at all. But that is not how McPeak approached the situation. A firm believer of everything happens for a reason, she knew this was not the end of her basketball story.

“Life after basketball happened sooner than I expected but it was the right time for me,” McPeak said.

Luckily for McPeak, her first job came shortly after she graduated. After her co-worker at her part-time job forwarded her a McMaster email that was looking for a play-by-play announcer for McMaster basketball games, she jumped at the opportunity.

“I emailed Jamie Tennant, CMFU Program Director at the time, and it kind of went off from there,” said McPeak.

From 2009 -2012, McPeak called Marauder basketball games. She also got to do work with Cable 14 when they would cover the games, and it really put her degree to good use.

“It was great because it's not typical that you can graduate and within six months you're working in the line of work that you want to be in and went to school for,” McPeak said. “Not being a Mac student or graduate, I got really lucky that Jamie was willing to give me the opportunity.”

“Hopefully he's looking back now and realizing that without him taking a chance on me, I may not have had the career that I have had up to this point. So I thank him a lot for giving me the opportunity for those four seasons,” McPeak added.

Though some may consider her lucky for getting the opportunity that she did, it has been nothing but preparation that has carried her the rest of the way.

“I think early on the timing was lucky with me, but I would say over the last five or six years, it's where my luck and preparation met at the right time,” said McPeak. “I think I've been able to prove that through my preparation, I've been lucky enough to get the opportunities I’ve gotten.”

The career McPeak has had up to this point is nothing short of amazing. Following her four seasons with the Marauders, she was a play-by-play announcer for the Canadian National Basketball League and then the National Basketball Association Development, now Gatorade, League team, the Raptors 905.

Most recently, she became one of the first women ever to call play-by-play for an NBA game. Currently working for Monumental Sports Network in Washington, D.C., the historic moment was made when she called the Washington Wizards' pre-season win over the Detroit Pistons. For the 2018-19 G League season, McPeak and former NBA player Tony Massenburg have been the broadcast team for the Capital City Go-Go, the Wizards’ G League affiliate. 

McPeak was the first woman in nearly 30 years to call an NBA game since Leandra Reilly who called play-by-play for a New Jersey Nets-Philadelphia 76ers game in 1988.

@CapitalCityGoGo⁩ back again against the Canton Charge ⁦@meghanmcpeak⁩ ⁦@DanPNolan⁩ and I on the call catch us on ⁦@NBATV⁩ ⁦@MSE⁩ ⁦@NBCSWashington⁩ 3pm #terps100 pic.twitter.com/TWecRZQgDx

— Tony Massenburg (@tonymassenburg) November 25, 2018

Though McPeak’s latest major accomplishment is nothing short of amazing, “breaking barriers” is not why she does it.

“To be quite frank with you, it's because it’s what I want to do,” said McPeak. “I want to call basketball games 52 weeks of the year. My ultimate goal and ideal work situation would be to call NBA games with a national network or direct NBA team during the NBA season, then continue on into the WNBA season doing the same thing.”

When asked by The Washington Post why she was chosen for her current role, Zach Leonsis, the son of Monumental Sports and Entertainment founder Ted Leonsis and the network’s general manager, felt that, out of almost 40 announcers who applied for the position, McPeak stood out. “Ultimately, Meghan was the best because she was the most dynamic and knowledgeable candidate,” Leonsis said. “It’s as simple as that.”

Wanting to be the best in the room, regardless of gender, is what has given her a seat at the table and she’s not stopping here. Through preparation and hard work, McPeak has gotten where she is today, so get used to her name because this will not be the last you hear of it.

 

[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]

By: Talia Jacob

Shhh! Can you hear that? Listen closely—it’s the bowels of the McMaster University Student Centre emitting airwaves of awesomeness. Operating from the underground, it’s our on-campus community radio station CFMU. With a mandate to give a voice to the voiceless—the cultures, lifestyles, people, ideas, bands and artists on the periphery—CFMU gives spins to local, homegrown bands and a platform to anyone willing to share their music and ideas with a listening audience.

