sounds coop handbook

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Co-operation and Community Radio:

A Handbook for Combining the Two


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Table of Contents

Acknowledgments....................................................................................................................................3

Introduction...............................................................................................................................................3

Chapter One

The Co-operative......................................................................................................................................5

Chapter TwoStarting Your Own Co-op Campus Or Community Radio Station...........................................................19

Chapter ThreeShared Values: A Natural Fit.....................................................................................................................36

Chapter FourCommunity Radio Co-ops in Canada......................................................................................................38

Chapter Five

Working With, and Reporting on, Other Co-ops in Your Community.......................................................44

Chapter Six

Innovative Co-ops Around The World.....................................................................................................47

Appendix A.............................................................................................................................................55

Budgets..................................................................................................................................................55

Resources...............................................................................................................................................57


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Acknowledgments

This handbook has been compiled and written by Zo Creighton at Kootenay Co-op Radio CJLY-FM inNelson, British Columbia. All work from other sources is much appreciated and has been attributed. Anymistakes are unintentional and the authors own.

The work was guided by an editorial committee, including Daniel Aucoin of CKJM-FM in Cheticamp,NS; Jay Mowat of CHES-FM in Erin, ON; Robin Puga of CFRO-FM in Vancouver, BC; and Shelley Robinson

of the NCRA.

Many thanks to the people who contributed to this handbook, or allowed their publications to bereferenced, including the NCRAs Shelley Robinson and Freya Zaltz for original material and editing; CarolMurray of the BC Co-operative Association for permission to base Chapter One on BCCAs CultivatingCo-ops Guide; the good folks at the Prometheus Radio Project; Barry Rueger and Victoria Fenner fortheir work at community-media.com; Prudence Breton and Lyne Chartier for their good-humoured workin translating and assembling Chapter Four; Morgane Croissant for her excellent translation of the Frenchedition; Tara Cunningham for her diligent copyediting; Paddy Duddy at Big Cranium Design for his creativeand thoughtful design work; community radio staff and volunteers across the country for providingperspectives from the eld; and the creators of all the other websites and materials referenced.


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Introduction

Both co-operation and communication have been around, in one form or another, since the beginningof humanity. This handbook and resource guide provides readers with an overview of how these twoconcepts have been, and can be, combined in the form of co-operatively-governed community radio stations.

Many maintain we are at a time in history similar to the social and economic upheaval of thenineteenth centurys Industrial Revolution, when co-operatives, in their present-day form, originated. As such,we can continue to look to co-operation as a way of organizing generally. More specically, when it comesto organizing community media, co-operation encourages a democratic and inclusive process that ensuresrepresentation by groups and individuals historically under-represented in corporate media, and it buildsdialogue and understanding in the communities in which we live.

This handbook is dedicated to the tens of thousands of volunteers across Canada and around theworld who have learned how to introduce the historical values and principles of co-operation into their effortsat building community radio enterprises to tell local stories and play music not heard anywhere else.

The handbook has itself been created co-operatively, through a collaboration between the NationalCampus and Community Radio Association (NCRA), based in Ottawa, Ontario, and Kootenay Co-op Radio,CJLY-FM, in Nelson, British Columbia. Financial support came from the Innovative Co-operative Projectsprogram jointly offered by the Canadian Co-operative Association and the Co-operative DevelopmentInitiative of the Government of Canada.

The projects website is at soundscooperative.coop.
http://www.soundscooperative.coop/http://www.soundscooperative.coop/


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CHAPTER ONE:THE CO-OPERATIVE


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Much of the content of this chapter is based on the Cultivating Co-ops Guide, created by the BritishColumbia Co-operative Association. The full publication is available here.The co-operative movementunites over one billion members around the world. The United Nations estimated that in the 1990s, thelivelihood of nearly three billion people, or half of the worlds population, was made secure by co-operativeenterprise. These enterprises continue to play signicant economic and social roles in their communities.

What Is a Co-op?Co-operatives are founded on the idea that people, no matter what economic class oreducational level, know whats best for themselves, and that people can work together tomeet their own needs.

The International Co-operative Alliance, a non-governmental co-operative union representing the co-operativemovement worldwide, denes a co-operative as an autonomous association of persons united voluntarilyto meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through jointly owned anddemocratically controlled enterprise.

In simpler terms, it is a business or organization owned and controlled equally by the people whouse its services and by the people who work there. This means co-ops and credit unions (a common type ofnancial services co-op) are democratically controlled: each member has one vote, regardless of how muchinvestment is made in the co-op or credit union.

Co-op members are not responsible to outside owners or to government, but are responsible to each

other. Together, members decide how the co-op or credit union will be run, elect the board of directors, and,in the case of for-prot co-ops, decide what should be done with any prots generated. They may be large orsmall, simple or complex. Some co-ops serve the whole community; some serve particular groups within acommunity.

In non-prot co-operatives, the members own the co-op, not only for their own benet, but for theoverall benet of the community. These are called community service co-ops. Members set the strategicdirection for the co-op and have a responsibility to manage it, but they do not have a nancial stake in itsoperations, nor is there the possibility of any nancial return to them.
http://www.bcca.coop/sites/bcca.coop/files/Cultivating%20Co-ops%20Guide%20BC.pdfhttp://www.bcca.coop/sites/bcca.coop/files/Cultivating%20Co-ops%20Guide%20BC.pdf


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What kinds of services and products do co-ops offer?Co-operatives have been formed in almost every business or social sector you can imagine. Co-ops arebakeries and health-care facilities, forest stewardship organizations and furniture factories, dairies andsheries, housing complexes and media outlets. Chapter Six provides some good examples of the diversity ofco-ops around the world.

What types of co-ops exist?In addition to the different services or products that co-ops offer, there are also various types of co-operativesoperating in Canada. Although some co-ops might t into more than one type, these are the most common:

Community-service co-ops have similar legal status as non-prot societies or corporations and are thereforemodels for the campus and community radio sector. Community-service co-ops are sometimes eligible forcharitable status, but under the current framework, its nearly impossible for any campus or community radiostation to become a registered charity. Community-service co-ops also include health co-ops and social-service co-ops.

Consumer or user co-ops help members use their combined purchasing power to buy goods and servicesthey need. Examples include farm supplies, food retailing and wholesaling, elderly care, health care, housing,and funeral and burial services.

Financial co-ops provide nancial services, such as insurance, loans, and savings plans to their members.

Financial co-ops include credit unions and caisses populaires in Quebec.

Multi-stakeholder co-ops are where a variety of member groups share control. For example, different levelsof workers, suppliers or consumers may be represented on the board of directors. Some examples of multi-stakeholder co-ops are local food co-ops in which control may be shared by both producers and consumers,and in health co-ops, patients and health-care providers are the member groups.

Producer co-ops have members who pool their resources to produce or market products, such as grain,dairy products, processed foods, handicrafts or video and lm works.

Worker co-ops combine worker ownership and democratic control. Members provide themselves with

employment while making goods and/or services available to the community. An example of this is theemployee buyout of a retail enterprise. The worker co-op model is being used increasingly as a model forbusiness succession.There are different ways of categorizing co-ops. For other methods, see here.

In Canada, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC),the federal agency that regulates broadcasting, requires that campus and communityradio stations be controlled by non-prot entities, which can include community-serviceco-ops.
http://coopzone.coop/en/coop_typeshttp://coopzone.coop/en/coop_types


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We interrupt this fascinating treatise on co-operatives forQuickie Facts on the Canadian Co-op Sector

According to the Canadian Co-operative Association, in 2010, there were

approximately 9,000 co-operatives in Canada, employing more than 155,000people and representing more than 18 million members.

These included:more than 2,200 housing co-operatives, home to about 250,000 people,more than 1,300 agricultural co-ops,more than 650 retail co-ops,nearly 900 credit unions and caisses populaires with close to 11 millionmembers,about 450 co-ops offering child care or early-childhood education,more than 600 worker co-ops with a total membership of over 13,000people,

more than 100 health-care co-operatives, and15 community radio co-ops (see Chapter Four).

Together, Canadian co-operatives had an estimated $252 billion in assets. As ifthat werent enough, 35 percent of the worlds maple syrup is produced by

co-operatives in Quebec.


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HISTORY OF CO-OPS

When did co-ops begin?The co-operative movement has a long and fascinating history. The common thread that runs through it is adesire by everyday people to care for each other and to work together.

