KOOTENAY CO-OP RADIO REMAINS ON-AIR, EXPANDS PUBLIC INFORMATION PROGRAMMING
On March 17th, Kootenay Co-op Radio (KCR) took the difficult decision to close its doors to the 80-plus volunteers that pass through the Hall Street studios every week. And with the closure,
the 20-year-old community radio station’s staff and volunteers have responded energetically
to keep on the air with fresh and relevant programming during these unusual times – all
without coming into the station.
The big news is that KCR is expanding the coverage and frequency of its flagship public affairs
program, Kootenay Morning. This one-hour program will now be aired Monday, Wednesday
and Friday, live at 8 am with a same-day repeat at 5 pm. There’s also a “best of” compilation
shared on Sunday mornings at 8 am. COVID-19 and other local coverage will be supplemented by current content from trusted local, national, and international sources. Volunteers are also increasingly active with specific local updates to the KCR Facebook page.
“Community radio and local media are needed now more than ever, ” says KCR board chair Jeff Flood. “Our volunteers immediately recognized the opportunity to be a helpful and supportive community voice — on the airwaves and online.” Flood also notes that KCR is connected to the BC Emergency Alert system, which allows government officials to issue public safety alerts as
necessary.
“Kootenay Morning is now focused on news that listeners can use in these turbulent times, as well as stories of our neighbours who are also navigating these waters,” says KCR Operations Manager Rob Andrew. “Recent shows featured extended phone interviews with Nelson Mayor John Dooley, Director of Emergency Management Len MacCharles, Jenny Robinson of Nelson CARES, and with Selkirk College psychology instructor Dr. Todd Kettner, who talked about managing stress and isolation.” Andrew notes that KCR has an extensive line-up of experts and informed voices booked for the days and weeks ahead.
The decision to restrict station access has disrupted the in-studio broadcast of more than 50
different shows. But volunteer programmers are rising to that challenge. “Eighty percent of our programmers are working to record their shows remotely,” says Andrew. “Hosts are jumping into audio editing software to keep their regular shows coming, with an ear to the times we’re in.”
KCR knows its sponsors are facing unprecedented challenges, including many forced to limit
public access. “We’re encouraging them to share special updates with listeners on-air,” says
Amélie Saquet, KCR’s Sponsorship Coordinator. “Their businesses are evolving and they need support, like everyone.”
Flood notes that KCR depends on its listeners for roughly one-third of its annual budget. “We know a number of people in the Kootenays are losing jobs and income. We would encourage any listeners who are able to consider financial support for community institutions — for KCR and many others. All non-profits are feeling the effects of this disruption.”
Over its 20-year history, it’s estimated that more than 1000 different local residents have
hosted shows on the station, which can be heard from Castlegar to Kaslo and the East Shore
communities, and up the Slocan Valley to Silverton and New Denver.
In addition to sharing meaningful news and information, KCR’s famously eclectic mix of music and spoken word programming continues to be a welcome voice in homes across the West Kootenays.
The local frequencies for Kootenay Co-op Radio are:
Nelson – 93.5 FM
Crawford Bay – 96.5 FM
New Denver – 107.5 FM
Slocan Valley – 101.5 FM
Listen online at www.kootenaycoopradio.com.
Caption: Kootenay Co-op Radio Operations Manager Rob Andrew says the community radio
station has an extensive line-up of experts and informed voices booked for the days and weeks ahead. The station is now closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But broadcasting willcontinue with expanded frequency of its flagship public affairs program, Kootenay Morning, remotely produced shows from nearly 80 per cent of KCR’s show hosts and trusted local, national, and international news sources.
For further information, contact:
Rob Andrew, Operations Manager, KCR: (250) 505-9829
Jeff Flood, Chair, Board of Directors, KCR: (250) 354-3656