Music selections span hip-hop to folk to punk to jazz to bluegrass to world beats to EDM and so on. Programming ranges from native rights to LGBTQ issues to feminism to multiculturalism to environmentalism and more. There is seriously something for everyone here; CFMU is one of the most open, eclectic and close-to-home forums you’ll ever stumble upon. I sat down with the station’s programming director, Jamie Tennant, to discuss what CFMU can do for McMaster students.

Screenshot 2015-01-28 22.37.23

How does CFMU serve both the McMaster and Hamilton communities?

Jamie: It’s about being an outlet for the people in both communities. Technically speaking, anyone who wants to be on the air can be. Everyone’s opinion is equally important. CFMU is one of the few MSU services that really operates as an active bridge between the [McMaster and Hamilton] communities. A lot of students will learn about local music through the radio station, or things going on in the community and vice versa… There’s never been a better time to be exploring Hamilton—downtown is shaping up. There are a lot more reasons for students to get across the highway.

Why is the local so important in today’s globalized society?

Jamie: I look at people my age who aren’t engaged, and they could be living in any city. We shouldn’t lose sight of what is happening next door—that is where you’re going to have the most influence, that’s where your neighbor lives. The future of community radio is to be a community, whether you’re from Hamilton, McMaster, or whatever. Nowadays you can find lots of media online, but it’s not necessarily going to be connected in any way to the place in which you live. I think that’s a very valuable thing for people to do—to be engaged in the community in which you live. One of the things that CMFU provides is that local perspective.

Screenshot 2015-01-28 22.38.19

Why should students tune-in?

Jamie: You can find any music you want online. But who is playing around the corner? People talk about the Internet being a way for musicians to interact with a larger audience and its true, but very rarely do artists get that kind of instant, crazy viral fame. They still need a real, local, grassroots support in order to continue to grow and be an artist. That’s one thing CFMU tries to do—help out Mac bands and Hamilton bands. We’re a smaller station and we can support these local artists. Tune in and hear them, because you might think they’re awesome and you might become a fan for life. There’s no doubt that in every city in the country there are at least a few artists who are as good as anything else. They’re just local.

In a way, if there’s ten thousand listeners or only ten it shouldn’t influence what we do. The mandate is what matters, and if we have the mandate, people will come to us. CFMU is for the community, by the community. It brings together all these community voices… [queer people, Aboriginals, lovers of hip hop, members of the Muslim association, lovers of drums and bass, Mac students, Hamilton locals and more], we all share the same microphones… And that’s an uncommon thing nowadays.

Want to tune-in? CFMU broadcasts at a frequency of 93.3-FM on the FM dial or you can go to cfmu.msumcmaster.ca for the online player.

On the surface, it seems unlikely that the announcement of an educational scientist with a penchant for bowties coming to McMaster to speak could cause the kind of hype that has consumed campus for the past several weeks. But when that scientist is Bill Nye, the beloved Science Guy of 1990’s TV programming, any student will tell you that such excitement is warranted.

Speaking to us from his California home on his 58th birthday, Nye was as enthusiastic about science as he was on screen 20 years ago. Since filming wrapped on Bill Nye the Science Guy in 1998, Nye has kept busy with new shows for the Discovery Channel, working with NASA on their Mars mission, and being involved with several scientific societies.

“Right now, one of the troubling things is that I don’t really have an average day,” Nye said. “I travel a lot to visit places like McMaster… The last three months have been busy with this Dancing with the Stars thing…”

While his present activities are fascinating in their own right, most of Bill Nye’s fame stems from the 100 episodes of the Science Guy that play in elementary schools across North America. Its origins, however, are far more humble.