Although co-ops have existed since the 1700s, the rst formal co-operative, structured as we knowmost co-ops today, was incorporated in Rochdale, England, in 1844 by a group of weavers. At that time,almost every facet of a workers life was controlled by the factory owners, including where the workers couldlive, where they could shop and what they could buy.

The weavers in Rochdale were tired of paying high prices for poor-quality food, so they decidedto start a store of their own. Individually, they did not have enough money, but they decided to pool theirsavings. Anyone interested in becoming a co-owner of a store contributed a small amount of money to afund. When the fund was big enough, the Rochdale Pioneers, as they came to be called, were able to rent abuilding and buy supplies.

On December 21, 1844, they opened up their shop. The shop sold candles, tea, fuel and basic foods.The co-op kept track of each members purchases and distributed the prots in proportion to how much eachmember bought. This rst consumer co-op was so successful that the members were soon able to rent theupper stories of the building. The extra space was used for a library and educational lectures.

The lessons of Rochdale were the basis for the growth of the co-operative movement as a worldwidephenomenon. The legacy of Rochdale lives on in the many thousands of co-operatives all over the world,because these pioneer weavers passed on their values, as expressed through their organizing principles,known still as the Seven International Principles of Co-operation.

The Rochdale weavers had discovered the value of co-operation as a powerful toolfor economic freedom, launching a turning point in economic democracy.


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CO-OP PRINCIPLES

1st Principle: Voluntary and Open Membership

Co-operatives are voluntary organizations, open to allpersons able to use their services and willing to acceptthe responsibilities of membership, without gender,social, racial, political or religious discrimination.

2nd Principle: Democratic Member Control

Co-operatives are democratic organizations controlledby their members, who actively participate in settingtheir policies and making decisions. In primary co-operatives, members have equal voting rights (onemember, one vote) and co-operatives at other levels arealso organized in a democratic manner.

3rd Principle: Member Economic Participation

Members contribute equitably to, and democraticallycontrol, the capital of their co-operative. Members

allocate surpluses for any or all of the followingpurposes: developing their co-operative, benetingmembers in proportion to their transactions with theco-operative, and supporting other activities approvedby the membership.

4th Principle: Autonomy and Independence

Co-operatives are autonomous organizations controlledby their members. If they enter into agreements withother organizations, including governments, or raisecapital from external sources, they do so on terms

that ensure democratic control by their members andmaintain their co-operative autonomy.

5th Principle: Education, Training and Information

Co-operatives provide education and training for theirmembers, elected representatives, managers, andemployees so they can contribute effectively to thedevelopment of their co-operatives. They inform thegeneral publicparticularly young people and opinionleadersabout the nature and benets of co-operation.

6th Principle: Co-operation among Co-operatives

Co-operatives serve their members most effectivelyand strengthen the co-operative movement by workingtogether locally and through local, national, regional andinternational structures.

7th Principle: Concern for Community

Co-operatives work for the sustainable development oftheir communities through policies approved by theirmembers.


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WHY CO-OP?ADVANTAGES

Co-ops have a unique set of advantages over other kinds of enterprises and organizations. By organizingthe way they do, co-ops challenge prevailing economic systems and work together to reinforce values andpractices that work positively to better the communities in which they operate.

In the case of campus and community radio stations, which share many values and practices ofestablished co-ops in other sectors, one of the biggest advantages to becoming a co-op is that it ties thestation with other co-ops working in the community, as well as with an international movement of people withsimilar values and practices.

Generally, co-ops and campus/community radio stationsshare a number of attributes:

They help people obtain goods and services they may not otherwise be able to afford on their own.

By pooling their purchasing power through a co-op, members can obtain affordable, high-quality productsand services.

They are inclusive and accountable.

They are open to everyone, regardless of income, social status or anything else.

They help build stronger communities.

Since most co-ops are community or regionally based, investment in and surplus revenue from the co-opstays within the local economy. Every dollar invested in a local co-op has a signicant multiplier effect for thecommunity.

They are loyal to their communities.They are less vulnerable to takeovers and closures by outside decision makers. In fact, in many communities,co-ops have stayed to serve their members long after other businesses have ed to more protable locales.

They are mandated to co-operate with one another.

More on this in the next chapter, but in communities that have credit unions, natural food stores, carshareenterprises, social-service agencies, radio stations and other businesses that are organized as co-ops, eachone of these is hardwired to support the others. The possibilities for collaboration are limitless!

I like being a co-op radio station, because were part of two big families: oneof co-operatives and one of community radio stations.Jackie Allard, CHLI-FM, Rossland, British Columbia


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In the words of one co-op community radio station member

Community Radio Co-ops

1. are tied to other co-ops in their communities, meaning they have support and expertise beyond thestations members;

2. are tied to other co-ops across the country and around the world in a global movement that provides aneconomic alternative focused on people helping themselves and working together, a natural t for communityradio;

3. have members as literal owners, meaning people outside of station staff, board members and volunteerprogrammers, are deeply invested in the co-op stations success;

4. involve members who provide some nancial sustainability beyond other fundraising. Each year mostmembers will pay their annual dues, providing a signicant source of revenue to the station.

CO-OP STRUCTURE

The biggest benet I see to operating as a co-op is the sense of ownership that is heldamong the members of the co-op. A good number of them are very engaged in the runningof the station and can be called upon to help accomplish activities at the station, becausethey see it as their responsibility, like maintaining their own car or bicycle. This sense of

ownership is also reected in a deep concern for the health of the co-op by the members.Terry Brennan, CJLY-FM Kootenay Co-op Radio, Nelson, British Columbia

In addition to belonging to the wider campus/communityradio community, the reality of ownership and being part of a broaderinternational co-op movement are at the core of community radioco-ops and distinguish them from societies.


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How are co-ops organized?Co-ops are organized so members control the organization. Members elect the board of directors. Membersmay also run for the board. The board of directors puts in place and oversees the management. The managerhires the staff.

In co-operatives, the board of directors is responsible to the membersthe people who need and usethe co-ops services. While some co-operatives, like housing co-ops, receive some government funding,co-operatives are not government organizations. Co-ops are community-initiated organizations andbusinesses.

The Big ThreeConsider the fundamental questions that will jumpstart your co-op development process:

HOW TO START A CO-OPGETTING STARTED

There are a number of steps to follow if you are interested in exploring any co-operative idea, includingstarting a co-op radio station. You may have a burning desire and the will to do more. You may already have acore group of people with whom you are working, or your existing station may want to convert to aco-operative structure.

This section provides an overview on starting from the ground up, and it also shows you where to go ifyour sleeves are already rolled up and youre further along in the process.

1. Do you have a Steering Committee?

2. Who are your members?

3. How will your co-op make money?


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1. Group Development: The Steering Committee

In the case of a campus/community radio station, nd other people in your community who share yourpassion for community radio and want to run the station as a co-operative. To start a co-op you need at leastthree members, but it usually takes three to seven interested people to form a working group. Spread theword. Put out some calls and search online for radio and co-op people in your area who might be keen tohelp. It is important for you and the future co-operative to have a strong support network in place within yourcommunity and within the co-op sector from the beginning.

Who Brings What

Keep in mind the skills and resources that each group member can bring to the Steering Committee. It is agood idea to have someone with nancial or accounting expertise, for example, or someone with advancedcomputer or technical skills, or experience in broadcasting, journalism, advertising sales or communitymediaand someone with a wicked record collection wouldnt hurt either. Ensure you have a group with abroad set of skills that represents the diversity of your community.

To Think About: Group Process

Can you all get along? How will you accommodate those who are very detail-oriented with big-picturethinkers? Will you work by consensus? How will you handle the fact that some have less time to give to theco-op development process than others? How will you deal with questions of leadership, power, authority and

equity on your Steering Committee?


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2. Members

A key question to resolve with your Steering Committee: who will be the members of the co-op? For campusand community radio stations, this concept is explored further in Chapter Two and involves discussionsaround programming content and station structure.

3. How Will We Make Money?

It is quite common for groups started by passionate and committed volunteers to overlook or underestimatethe ongoing nancial needs of the station (or other emerging enterprise). It is critical that your group sketchout, crudely at rst, but in more detail further along the way, how the ventures expenses will be paid.

For an emerging radio station, the labour might be of love for the rst little while, but as that keyvolunteer who put in 60 hours per week for the rst two years burns out, wages will need to be budgeted for.Equipment, furniture and studio space dont grow on trees either, so the key nancial forecasting, includingexpenses and revenue sources, need to be hammered out in broad strokes at the beginning to see whetherthe project is feasible. More on this in Chapter Two.

