GroundWire is a twice-monthly dose of grassroots, independent journalism from the campus-community radio sector of Canada. It is a project of the National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA). This edition of GroundWire was supported by a grant from the Community Radio Fund of Canada and produced by volunteers in the studios of CJLY in Nelson, BC. Visit the GroundWire website or download it through the NCRA’s Program Exchange.

The HEADLINES:

• Omme Salma Rahemtullah (CHRY Toronto) speaks with Stephen Moses, a striking employee and the Bargaining Unit Chairperson of Canadian Auto Workers 1000, about the Zellers/HBC strike in Scarborough, Ontario
• Catherine Fisher (CJLY Nelson) talks with Alexis Allen, President of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union about the September 22 strike vote by Nova Scotia Community College employees.

This edition includes two STATION REPORTS:

• Vivian Park (CJSF Burnaby) asks NCRA Vice President External Stephanie Kepman a few questions about the CRTC’s upcoming Campus and Community Radio Policy Review.
• The 2010 National Campus and Community Radio Conference will be held on Gabriola Island, BC. Kelly Price (CKGI Gabriola) chats with Gabriola Radio Society Board Member Kathy Ramsay about how the conference is shaping up. She also speaks with GRS Board President Ken Zakreski about Rogers Media’s application to the CRTC for the last available frequency in the region.

The FEATURES:

• The Vanrad Collective talk with Paulina Walton, who, along with other residents of the Golden Crown Hotel, has recently been served an eviction notice. Kim Kerr, executive director of the  Downtown Eastside Residents Association suggests this eviction has much to do with the upcoming 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.
• Amber Hieb (CHLY Nanaimo) speaks with Paul Manly, a Nanaimo-based independent filmmaker about the SPP, and North American integration. Manly’s new film is ‘You, Me and The Spp: Trading Democracy for Corporate Rule’.

The MUSIC:

• The September 25th Edition of GroundWire features music by Kathleen Yearwood, The Sinuses, Rabnett 5, and Tamara.

It’s just about time for another great National Campus and Community Radio Conference (NCRC)! The NCRC is an annual activity of the National Cmapus and Community Radio Association (NCRA). It is a week-long conference combined with their annual general meeting, and it is hosted by a different community-oriented radio station every year. People from stations all around the country attend, and I think that is pretty awesome. It is a event where you learn and network, but it is also just amazing to meet and get inspired by so many like-minded people. This year marks the 28th edition of the conference.

NCRC 2009 is being hosted by CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, June 7-13, 2009. For registration information and the schedule, visit http://ckut.ca/ncrc.php.

NCRC 2009 is a little bit different this year as some community radio folks from the US will be attending as well. Normally, there is a similar US-based community radio conference known as the Grassroots Radio Conference (an activity of the Grassroots Radio Coalition). It was difficult for them to find a home for their conference this year, so they are going to go to Montreal and hold a few sessions there. I’m pretty excited about seeing old friends from both sides of the border!

I will be attending NCRC 2009. Normally, I facilitate a few sessions or sit on different panels, but this year I only have one session that I am facilitating, which will be all about the Community Radio Fund of Canada. (And I’ll be announcing great news about the fund later today!)

Hope to see you in Montreal in June!

I spent the week of June 9 in Windsor, Ontario, at the annual National Campus and Community Radio Conference (NCRC), hosted by CJAM FM. What a great week! And how awesome it was for me to be a delegate for the first time in six or seven years, as opposed to being an NCRA staffer. Late nights, attending sessions, a Tigers/Indians game and Mojitos . . . thanks CJAM!

Here is a wrap-up summary from NCRA ED Kevin Matthews:

Awards Results: The NCRA Radio Awards 2008 were awarded Friday, June 13 at our gala dinner and keynote evening. See the details and hear the winning submissions!

New Board of Directors: Our AGM happens during NCRC each year, and thus our Board of Directors elections. Candace Mooers and Evan Light have finished their board terms — Candace as president. New to the board are Tom Richmond (CJAI) and Vern Smith (CJAM). Freya Zaltz and Joanne Penhale were elected to another term, and our five directors with a year to go in their terms are Erin Flynn (new president), Jared McKetiak, Sharmeen Kahn, Janet Marie Rogers, and Catherine Fisher. Thanks to all the above for the tireless work of the board, and welcome Tom and Vern!

NCRC 2009 will be in Montreal: In a vote between two strong bids, the NCRA chose CKUT McGill as the host for NCRC 2009! The conference will benefit from a convergence of independent media groups in the city next summer (as well the general greatness of hanging out in Montreal). Special thanks to the Jett Thunders and the CJSW crew for their awesome bid.

Native Caucus growing: The emerging Native Programmers’ Network, and the NCRA’s Native Caucus, accomplished a lot of networking and vision for the future while in Windsor. A new pilot programming stream at the conference, designed to foster the network’s emergence, saw lots of ideas and energy around collaborative work — producing news content, defending indigenous languages, and other projects — between programmers across the country. Resolutions were passed at the AGM to continue this work, and seek funding for several new initiatives. Great things will come of this. Some great new relationships already have.

Thank you OTF: We held a reception on Friday, June 13 to recognize the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation for parts of the conference and other NCRA work. Angelo Minato from the Foundation attended; we all enjoyed getting acquainted, and reflecting on another great conference.

THANK YOU THANK YOU CJAM! CJAM and the Rose City showed us all kinds of hospitality and organizational skillz this year. a big thanks especially to Adam, Cassandra, Jonathan, Chris, and Dale who kept the conference running smoothly. Now catch up on your sleep, guys.

For more on the National Campus and Community Radio Association, visit www.ncra.ca.