The road to creating the show “took years,” according to Nye. He explained, “I was in a writers’ meeting for this comedy show in Seattle, and we needed to fill six minutes. The host, who is still a dear friend of mine, said, ‘why don’t you do that stuff you’re always talking about… You could be like, I don’t know, Bill Nye the Science Guy or something.’ So I came up with this bit on the household uses of liquid nitrogen – since we all have liquid nitrogen around – and it was funny.”

Those offhand ideas led to the full show eventually airing, fulfilling Nye’s childhood fascination for learning about the world and sharing his enthusiasm with others. He cites his brother as one person who got him into science.

“My older brother was very influential,” Nye said. “He had a chemistry set. And I remember he made ammonia in the palm of my hand, which was quite impressive. And I used to sit … and watch bees. I remember being absolutely fascinated with them. And then one day, I got stung by a bumblebee and my mother put ammonia on the wound. And it was the same smell that my brother had created in the palm of my hand. And I realized there was some… not magic, but mystery to be learned.”

Nye’s appearance at McMaster marks one of the largest and most expensive speaker events that McMaster has seen in recent memory.

Al Legault, director of Campus Events, said, “I’ve never planned anything this large in Burridge for a speaker. We’re used to doing concerts and hypnotists – things like that. Nothing of this [scale]. In this last 10 years at least this is [financially] the largest speaker we’ve had.”

He’s also probably the only speaker they’ve had who would answer birthday greetings with, “Another orbit of the sun! Check me out!”

To hear the extended interview with Bill Nye, tune in to 93.3 CFMU on Friday, Nov. 29 at 9:30 a.m. or visit CFMU’s website afterwards to hear the podcast. Bill Nye will speak at McMaster’s Burridge Gym this Sunday, Dec. 1 at 5 p.m. Tickets are available at Compass in MUSC.

Photo courtesy of NASA/GSFC/Bill Hrybyk (Flickr)

Since the start of the new academic year, McMaster students have had a new place on campus to relax.

The Student Wellness Education Lower Lounge initiative that has started this school year, is a lounge space dedicated to students. The lounge space offers students counseling on mental and general wellness topics in addition to providing them with a space to relax, take a break and start a conversation with someone.

A schedule is followed every week that is motivated by a theme. The week of Oct. 7, for example, will be “Mental Awareness ” week that will color the activities that take place from Monday to Friday.

“The topics for some of the events depend on what’s happening in the student life-cycle during that week or what the students are generally interested in,” said Pearl Mendonca, Wellness Education Coordinator at the Student Wellness Center.

Every Monday is termed as “Mindfulness Monday” when students are taught about relaxation and meditation techniques and take a break during their day. Tuesdays are ‘Movie Tuesdays’ where a movie best suited to go with the weekly theme is shown. Wednesdays are ‘Wellness Wednesday’, where the topic changes every week; this week’s topic was ”Fitness under a budget”.  Thursdays are ‘Thirst-tea Thursdays’ where a guest speaker is brought in during the morning and tea is served all day. Fridays are ‘Free-Fruit Fridays’ where bowlfuls of different fruits are supplied to promote students to choose healthier alternatives.

The SWELL initiative is a partnership between McMaster Student Affairs and the McMaster Students Union.

“This lounge has been a number of years in the making. The idea was to have a lounge space for students to come, but also have resources that they needed. They could also chat with people,“ said Mendonca.

In addition to the above facilities, the space holds offices for the Student Wellness Center, as well as a microwave for students to heat their lunches.

The initiative has about 40 volunteers in addition to its two organizers.

The lounge is located in the basement of the Student Center, opposite the CFMU radio station office. It is open to all students, from Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“Everyone interacts about mental health in different ways,” said Mendonca.

“People’s experiences are very valuable, so it’s necessary to have different spaces where students can speak about their mental awareness.“

Photo credit: Eliza Pope / Assistant Photo Editor 

Subscribe to our Mailing List

© 2024 The Silhouette. All Rights Reserved. McMaster University's Student Newspaper.
magnifiercrossmenu