After guring out the Big Three, there are some additional steps that will help prepare your path todeveloping a healthy co-op:

4. Market Research: Needs and Opportunities

Does your co-op serve a need or respond to an opportunity for you, your members, and your community?Is there a demand for your service beyond your Steering Committee? Look at the four Ps of marketing:(1) product/service (the programming you put out), (2) packaging (how it sounds), (3) price points (yourmembership fee scale and sponsorship/ ad rates), and (4) the best promotional vehicles.

The most common mistake people make in market research is to introduce their own personal bias.They project their own motivations onto their prospective members or customers. To avoid this, market

research must be designed using open-ended questions to prospective members and by having a soundsampling strategy. More details here.

5. Is the Co-op Model Right For Your Station?

There are many different structures that work for campus/community radio, as long as theyre not-for-prot.At this point you will have to determine whether the co-op model is right for you.


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6. Developing a Mission Statement

Kootenay Co-op Radios mission statement was developed prior to the station incorporating as a co-op, andit is still used today:

It is important to get a concise mission statement put together as soon as possible, so new volunteersmembers and partners can get a quick sense of what the station is all about. It seems simple, though youwould be surprised at how long it can take a group to hammer one out.

Have a meeting exclusively dedicated to creating a mission statement. Bring snacks, take breaks,move around and keep those ideas owing. It often helps to have someone not involved in the process torecord and collate all of the ideas and reect them back to the group.

The mission statement should answer the question, why are we starting a radio station (or anyco-op)?; it should clarify your goal and purpose and motivate your board, staff, volunteers and donors.The mission does not need to include all the subtleties of your future programming policies, which may

dictate types of music your station will focus on or languages of broadcast, etc. These can be tackled later.

It is strongly recommended that your group seeks the guidance of an experienced co-op developer for, atthe very least, the next three of these steps, as co-op regulations vary from province to province. There is aCanadian network of these skilled and friendly people, so nd one online in your area throughcoopzone.coop.

KCR uses its facilities and the initiative and skills of its membership to create a medium for

balanced expression of the varied perspectives of our community. KCR aims to entertain and

inform listeners through its commitment to innovative broadcast journalism and high-quality

programming.


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7. A Comprehensive Feasibility Study and Business Plan

A good chunk of the business plan is prepared by completing the CRTC application for a regular licence, butwe recommend you follow through and prepare a full plan now, saving yourself time and headaches later.There are a number of resources online to guide your group through an ofcial feasibility study. Here are acouple of examples to get you started:Cultivating Co-ops Guide (pages 18-19)

Canadian Worker Co-op Feasibility Study

8. Incorporating Your Co-op

Heres a good resource for incorporation requirements from the Canadian Co-op Association. The resourcesare broken down by province.It includes links to sample Memoranda of Association and Co-op Rules, twokey incorporation documents. Samples of some co-op radio stations Memoranda of Association and Co-opRules are also included here.

WARNING!Each province has its own specic requirements for incorporation; be sure to researchthese regulations. For example, audit requirements vary from province to province andmay necessitate additional planning and nances. As with everything else about thisprocess, you will want to ag requirements now rather than be surprised later.

HEADS UP!If youre starting a campus or community radio station as a co-op, it needs to be anincorporated community-service co-op.Community-service co-ops require the inclusion of non-alterable clauses in their rulesthat ensure the co-op operates on a non-prot basis. They cannot issue investmentshares, cannot pay members patronage dividends and, upon dissolution, must transferproperty to another community-service co-op or charitable organization.
http://www.bcca.coop/sites/bcca.coop/files/Cultivating%20Co-ops%20Guide%20BC.pdfhttp://www.canadianworker.coop/starting/key-concepts-feasibility-studyhttp://www.bcca.coop/sites/bcca.coop/files/Cultivating%20Co-ops%20Guide%20BC.pdfhttp://www.coopscanada.coop/en/coopdev/Incorporating-your-Co-ophttp://kootenaycoopradio.com/policies/kcr_rules_of_the_cooperative.pdfhttp://kootenaycoopradio.com/policies/kcr_rules_of_the_cooperative.pdfhttp://www.coopscanada.coop/en/coopdev/Incorporating-your-Co-ophttp://www.bcca.coop/sites/bcca.coop/files/Cultivating%20Co-ops%20Guide%20BC.pdfhttp://www.canadianworker.coop/starting/key-concepts-feasibility-studyhttp://www.bcca.coop/sites/bcca.coop/files/Cultivating%20Co-ops%20Guide%20BC.pdf


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9. Defining Internal Structure and Roles

Once incorporated, youll want to formally establish the internal structure of the co-operative. Co-op membersare required to hold an Annual General Meeting to elect a board of directors and its ofcers: president,treasurer and secretary. The board hires the manager. The manageror the board, if you dont need amanagerhires the staff. All positions will need to have clearly dened roles and responsibilities, and denedways of communicating with one another.

As discussed further in Chapter Two, dening your structure also involves the setting up of committees

and developing policies around what they do and how they do it. For more information, a number of guidesput out by helpful provincial associations across Canada, cover these steps in elaborate detail:

Cultivating Co-ops Guide, by the BC Co-operative Association

How to Start a Co-op, by the Nova Scotia Co-op Council

From the ne folks at the Ontario Co-op Association

Some Final Thoughts

Generations of Canadians have used the principles and values of co-operation to make an invaluablecontribution to the development of communities and the country. We have used co-operatives to overcomeharsh geographical and economic realities. Like other people around the world, Canadians have usedco-operatives to provide democratic solutions to the problems and challenges that affect our lives.

I love working in campus radio because of the passion and creativity of our hostsand volunteers. Everybody loves their genre or topic so much that they spend hoursevery week producing something amazing for the community. I love the windoweach show provides into different subcultures, and I love being part of such a locallyresponsive and grassroots service.Brenda Gruneau, CiTR-FM, Vancouver, BC

What do you like best about campus radio?
http://www.bcca.coop/sites/bcca.coop/files/Cultivating%20Co-ops%20Guide%20BC.pdfhttp://www.bcca.coop/sites/bcca.coop/files/Cultivating%20Co-ops%20Guide%20BC.pdfhttp://www.novascotia.coop/files/6613/1886/3763/How_to_Start_a_Co-operative.pdfhttp://www.ontario.coop/programs_services/coop_development/starting_a_coophttp://www.ontario.coop/programs_services/coop_development/starting_a_coophttp://www.novascotia.coop/files/6613/1886/3763/How_to_Start_a_Co-operative.pdfhttp://www.bcca.coop/sites/bcca.coop/files/Cultivating%20Co-ops%20Guide%20BC.pdf


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If youve read Chapter One, youve learned about the benets and some mechanics of getting a co-op offthe ground. This chapter ties those lessons together with what you need to know about starting your owncampus or community radio station, including important steps, potential pitfalls, and where to go for moreinformation and support.

Whats Out There?In Canada, there are various types of radio stations on the AM and FM dials:

Commercial

For-prot, may be privately owned or part of a commercial network, funded primarily through advertisingrevenue, with content hosted by professional DJs, often a set format involving hit music or all-talk

Community

Not-for-prot, community-owned and governed by an elected board of directors, may rely on someadvertising, as well as local fundraising and grants, opportunities for volunteers to host and produceprograms, often mixed-format with a wide variety of content

Campus

The same as community stations but located on a college or university campus and therefore have morestudent volunteers, as well as other members of the community, usually receive funding from studentsin addition to some advertising and community-based fundraising and grants, must include student anduniversity representation on their boards of directors

EthnicMay be commercial or not-for-prot, with revenue streams that suit that classication, primarily target onedistinct ethnic or linguistic group

Public

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)independent federally-funded broadcaster, createdand developed through special provisions of the Broadcasting Act, provides local, regional, national andinternational coverage, as well as some music programming, no advertising on radio services

These stations are all licenced and regulated by the Canadian Radio-television and TelecommunicationsCommission (CRTC), an arms-length agency of the federal government.


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A Note on Terminology

Throughout the handbook, we refer to campus and community radio, c/c radio and sometimes justcommunity radio. Campus and community radio is the most correct term from a regulatory point ofview, but often the sector as a whole is simply referred to as community radio, after all, each station is acommunity of communities, coming together. We use all of these terms interchangeably, if for no other reasonthan we like to mix it up.

