93.3 CFMU has been voted the best radio station in Hamilton in this year’s Hamilton Spectator’s Readers’ Choice Awards
93.3 CFMU, McMaster University’s campus and community radio station, has been voted the best radio station in Hamilton in this year’s Hamilton Spectator’s Readers’ Choice Awards. CFMU received the Diamond award, the top winner in the Best Radio Station category, followed by K-Lite FM 102.9 winning Platinum and 92.9 The Grand winning Gold.
CFMU was nominated by the community in the summer, with voting beginning on July 29 and concluding on Aug. 16. The annual Reader's Choice Awards provides an opportunity for the community to celebrate their favourite local businesses. Community members nominate and then vote for their preferred businesses across a variety of categories, one of which is for the best radio station in Hamilton.
CFMU is a 24-hour radio station which operates out of the basement of the McMaster University Student Centre. It serves as a platform to bring together the voices of both the Hamilton community and McMaster students. According to the station's mandate on their website, their goal is to redefine radio within the local community.
CFMU's content and programming is developed specifically for local audiences and created by student volunteers and community members. The station features a variety of local music, hosts various shows and discusses a broad range of topics including local news, politics and other affairs.
Jamie Tennant, the program director of CFMU, discussed the recent award and why he thinks the station won. "We do something different that no one else does. It's very unique whereas commercial radio isn't always unique . . . there are probably a lot of stations that you can get in the Hamilton area that are playing similar stuff, whereas we are all over the place musically and in terms of information," said Tennant.
We do something different that no one else does. It's very unique whereas commercial radio isn't always unique...there are probably a lot of stations that you can get in the Hamilton area that are playing similar stuff, whereas we are all over the place musically and in terms of information.
Jamie Tennant, CFMU program director
Tenant acknowledged that while the station may not have as many listeners as mainstream radio, it offers interesting and diverse programming that people enjoy and appreciate.
"[W]hat you're gonna hear is stuff that is directly of interest to the Hamilton and McMaster communities. Listeners are not going to hear most of what we broadcast, whether its spoken word or music, from anywhere else," said Tennant.
One of the challenges Tenant mentioned that CFMU faces was working with a smaller budget. "We have a smaller profile than many mainstream stations because we don't have the budget and also because we are mandated by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunication Commission to represent content that is not commercial . . . This award is helpful and it means a lot to us because it will hopefully bring our name to some new people," said Tennant.
Tennant also noted that this recognition will help shine a light on McMaster and the MSU. "People should know about all the great things that are happening on campus, all the great things that the MSU is doing and we help highlight that as well as support local artists too, which I think is really important," said Tennant.
People should know about all the great things that are happening on campus, all the great things that the MSU is doing and we help highlight that as well as support local artists too, which I think is really important.
Jamie Tennant, CFMU program director
Tennant and the CFMU team acknowledged on their website that the award is also a reflection of the hard work put in by the volunteers and community members who run shows and help create video and blog content. "It's really an award for everybody, which is really exciting as well," said Tennant.
For more information about the station and its programs, you can visit their official website.
McMaster has seen a few famous graduates walk through its halls. From Eugene Levy to Martin Short, who have both moved onto great success on the big and small screens, it’s safe to say Mac has had some notable alumni. One of those individuals is the anchor for The Sports Network: Lindsay Hamilton.
On March 5, McMaster athletics and recreation held a talk where many prominent women in sports came to speak about challenges women are facing in sports leadership today. Among those invited was Hamilton, who I sat down with to interview.
Hamilton was a graduate of the class of 2014 and by the time she graduated was already primed for success in broadcasting. Throughout her time at McMaster, not only was she a student, but she was also a varsity athlete for the lacrosse team, a presenter for a weekly sports show on 93.3 CFMU and a host on the Family channel.
“I've always been someone who is really driven and I worked really hard at university. I think putting in the work then allowed me to have a platform after university to bounce off of,” said Hamilton.
Hamilton certainly had her plate full during her undergrad, but this never stopped her from wanting more. She credits her success to the support of her family, her strong work ethic and determination. Hamilton also touched on how being so involved at school was a big factor in learning how to take advantage of every opportunity that she could.
Reaching for the stars and already having a strong portfolio in television hosting, Hamilton looked to focus on sports broadcasting once she graduated. She got some of her first breaks covering the Canadian Football League’s Grey Cup in 2012 and officially joined Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment in 2014. The MLSE owns the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors and many other prominent Toronto sports teams.
Reaching for the stars and already having a strong portfolio in television hosting, Hamilton looked to focus on sports broadcasting once she graduated. She got some of her first breaks covering the Canadian Football League’s Grey Cup in 2012 and officially joined Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment in 2014. The MLSE owns the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors and many other prominent Toronto sports teams.