In this chapter, we will focus mainly on campus and community (c/c) stations, though much of thisadvice could also apply to not-for-prot, community-based and volunteer-driven ethnic stations. Althoughinternet-only stations are not regulated by the CRTC, the sections on working with volunteers and developingprogramming and policies could also apply to these stations.

Campus and community stations are mandated to:facilitate community access to programming;promote the availability of training throughout the community;provide ongoing training and supervision of those within the community who wish to participate inprogramming.

The CRTC also requires c/c stations to offer diverse programming that reects the needs and interests of theircommunities, including:

music by new and local talent;music not generally broadcast by commercial stations;spoken word programming;local information.

What do you like best about being involved in community radio?

Being surrounded by enthusiastic, open-minded and passionate volunteerswho support creativity in our community.

Keith Colhoun, CJTR-FM, Regina, Saskatchewan

Many English- and bilingually-licenced campus and community stations inCanada are members of the National Campus and Community Radio Association(NCRA). Most French-licenced community stations are members of either lAssociationdes r adiodiffuseurs c ommun autaires du Quebec (ARC-Q) or l Alliance des radioscommunautaires du Canada (ARCC). These are all excellent resources for the community

radio sector in Canada.


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So Where Do You Start?The Big Three in Action...and Nine More!

A NOTE ON GOVERNANCE

Governance refers to the structures and processes c/c stations use to make big decisions, plan forthe future, and ensure accountability for both what goes out over the air and how they spend their

money. In co-ops, governance is usually led by the board of directors. The Prometheus Radio Project is a non-prot organization of radio activists, founded in 1998and based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The project builds, supports, and advocates for communityradio stations and movements for social change. Among their resources is a great Handbook onStation Governance, produced in conjunction with WSLR-FM, a low-power community station inSarasota, Florida. Though some of the details are for the U.S. system, they offer great materialon developing your stations mission, as well as samples of varying philosophies behind differentstations. They also say in the handbook:

Avoid envisioning your stations governance as a Swiss watch, with complicated independent

mechanisms (committees) that all must work perfectly to accomplish its mission. Try to think insteadof your station as a party, with plenty of food and drink and good music. People talk in small groups,move from conversation to conversation, a good song will come on and the tables get pushedagainst the wall and a lot of people start dancing. Some people dont know anyone, but if the hostsare nice they nd a way to draw them in to the party and soon they are part of it. Most of whatmakes a party (and a community radio station) successful is the people...and the good atmospherecreated between them. (Handbook on Station Governance, page 8.)

You can access the full handbook here.

1. STEERING COMMITTEEAs outlined in the last chapter, before starting anything,you need to have a group of people who are passionateabout community radio and who have the time andenergy to get this project off the ground.

Ideally, there is a mix of people who havetechnical backgrounds, experience with non-prot andcommunity organizing, and some grasp of nancialmanagement. These skills make starting a stationeasier, though weve also seen stations set up by a fewkeen volunteers without experience but a strong willand a love for radio.

Its important to ensure, from the beginning,that the group is actively recruiting and open to adiverse range of people from across the community.This will be important when applying for a broadcastinglicence, as it demonstrates the station has broad-basedsupport. It also gets to the heart of what communityradio is all about: providing direct access to theairwaves, particularly for those under-representedand marginalized in mainstream media, cultivatingconversations between neighbours, and providing atrusted source of music and local information.
http://www.prometheusradio.org/http://http//prometheusradio.org/sites/default/files/WSLR_Station_Governance_Handbook.pdfhttp://http//prometheusradio.org/sites/default/files/WSLR_Station_Governance_Handbook.pdfhttp://www.prometheusradio.org/


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2. Members

A Co-op Community Station Serves Its Members: Who Are These People?Radio stations need listeners, programmers, volunteers and supporters. In co-op radio stations, all or some ofthese groups may also be your members.

The process of answering the who are our members? question will guide everything, such as thelook of your programme schedule, your recruitment of on-air volunteers, your priorities for getting gear, thesignal strength and coverage you want to achieve, and all of your outreach activities. It will be a lifelong andevolving question that will occupy much of your successors mental bandwidth as well. Decide who these

people are, and plan carefully how you will bring them into the fold.

FACTOIDKootenay Co-op Radio, CJLY-FM in the small town of Nelson, British Columbia, startedin 1997 when options on the local radio dial were limited to the CBC and two commercialstations. The founders decided they wanted to produce programming for listeners whowanted more. By highlighting the local avour the station would bring to its listeners, theygenerated support from people eager to hear their neighbours on the air talking about localnews and events, and playing music they couldnt hear anywhere else. Their rst batch ofmembers were people who supported the concept; the following ones were people whowanted to be on the air as programmers; and the next wave came from the listeners. In itssecond decade, new members regularly come from all three of these groups.


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3. MoneyCommunity radio does not survive on love alone. The early stages of generating vast amounts of sweat equitywill eventually morph into the reality of start-up costs and quickly move on to regular operational expenses,like rent for ofce and studio space, lights, phone and other services and, if possible, some people to help runit all smoothly.

If the Steering Committee can craft a bare bones this-is-what-we-need-and-this-is-how-well-get-it budget, while maintaining the enthusiasm to work together, youre still in the game. And remember that abudget is a living documentthe more you know, the more detailed and realistic you can make it. More on

budgets below, under CRTC Application and in Appendix A.

A Feasibility Study

This exercise looks at the viability of your idea, with an emphasis on identifying potential problems, andattempts to answer two main questions: Will the idea work? Should you proceed with it?

As discussed in Chapter One, doing a feasibility study can really help determine whether its the righttime and place and whether you have the right people to start a station. Is there a demand for what you areproposing? Can you raise the money to fund it? This can be an informal exercise, but it is a critical one.

BEFORE YOU MOVE ON.A CHECKLIST

If you answered yes to all of these, then its time to forge ahead. A number of next steps can happen

concurrently, depending on the size of your group and the amount of time each person has.

Is your Steering Committee still committed and/or open torecruiting new members as others leave?

Are more people helping out than at the beginning?

Have you:

Determined who your members will be?

Figured out approaches to enlist members?

Sketched out a prospective programme schedule based onthe interests of volunteers, members and listeners?

Found some people who want to be on-air?

Discussed how youll communicate with the public about thisproject?

Determined how you can make enough money to coverstart-up and ongoing expenses?

Determined the geographic area you want to cover, based onthe communities you want to serve?

Researched potential partnerships?

YES NO


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4. Work on Your Co-ops Incorporation DocumentsChoose a legal name, have fun with potential call letters (this always gets people going), and hammer out yourrulesthe co-op equivalent of bylawsand memorandum of association. As mentioned in Chapter One, thisis a good time to use the services of a co-op development consultant.

5. Investigate Your Responsibilities to the Agencies That Regulate Campus and Community

Radio

From a regulatory standpoint, youll be dealing primarily with two agencies: the CRTC, which licenses stationsand regulates content; and Industry Canada, which oversees the technical side of things.Many of these regulations are quite complicated. Fear not! All new stations have been there and getting ontop of these requirements is possible. Contact other c/c stations and the national associations that representc/c radio for more information. A good resource is the NCRAs Regulatory Support Guide.

Much of the content for these next steps was drawn from How to Start an FM Community Radio Station,a publication by Barry Rueger and Victoria Fenner, who were active in the non-prot and community-radioconsultation eld in the 1990s. Many stations owe heaps of thanks to these two people and the resourcesthey generated. The website has evolved from these origins and is maintained by Barry Rueger. It continuesto be a valuable resource for community media folk across Canada.

6. Frequency SearchOnce you know the geographic outline of the area you want to cover, you will need to hire an engineer toconduct a frequency search and produce a technical brief. This is the rst stage of the engineering process.Using Industry Canadas databases and topographical information, your engineer should be able to determinethe best available frequency for your proposed station.If frequencies that will cover the entire area you wish to serve are unavailable, you may want to think aboutalternatives for reaching your intended audience; you may broadcast to a smaller area, choose Internetbroadcasting or try to get carried by your local cable provider.

What do you like best about having helped to start a community radio station?

It appealed to my values around responsible anarchy, where we can agree to actwith respect and for the good of the community based on shared understandingsthat we develop. Its good to be a part of developing an alternative to pre-packagedcorporate culture.Catherine Fisher, CJLY-FM, Nelson, British Columbia
http://www.ncra.ca/compliance-resourceshttp://www.community-media.com/http://www.community-media.com/http://www.ncra.ca/compliance-resources


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7. Transmission and Studio Budgeting and

Design and Gear!

Back to the numbers! Once youve found yourfrequency, you can begin to develop your capitalbudget. Your engineer should be able to tell you whatkind of antenna and transmitter you will need andhelp you shop for the best deal. You may also have to

budget for renting space on a nearby tower or buyingand setting up your own.

You do not necessarily want the biggest ornewest transmitter you can afford. Many factors willdetermine your coverage, including antenna type,height and location, and what must be done to protectthe contours of other nearby stations. The aim is tond the best combination of many elements at thelowest price.

Your studio needs will be determined by theprogramming you plan to broadcast. Keep in mind thatequipment salespeople may try to sell you high-priced

and fully-automated systems like those at commercialstations. In all likelihood, this will not match yourbudget or needs. Unless youre planning a fullyautomated studio, you will probably need an on-airstudio with a mixer, microphones, an on-air computer,CD players, turntables, and an audio logging systemthat records everything that goes over the air, which isnice for you and required by the CRTC.

You also have to budget for not-so-obviousstuff, like soundproong, on-air lights, chairs thatdont squeak, speakers, headphones, mic stands,

and portable recording gear for reporting from theeld. Some groups prioritize top-of-the-line broadcastequipment from the beginning, others rely onborrowed, second-hand or salvaged componentsthe choice is yours.

If you are friendly with people at localcommercial or CBC radio stationsand theres noreason not to bethey may give you used equipmentfor free. Often community radio folk are perceivedby better-funded radio people as their broke anddishevelled little sisters and brothers, and this canwork to your advantage! Be selective, though; it can

be cheaper to buy new than to refurbish used gear,especially if its 20 to 30 years old.

Theres also a lot of DIY capacity and open-source software that can help. This is where thenational associations or other c/c stations can giveyou some pointers. Get in touch for some hard-wonadvice.


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8. Where Will We Broadcast From?

Location, location, location. This is where partnerships can play a role: Maybe theres space in a localcommunity or youth centre? Maybe the upstairs in somebodys house? CFAD-FM in Salmo, BritishColumbia, uses the former volunteer information centre on the highway, which they rent from themunicipality.

In looking for space, you will be balancing two distinct needs: price and utility. Before taking any

free space that is offered to you, consider the work and money needed to make it a good broadcaststudio. Aside from the size of the rooms, you may have to consider ofce space, music storage,ventilation, power supply, parking, zoning and after-hours access.

When designing your space, also think about the needs of everyone who will someday use it.This includes accommodations for people with disabilities (ramps and wider hallways for wheelchairsand other mobility devices, bright lights, a mixing board in Braille and screen-reading capability forthose with visual impairments), as well as a exible-enough set-up so you can host live bands, paneldiscussions, childrens storytime or whatever else your programmers come up with!

For more information on making campus and community radio stations accessible for peoplewith disabilities, go here.

Finally, plan for growth. Get as much space as you can now, with longer-term plans for makingit useful. CIDI-FM in Knowlton, Quebec, had empty space at their station. The donation of a grand

piano meant they could convert the empty space into a recital and concert room, used now for livebroadcasts and other community events.

Lappui dun mouvement fort.Angus LeFort, CKJM-FM, Cheticamp, Nova Scotia

http://www.ncra.ca/abilitieshttp://www.ncra.ca/abilities


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9. CRTC Application

In this tome, you will tell the CRTC who you are, what your programme schedule will be, and how youllnancially support the station.

If you havent already, this is a particularly good time to consult with people knowledgeable aboutcampus and community radio policy, like the NCRA, ARC du Canada and ARC du Quebec.

Perhaps a Developmental Licence to Start?

Developmental licences are short-term (up to ve years) and low power (only ve watts). They are intendedto allow you to get established and build community support before applying for a full licence. Five watts ofpower doesnt reach too far, although it will cover most small towns quite well, and it will allow you to geton-air very quickly. The application form is very brief, cheap (no engineering brief is required), and needsto demonstrate why your community needs you. You can also sell advertising/sponsorships and solicitthe support of local business to help build your station. Note, however, that it is not possible to renew adevelopmental licence; stations must apply for a regular licence before the expiry of the developmental periodin order to continue broadcasting.

STAY PROTECTED!

If you are licensed, under a regular or developmental licence, to broadcast at less than 50 watts,your frequency will be unprotected. That means if another applicant wants to use or causeinterference with your frequency at more than 50 watts, you will have no choice but to applyfor a new frequency, or go off the air. In the past, unprotected community broadcasters havesuffered considerably when commercial broadcasters have applied for full power stations at thesame, or an adjacent, frequency. Even if a commercial applicant does not succeed, the processof responding to their application can be a nightmare.

The cost of starting your station with a regular licence is more than a developmentallicence, mainly due to the cost of the engineering brief; when you apply for a regular licence,however, the cost of starting up at 100 or even 250 watts is not appreciably more than 49 watts,and certainly the difference will cost less than having to do a second frequency search and

technical brief later.


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A. On-Air Programming

Dont be too prescriptive about exactly what will ll your schedule: a big part of the magic of community radiois that you dont (yet) know what people in your community are passionate about. Campus and communitystations have shows about dog-training, book reviews, local luminaries and rabble-rousers, youth theatre,international human rights and discoveries in science, as well as music programmes featuring soul, punk,hip hop, klezmer, folk, electro-acoustic, classical, gospel, gagaku, grindcore, glitch, gabber, gamelan, J-pop,Ethiopian, Irish, Polish and Arabic music. Canadian c/c stations also broadcast in over 60 languages.

You will likely have more music shows than spoken-word shows, and music shows also tend to bemuch easier for volunteers to produce week after week. Some shows may work as collectives, where manypeople take turns contributing. This can work well with students and other people who cant always committo participating weekly, and it builds teamwork.

How will you get the music you want to put on air?

Will you ask volunteer programmers to provide their own? Will you work with local and touring musicians toperform live in your studio? Will you use an online music database or contact music distributors, record labelsand local musicians to send you CDs or MP3s? Lots of established c/c stations have good processes aroundthisreceiving an avalanche of new music each weekand would be happy to offer advice. Many stationsalso produce weekly charts of the new music most played by their programmers and submit them to the

NCRAs online music hub here.In describing your programming and proposing a grid for the CRTC, you want to give a sense of

the general type of programming youll carry and ensure it meets the minimum standards for regulatorycompliance. Its just as important to explain in detail how you will get this programming: with plans forrecruiting and training diverse volunteers.

A Note about Partnerships

From the beginning, do you want to establish programming or nancial alliances with local co-ops,educational institutions, businesses or credit unions? You dont want to suffocate under too much paperwork,but you also want to have clear understandings of what youre getting into with partnerships, so think aboutdrafting a memorandum of understanding (MOU) or simple partnership agreement on any activities with anancial or programming component.

Spoken-Word and Music Programming

Some types of shows are very time-consuming, likepre-produced news. Think about sustainable ways ofproviding listeners with a variety of spoken-word content,maybe mixing small amounts of pre-produced local news withlive studio and phone interviews and panel discussions toround it out.

Especially in smaller communities, think realisticallyabout how people will volunteer, and plan programmingchoices around that. Can other stations in the region sharetheir programming or ideas? Can you record and repeat someof your own shows more than once per week? Can youpre-record some programming to better t volunteersschedules? Can local students participate as part of theirclass work or after school? What about seniors? Localcommunity groups?

Some stations have paid journalists and on-air hosts orstaff who produce some of the programming. Just make sure

there is still a wide range of times and days left for volunteers!You also want to think about what types of musicyou will feature. In general, most c/c stations focus on musicthat is not heard on commercial radio, and campus stationscannot play more than 10 percent hit music per week.
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B. Station Structure

Board, Staff, Committees

As outlined in Chapter One, co-ops consist of a pre-dened organizational structure. At its most basic, thisstructure includes members and a board of directors but often extends to include one or more paid staffmember and a series of committees.