After joining the MLSE, Hamilton’s resume grew and so did her screen presence. She is now on the desk as an anchor at The Sports Network for SportsCentre and representing an ever-growing and diverse presence of women in sports media.
TSN's talent roster is still overwhelmingly male-dominated, but the number of women anchors, hosts and analysts have grown a great deal over the past ten years.
It is no secret that journalism and broadcasting was traditionally a “boys club”, but TSN is making a change and regularly sees two women leading broadcasts during primetime morning recaps, Raptors and Leafs games. This is one example of the trend in normalization of women leading broadcasts in sports, something that seemed to be a pipe dream in the early 2000s.
The presence of women in sports is ever-growing. For example, Doris Burke, a National Basketball Association analyst, is heralded as one of the best broadcasters in the sport of basketball and the NBA is set to see an increasing number of women in positions of power.
Masai Ujiri, the president of basketball operations for the Toronto Raptors, has hired over 14 women to be on staff, ranging from coaching to marketing within the organization, more than any other team in the league. And he credits a good portion of the Raptors’ success to the diversity within his staff.
Not only are teams and broadcast networks hiring more females, but the NBA is rumoured to soon be the first organization to ever have a female head coach within the four majors: football, basketball, hockey and baseball. Becky Hammon has already coached a summer league team, being the first female summer league head coach in the NBA in 2015. Hammon seems to be on the path to take over a regular-season team of her own, with analysts and journalists speculating she could end up as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets.
“As women, we’ve definitely come a long way. But we can’t be complacent. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Try new things, seek a mentor. Know that there is such a great community of women who are willing to support you,” Hamilton remarked at the Women in Sport Leadership panel discussion.
“As women, we’ve definitely come a long way. But we can’t be complacent. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Try new things, seek a mentor. Know that there is such a great community of women who are willing to support you,” Hamilton remarked at the Women in Sport Leadership panel discussion.
The importance of a mentor was another point which Hamilton emphasized. Building networks and having figures you look up to can benefit anyone. She suggested taking five figures who you admire for different reasons and emulating those traits.
She says the experience she was able to gather at McMaster was a major factor in perfecting her craft. The shows she produced for MacTV, 93.3 CFMU and her experience at local radio stations through her work study class were crucial in her development as a broadcaster. She could not stress enough how students should take advantage of all the opportunities that are provided on campus.
She says the experience she was able to gather at McMaster was a major factor in perfecting her craft. The shows she produced for MacTV, 93.3 CFMU and her experience at local radio stations through her work study class were crucial in her development as a broadcaster. She could not stress enough how students should take advantage of all the opportunities that are provided on campus.
“I think for me, and this is advice I often give to students these days, is that there are so many resources available to you in university to take advantage of. Don't wait until you've graduated to get work experience,” Hamilton remarked.
Hamilton is a prime example of a new wave in sports, where womens’ presence is long overdue. She worked hard and aimed for the stars, and now she is one. Being a McMaster grad myself, this definitely hit home. Speaking with her was like looking into the pool of potential that the university population has. There are so many talented individuals at 1280 Main St. W. and speaking to an extremely well established graduate was not only inspirational for myself, but I hope for you as well.
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I fell in love with hip hop around 2013 when I listened to my first rap album, Drake’s Nothing Was the Same. To me, hip hop is an art of storytelling, rooted in struggle and triumph. It has its haters and it is not perfect, but it has also saved and changed countless lives.
In the tradition of the 1970s New York City DJs and MCs that founded the genre, the guardians of modern hip hop are innovative, creative and heartfelt. Anyone can pick up the mic and tell their stories. As fans, we just need to turn up the volume on game-changing artists.
Buddah Abusah is a Hamilton-born and raised creator spreading a message of peace and love. He began writing at the age of 11 and rapping seriously at the age of 16. Haviah Mighty is a Toronto-born, Brampton-raised musician who is also a member of the rap group The Sorority. She began rapping at the age of 12, combining her seven years of singing lessons with her newfound interest in hip hop.
I spoke separately to these two local rappers about their thoughts on hip hop. Both artists spoke about the importance of the genre not only because of the music, but because of the culture.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo7s8IlnRTJ/
Buddah Abusah: My inner city message is letting all artists know that no matter where you're from, [as] long as you put your mind to it, you can be successful in your way. [I want to] show people [that if you] put your mind to it and indulge yourself properly, you can get yourself to that gold, platinum status [that] Canadians are doing more often now. Also… the message I want to give out is that all my music is to peace, love and equality. No matter what goes down, just treat it with peace and love because at the end of the day that's what everybody needs.