Campus and community radio stations operate under a variety of different structures. For example:

a paid volunteer coordinator, with all administration and programming aspects taken care of by volunteerspart-time programming, technical and administrative staff, with all other work being carried out byvolunteersa paid station manager, with all other work done by volunteersall volunteers and no paid staff, except for paid technicians on retainera station manager who supervises other paid staffa staff collective, where staff work together non-hierarchically to make management decisionsall models in between

The constant in c/c radio, however, is the committee. Committees usually reect the critical functions of anyorganization. In the case of community radio, these functions include:

programming, including news, spoken word and musictraining, (including technical, production, content, and policy training)development, including fundraising, membership drives, advertising and sponsorships, outreach andpromotionstechnical workadministration, including nance, budgeting, regulatory affairs, member relations, human resources

For most co-op c/c stations, the founding board of directors will be the same people who geteverything into place for getting on-air: raising funds, buying equipment, building community support, draftingthe programme schedule and building the studio.

In the ensuing years, however, this work is usually delegated to various committees, often under thesame names as the critical functions above.


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C. A Detailed Budget

This is where you drill down on the budget concepts you developed in the planning stages.

See Appendix A for more on budgets, as well as some examples.

D. Your Supplemental Brief

This is your chance to address all those issues not directly asked about on the CRTC licence application formSome examples of additional information include:

a prole of the communities you will serve, in all their diversitythe level of community engagement with the station, including letters of support from individuals,organizations, and businessesvolunteer recruitment and training plans

job descriptionsmechanisms for volunteer supervision, particularly in ensuring regulatory requirements will be metconsistentlyvolunteer contractspolicy development and decision-making (board, committees, staff, etc.)complaints processes for handling complaints and grievances from staff and volunteers, as well as listener

complaints

Many stations have this material and some policies posted here.

For concrete examples, Kootenay Co-op Radio posts many of its policies here. Or go to the NCRAspolicy exchange here.

A NOTE ON POLICY

Policy is a body of work that allows questions to be answered consistently over time,reecting the values of the stations members. Some stations put a lot of work intopolicy as they develop, and others dont. If you dont have policy in place, you run therisk of resorting to arbitrary decision-making measures later, which can get complicated

or be unintentionally biased by the nature of their subjectivity.

Key policies and procedures could include:Decision-making, outlining how the board relates to staff and volunteers

Staff responsibilities, authority and accountability

Code of conduct for volunteers, which can be very simple

Confict resolution and complaints

Programmer selection, discipline, and discontinuation

Program proposals and selection

Financial management

Obscenity and profanity in programming
http://www.ncra.ca/projects-and-services/policy_exchangehttp://kootenaycoopradio.com/index.php?/in-house-info/policies/http://ncra.ca/projects-and-services/policy_exchangehttp://ncra.ca/projects-and-services/policy_exchangehttp://kootenaycoopradio.com/index.php?/in-house-info/policies/http://www.ncra.ca/projects-and-services/policy_exchange


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Wait, Youre Not Quite Finished!

10. Industry Canada Engineering BriefAt the same time you submit your CRTC application, you must submit an engineering brief to Industry Canada(applicants for developmental licences are exempt from this requirement until they apply for a regular licenceat the end of the ve-year developmental period). This is usually prepared or supervised by an engineer witha P.Eng accreditation, although the engineer can be from any part of Canada and does not have to be locatednear your community in order to carry out this work. This will probably be done by the same person who did

your frequency search. The brief tells the government your frequency, power levels, location and assuresthem you will not interfere with any other protected broadcasters.

Sometimes if youre not in one of the big cities, you can nd Industry Canada people at regionalofces who will help you out, which may reduce costs for the professional engineer to prepare the brief.

By this time, you will have chosen the stations call letters. Your choices cannot sound similar to thecall letters of any other local station, so despite the fun you had in the heady days of dreaming up rhymes toyour towns name or acronyms for your rst four members, there are limitations. Your engineer can help yound the available choices.

If you are near the U.S. border, Industry Canada may also have to ensure your application meets

requirements set out in reciprocal agreements with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the U.S.broadcast regulator.After you submit your application, CRTC staff may notify you if information is missing or insufcient

and send you questions to clarify the content of your application. Once your application is acceptedas complete, there will be a call for interventions for or against your applicationand you can certainlyencourage people to le interventions in support of your application! This is followed by a hearing, which isoften non-appearing. Sometimes there is a public-hearing process where applicants and interveners makepresentations to CRTC commissioners in person or by video link, but that usually only happens when thereare competing applications for the same frequency.

The CRTC will then review your application and interventions, and make a decision on whether togrant your station a licence to broadcast. Some c/c stations have had to apply more than once to successfullyobtain a licence, so brace yourself for potential disappointment, while hoping that your application does not

need to be substantially reworked or restructured before resubmitting.

At the same time your engineering brief is prepared, it may be necessary to contactexisting broadcasters whose signals are short-spaced or adjacent to the frequencyyou have selected to notify them of your application and obtain their permission if yoursignal will impact theirs. This is mostly a concern in urban areas or in rural areas nearbig urban centres, and it can add a lot of extra time to the licencing process. You may

have to work with those stations to nd ways of protecting their contours before theywill agree not to oppose your application. Industry Canada will not approve applicationsfor frequency use that may impact the protected contours of existing stations withouttheir agreement.

BURNOUT!

As with any project of passion, you are going to put in more hours than you everimagined. This is okayfor a while. To ensure the long-term sustainability and successof your station, however, work needs to be shared among a number of people, and thosepeople need to know how to delegate. The station is no good to anyone if the foundersrun away screaming before you get your licence, with nobody to carry the torch throughthe next steps.


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11. Licence ApprovalIf successful, you could receive approval of your CRTC licence within three to nine months of submitting yourcompleted application. The CRTC usually grants licences on the condition that Industry Canada approvesyour engineering brief, if it has not done so already. The CRTC will add conditions to the licence as set outon the licence application form, including requirements for stations to adhere to the Canadian Association ofBroadcasters Equitable Portrayal Code and Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children.

The CRTC will probably give you a xed period of time in which to actually begin broadcasting. If youare delayed, you may be able to obtain an extension if you can justify the reasons for the delay.


12. Building Up to Going On-AirWith licence in hand, you can now ramp up. Be sure to send out press releases far and wide to herald thenews!

Conrm your on-air schedule and recruit the programmers who will make it a reality; secure your localbusiness sponsors, if you choose to have them; hire any staff; develop initial policies and procedures; andsavour this all-too-short time of excitement and rising enthusiasm as the big day approaches.

And start training! This is a great opportunity to use the skills and expertise of locals who mightnot want to commit to being permanent programmers but do want to help. People from the land of thenewspaper may be happy to provide training in basic journalism skills, particularly interviewing techniquesand ethics; local actors may be able to offer vocal technique workshops; representatives from local culturalgroups may provide workshops on cultural sensitivity; lawyers can explain libel and slander, and so on. Itsalso a good way to get a wide cross-section of people aware of your stationand its need for support.

The rst few minutes of live broadcasting after you turn on the transmitter will likely be one the great

joys of your life.

If it goes well (or well enough, as is usually the case), words cannot express the ecstatic delight, surprise,giddy glee and relief that follow the sounds you have helped move over the airwaves.

Savour this delight, as the real work has only just begun

When we ipped the switch at CJLY-FM in Nelson, British Columbia,our sleep-deprived techies were out driving to the far reaches of our

untested broadcast range, calling in from pay phones, rhapsodicallyannouncing the coordinates from which they could hear the freshsignal on the car radio. In the studio, veteran commercial radio DJ(then-turned community radio enthusiast) Wade Porter wasjacking up his cans and sharing the booth with newbie community radiotarian Jocelyn Carver,who recalls the shocking and gratifying reality of that moment, that we had actuallyafter allof the meetings and late nights and early mornings and in betweenscreated a whole newcommunication medium for our town.

Ensuring a community-focused, independent and accessible mediaoutlet exists in town to provide an alternative to the mainstreammessages.Dan Kellar, CKMS-FM, Waterloo, Ontario
http://www.cab-acr.ca/english/social/codes/epc.htmhttp://www.cab-acr.ca/english/social/codes/epc.htmhttp://www.cab-acr.ca/english/social/codes/epc.htmhttp://www.cab-acr.ca/english/social/codes/ethics.shtmhttp://www.cab-acr.ca/english/social/codes/ethics.shtmhttp://www.cab-acr.ca/english/social/codes/epc.htmhttp://www.cab-acr.ca/english/social/codes/epc.htmhttp://www.cab-acr.ca/english/social/codes/epc.htm


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CHAPTER THREESHARED VALUES: A NATURAL FIT


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Below you will nd how the underpinning values of co-operation and community radio intersect and howthe combination of their respective values is a winning recipe.Community radio values (in black), were expressed by community radio volunteers and staff across

the country; co-operative values (in white), were dened by the International Co-operative Alliance, and gaverise to The Seven Co-operative Principles (outlined in detail in Chapter One), which serve as guidelines toput the these values into practice:


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CHAPTER FOURCOMMUNITY RADIO CO-OPS IN CANADA


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Kootenay Co-op RadioCJLY 93.5 FM

Address:

308a Hall StNelson, British ColumbiaV1L 1Y8250.352.9600

www.kootenaycoopradio.com

Went on-air: November 2000

Range/geographic area: Rural mountains,around 100 square km

Members: 2,600

Programmers/volunteers: 129

Benets provided to members: Access toKCR training programmes; reduced admissionto events put on by the station; eligibility foron-air giveaways; KCR Friends Card, providingdiscounts at dozens of supporting localbusinesses; right to vote at the AGM; opportunityto run for the Board of Directors.

Cost for share/annual dues: $2 lifetime share,annual dues between $30 - $240

Annual budget: $118,000

Bulk of revenues: Memberships,sponsorships,and fundraising.

Cooprative des Montagnes LteCFAI-FMEdmundston 101.1 FMGrand-Sault 105.1 FM

Address:

318 Boul Broadway,Grand-Sault/Grand Falls, NBE3Z 2K4505.737.5060

www.cfai.fm

Went on-air:April 2 1991

Range/geographic area: Northwest New Brunswick(Madawaska and Victoria)

Communities/groups served:A community of40,000 active Francophones

Members:Around 425 members for 2011-2012

Programmers/volunteers: Four paid programmersand 12 volunteers

Benets provided to members: Members get theright to speak at the AGM and corporate membersget a discount on advertising

Cost for share/annual dues: Member-listener: $5Businesses: between $50 and $100

Approximate annual budget: $450,000

Bulk of revenues: advertising sales
http://www.kootenaycoopradio.com/http://www.cfai.fm/http://www.cfai.fm/http://www.kootenaycoopradio.com/


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Vancouver Co-operative RadioCFRO 102.7 FM

Rossland Radio Co-opCHLI 101.1 FM

Address:110-360 Columbia StreetVancouver, BCV6A 4J1604.684.8494

Address:

1807 Columbia Avenubox 408Rossland, BCV0G 1Y0250.362.0080

www.coopradio.org

Went on-air:April 15 1975

Range/geographic area: Metro Vancouver/LowerMainland

Communities/groups served: Large diversity ofcultural, linguistic and political communitiese.g. Latin American, Iranian, Ethiopian, Queer, FirstNations, labour activists etc.

Members: 1,250


Benets provided to members: Free semi-annualmailing of the Listeners Guide with notice ofspecial programming, current program schedules,and news; a tax receipt for donations over $25;

voting privileges at the Annual General Meeting;unlimited on-air giveaways; discounts on Co-opRadio swag; access to technical and other skillstraining; discounts at local businesses

Cost for share/annual dues: Share purchase is$2. Annual dues vary from $5/year to $10/month.


www.rosslandradio.com

Went on-air: Streaming over the internet since 2005and went to FM in January 2007.

Range/geographic area: Broadcasting with a lowpower FM (LPFM) license at 20 watts.

Members: 100

Programmers/volunteers: 12 programmers andapproximately 15 volunteers

Benets provided to members: We offer discountsto any events that we put on; voting privileges at

AGM.

Cost for share/annual dues: Regular $20, Family

$60, Organization $100, Lifetime $500.

Annual budget: $6500
http://www.coopradio.org/http://www.rosslandradio.com/http://www.rosslandradio.com/http://www.coopradio.org/


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Co-oprative Radio ChticampCKJM 106.1 FM

Address:

C.P. 699Cheticamp, NSB0E 1H0902.224.1242

www.ckjm.ca

Went on-air: October 1995

Range/geographic area: Cape Breton Island,Antigonish County

Communities/groups served: French communities

Members: 397


Cost for share/annual dues: $5 lifelong member


Bulk of revenuesAdvertising, production and

fundraising

Address:

P.O. Box 2282Station MainWinnipeg, MBR3C 4A6204.942.2568

www.cjnu.ca

Went on-air: December 2006

Range/geographic area: Greater Winnipeg(50 watts)

Communities/groups served: Seniors

Members: 1,000+

Programmers/volunteers: 60 to 70

Cost for share/annual dues: $40 rst year,$25 each year thereafter


Bulk of revenues: Sponsorships,membership fees and community donations

Nostalgia BroadcastingCooperativeCJNU 107.9 FM
http://www.ckjm.ca/http://www.cjnu.ca/http://www.cjnu.ca/http://www.ckjm.ca/


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Co-oprative Radiophonique-La Brise de la Baie LteCHQC 105.7 FM

www.chqc.capacadie.com

Went on-air: March 26, 2006

Range/geographic area: Saint John, Hampton,Grand Bay

Communities/groups served: Francophones andfrancophiles of Saint John area

Members: 250

Programmers/volunteers: Two radio hosts andeight volunteers

Cost for share/annual dues: $10, $100 bronze,$250 silver and $500 founder


Bulk of revenues: National and provincial ad sales

Address:

67 Ragged Point,Saint John, NBE2K 5C3506.643.6994

Radio Halifax MtroCKRH 98.5 FM

Address:

5527 Cogswell StreetHalifax, NSB3J 1R2902.490.2574

www.ckrhfm.ca

Went on-air: October 15, 2007

Range/geographic area: Municipality of Halifax,from Peggys Cove to Musquodoboit and Beaver

Bank.

Communities/groups served: French Acadian

Members:Around 50

Programmers/volunteers: 30 +

Benets provided to members: Ten percentdiscount on advertising, voting at the AGM, inviteto special events, email newsletter about promotionand radio activities.

Cost for share/annual dues: $5 per year


Bulk of revenues: Fundraising from the communityand advertising
http://chqc.capacadie.com/http://www.ckrhfm.ca/http://www.ckrhfm.ca/http://chqc.capacadie.com/


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www.ckbn.ca

Went on-air: May 2007

Range/geographic area:

100km area from Becancour to Donacona andfrom Berthierville, St. Tite and Drummondville.

Programmers/volunteers:

Four radio hosts, two journalists and threevolunteer radio hosts

Bulk of revenues:

Half of income is from grants and the other halffrom advertisingLa Co-operative Radiophonique de Toronto

La Voix de la Rive-SudNicoletCKBN 90.5 FM

Address:

127-10275,Chemin LeblancWolinac, Quebec

G0X 1B0819.294.2526

www.choqfm.cawww.grandtoronto.ca

Went on-air: May 2006

Range/geographic area: Greater Toronto

Communities/ groups served: Multi-culturalFrench communities and English speakers

Cost for share/annual dues: $20/year regular,$10/year students and seniors

CHOQ-FM105.1 FM

Address:

302 425 Adelaide Street Toronto, ON

M5V 3C1416.599.2666

www.cignfm.ca

Went on-air: Launching Spring 2012!

Range/ geographic area: Coaticook County

Programmers/volunteers: Recruitment will bedone in the spring 2012.

Cost for share/annual dues: Will be between $50and $100

Address:

39 Main OuestCoaticook, QuebecJ1A 1P3819.804.0967

CIGN Coaticook

96.7 FM

M105

CFXM 104.9 FM

Address:

135, rue Principale, bureau 35Granby, QubecJ2G 2V1450.372.5105

www.m105.ca

Went on-air:April 1997

Range/geographic area: Granby, St-Hyacinthe,Bromont, Waterloo, Rougement, Cowansville, St-Csaire and surroundings.

Members: 13

Programmers/volunteers: No volunteers, sixpart-time programmers
http://www.ckbn.ca/http://www.choqfm.ca/http://www.grandtoronto.ca/http://www.cignfm.ca/http://www.m105.ca/http://www.m105.ca/http://www.cignfm.ca/http://www.grandtoronto.ca/http://www.choqfm.ca/http://www.ckbn.ca/


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CHAPTER FIVEWORKING WITH, AND REPORTING ON,OTHER CO-OPS IN YOUR COMMUNITY


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The sixth co-operative principle is Co-operation Among Co-operatives. Although many co-ops do notspend a lot of time or energy expressing this principle, for community-radio co-ops, as well as forcampus and community stations that arent co-ops, it is a great opportunity for further integration into yourcommunity, where your station can benet from similar co-operation with other sectors.