Haviah Mighty: I definitely like to pull from the rawest, truest points of my life to try to create the most effective message possible, which is usually the things that are most important to me. The narrative will always change based on the shifting of the energies around us and things that are happening. But I would definitely say… just being a Black female, I am political in nature. The hair that I have, the skin tone that I have, the gender that I am and what I chose to do for a career are to some people very oxymoronic. I think naturally just my look and my delivery and my vibe is a little bit of an empowering, stepping out of your element, believing in your true self kind of message before even opening my mouth. I don't think that's something I can really escape or run from and I'm actually very happy to naturally represents that. I feel that people around me resonate with that.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt8_KYXAXM5/
BA: Best part is the growth. For me I love seeing individuals or an individual put their mind to something and watch it come into fruition. Right now I'm doing that with a couple people/groups. I've worked with some of them in the past and just watching them help the culture of [Hamilton] is the best part because I know this city will get there. Like everybody knows the city is growing. And it'll be interesting seeing Hamilton have their own culture and their own sound like how Toronto has their own sound. Hamilton is far enough where we see Toronto and we want to be like the [greater Toronto area] and be included like the GTA, but we still want our own.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BorVUiiHLRt/
HM: The best part of the hip hop community is the community. I think hip hop is very cultural and the community is very culture-based… [W]ithin hip hop in my experience, you can go to different venues and it's like these are people that you've grown up with because at the cultural level, you guys are so connected. It might be the same for punk music and rock and stuff [but] I'm not as embedded in those communities to know. I think for me it's the beautiful marriage between the sonic vibe of hip hop and then just like the community of hip hop and how different yet similar those two things are.
BA: I'm going to be releasing new material spring, summer time. I've just been working with other artists, doing some production, audio engineering. And other than that, I'm just taking my sweet, sweet time. I'm not trying to [give] you the exact same trap sound that you're always hearing on the radio or that your friends play. I'm here giving you something completely different. I'm giving you good vibes, I'm giving you vibes for strictly hippies… My goal with this is creating an entirety of a sound for the city.
HM: I have an album coming out. I'm hoping that this can really open up some interesting conversations. I'm really hoping that we can see some shifts in female hip hop and what we expect from being a female in hip hop and what we expect from I guess just the gender expectations. I would love to see some of those surpassed with some of the stuff I'm coming out with. But definitely just trying to contribute positively to the hip hop community and that hip hop culture and to tell good, impactful stories that can make some good change.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp-dJixASg6/
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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.
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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.
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.
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.
While it has only been a year, it is already hard to imagine listening to radio without Indie88. Kicking off its official launch on Sept. 3, 2013, Indie88 recently celebrated its first birthday, leaving me to reflect on all that it has achieved.
Upon release Indie88 sought to offer an alternative to top-40 pop hits, and the increasing lack of variety that 102.1 The Edge was offering, hoping to provide an outlet for “indie” music that didn’t get the attention it deserved. While it was hard not to cringe at the idea of anything explicitly describing itself as “indie,” I couldn’t help but feel excited. Radio to me had become the primary way to expose myself to top-40 music – something I do enjoy – and the idea of discovering music outside of that genre was something I had all but abandoned.
So what happened? Well, the station certainly took some time to find its bearings. Having grown to resent the stale playlists of The Edge, I was skeptical when the station started off playing some of their tried and true favourites. This Edge nightmare included, among others, a collection of Bob Marley tracks to chill you out, a strong mix of Arcade Fire, Metric, and City and Colour songs to comply with Canadian content laws, and an uncomfortably large amount of Rise Against.
Don’t get me wrong. I love Arcade Fire as much as the next guy, but those bands weren’t exactly expanding my musical horizons. In fact, more often than not it seemed 102.1 The Edge looked to play only tracks that were popular three years ago, refusing to dip their radio toes into a pool of artists that were popular, but not receiving radio attention. I wanted to find out about someone new. I wanted a change of pace.
I quickly began to realize that Indie88 and I shared a very similar vision. Whenever I tuned in, popular artists like Vampire Weekend, Alt-J, and Bloc Party filled the air just as often as Arcade Fire or Metric, creating a fresh balance of tracks that catered to a wider audience. Moreover, instead of simply relying entirely on Dallas Green and Emily Haines to uphold Canadian content laws, Indie88 played artists like Purity Ring, Caribou, and Hannah Georgas, further adding to the variety. Indie88 even made sure to flip through a few 80s classics and other artists that younger audiences might not be familiar with, to further mix things up.
The more I listened, the more I found new songs I liked. As time passed, it became a kind of unwritten rule amongst my friends to just put Indie88 on by default, as it had “something for everyone”. While the station is still far from perfect, it has helped to shake up radio in the Greater Toronto Area, and for that I am truly thankful. So happy birthday Indie88, keep on bringing fresh music to commuters everywhere. To quote the high school yearbook classic: “you rock, don’t ever change.”