What does Co-operation Among Co-operatives mean, and howdoes it apply to us?Were glad you asked. Its about mutual aid and reciprocity. Its about supporting enterprises in other sectorsthat share your values. Its about the power of collective action. Its about introducing your radio station intoparts of your city/town/area that you might not otherwise reach.

REAL-LIFE SCENARIO #1

Your radio station is hosting a well-known speaker or putting on a great live concert. There are anumber of people who want to attend, but they live out of town, and public transit doesnt reachthem. Is there a carshare co-op in your area? You could ask if one of their members would be willingto drive one of their bigger vehicles and bring people to the event. If they do not want to supply thisservice for free, you could offer them on-air promotion during their next membership drive.


Your radio station is looking for partners for an exciting new project, like releasing a compilation oflocal bands that have performed live on-air. Dont forget that credit unions are also co-operatives!They too operate by embracing the sixth principle of co-ops, and you could use this angle to ask forsupport. To reciprocate, you could acknowledge their support on the compilation package and offerto produce and air public service announcements (PSAs) that would promote their upcoming call fordirectors.


Your radio station has the opportunity to hire a student subsidized by a national or provincial job-creation program. You would like to pay the employee more than the subsidized rate but can onlyafford to do this for two days a week. Are there other co-ops in your area that might want to hire thisperson for the other three days? This gets you what you need, provides fair employment, and adds tothe students experience in a variety of co-ops.


An easy one. If you sell sponsorships/ads, why not offer a substantially reduced rate for co-ops andcredit unions? Theyll love you for it, and youll be offering your listeners an opportunity to nd out

more about local businesses!


You want to create local programming lled with solid information. While maintaining basic journalisticredibility, there is room for using local co-ops as sources. For instance, maybe a local lm co-opwould like to produce weekly movie listings and contribute to reviews; the agricultural co-op couldbe part of a panel discussion on local food production and pesticide use; or the credit union couldgive simple nancial information to listeners around tax time. What other undiscovered stories arehappening within your local food, dairy, housing, media, carshare, internet or cable co-ops?


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As weve said throughout this handbook, co-ops share many of the values of campus and community radio.Even if your station is not a co-op, and is not bound by the Co-operation Among Co-ops principle, it makessense to support and work with other organizations that have so much in common with what you do.

How can we do this?Although this is more straightforward when working with and reporting on co-ops in your area, it can alsomake great radio to educate the public about co-op enterprises anywhere.

Stations across the country suggested that in working with co-ops

they could do the following:1.Offer on-air time, either PSAs, interviews or a show, for local co-ops to publicize their activities.2. Produce a series of PSAs on the co-op principles and why they matter.

3. Produce a progam focusing on co-operation that discusses issues of concern to the co-operative sector.

4. Each year during Co-op Week in October, host co-op related events, like station open houses and publictalks.

5. Document the co-op experience and share it with others as a way to encourage and mentor other

co-ops.

6. Host a co-op spotlight each month where a volunteer could produce a short ve-minute piece on adifferent co-op around the world. It would give the volunteer a broader knowledge of co-ops and the listenerstoo!

7. Step up collaborations with the Dominion News Co-op, a network of independent and grassroots Canadianjournalists who have created media co-ops in Halifax, Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. They are a greatsource for both text and audio stories, and stations could contribute their stories to them as well.

There are a number of co-ops in our area, and there is a lot of resource- and knowledge-sharing between us. For example, the food co-op is loaning its video projector and meetingroom to other smaller co-ops; the community resource co-op is providing one of its trainingcoordinators to oversee a board development day for local co-operators; the credit union isoffering its boardroom for regional radio conferences; and the local co-op bakery and foodco-op are teaming up to donate mufns and danishes to every big co-op event in town. Thisprovides a great sense of fellowship among the staff and members of these co-ops.Zo Creighton, CJLY-FM, Nelson, British Columbia

Why would we choose to promoteco-ops more than other kinds ofbusinesses and organizations?


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INNOVATIVE CO-OPSAROUND THE WORLD


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The United Nations declared 2012 the International Year of Co-operatives (IYC2012), to raise publicawareness of the invaluable contributions of co-operative enterprises to poverty reduction, employmentgeneration and social integration. IYC has provided an opportunity to highlight the strengths of theco-operative business model as an alternative means of doing business, solving problems, and furtheringsocio-economic development.

In the words of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

Co-operatives are a reminder to the international community that it is possible to pursue both economicviability and social responsibility.

Details of projects and initiatives to mark the year can be found at 2012.coop.This guide is being written during this international year, when the sites listed above were active, but

beyond 2012 perpetual fun can be had at the International Co-op Alliance site, or at the online home of theCanadian Co-op Association, which can also connect you to the provincial and regional association sites.
http://www.canada2012.coop/http://www.ica.coop/http://www.coopscanada.coop/http://www.coopscanada.coop/http://www.ica.coop/http://www.canada2012.coop/


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This chapter proles a small but diverse sampling of co-ops, big and small, that have chosen this model oforganizing to provide products or services to their communities.

Seikatsu Club Consumers Co-operative Union

The Seikatsu Club is a Japanese food co-operative system that, according to its organizers, aims not only tosupply wholesome food to its members, but also to fundamentally change the relationship between producersand consumers and between people and their environment.

It started in 1965 when a group of neighbours formed a collective to buy milk at lower prices. They

believed then the companies that dominated the milk market in Japan were offering an inferior product andmanipulating prices.Since that time, the Seikatsu Club has grown and organized itself into an umbrella organization, and in 1990it became the Seikatsu Club Consumers Co-operative Union. In 2009, the union had 29 club members, whichin turn have 320,000 individual members, most of whom are women. With the growth in female participationin Japans labour force, the SC also set up womens workers collectives for jobs that include recycling, healthcare, education, food preparation and child and elder care. The SC has also established a not-for-prot insur-ance company for its members.

In 1989, the Seikatsu Club was recognized by the RightLivelihood Award, sometimes known as theAlternative Nobel Prize.

Location: Tokyo, JapanMain trade: consumer goods (food, clothes, etc.)

Number of employees: 106 (1,300, including member staff)Number of members: 29 consumer co-ops and 320,000memberswww.seikatsuclub.coop

We interrupt this chapter to bring you another edition ofQuickie Facts on the Co-op Sector

Co-operatives provide over 100 million jobs around the world, 20 per cent more than multinationalenterprises. In Norway, agricultural co-operatives hold 96 per cent of the market for raw milk and 55 per centof the cheese market, 80 per cent of the timber market, over 70 per cent of the egg and fur markets, and52 per cent of the seed market.

In Korea, agricultural co-operatives have a membership of more than two million farmers (90 percent of all Korean farmers) and an output of US$11 billion. Korean shery co-operatives also report amarket share of 71 per cent.

In Spain, co-operatives provided jobs to 21.6 per cent of the labour market in 2007.In Kenya, co-operatives are responsible for 45 per cent of the gross domestic product, and 31 per cent ofnational savings and deposits. They also have 70 per cent of the coffee market and produce 95 per cent ofKenyas cotton.

In France, the co-operative movement has an annual turnover of 181 billion. Co-operativeshandle 60 per cent of retail banking, 40 per cent of food and agricultural production, and 25 per cent ofretail sales.

In Iran, co-operatives have created and maintain 1.5 million jobs.

And nally, in Canada, four out of every 10 Canadians are members of at least one co-operative.In Saskatchewan, its 56 percent, and in Quebec, approximately 70 percent of people are co-op members!International Co-operative Alliance, 2012:
http://www.rightlivelihood.org/http://www.seikatsuclub.coop/http://www.seikatsuclub.coop/http://www.rightlivelihood.org/


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Taz Verlagsgenossenschaft (Taz Publishing Co-operative)

The Taz is a daily newspaper with an independent voice. The Berlin co-operative has 11,000 memberswho have joined to see that independent journalism in Germany continues in a dramatically shifting medialandscape.

Nobody gives us a chancebut well grab it with both hands. So read the rst edition of Taz in 1979Twelve years later, the paper embraced a co-operative structure. Fast forward to 2012 and the co-op remainsthe only publication in Germany owned by its readers. In their own words here.

Pressure is mounting on daily mastheads to replace ever dwindling advertising revenues and to managethe rising forces of the internet. These forces have had a myriad of effects on the quality of daily journalismaround the globe. The evils of self-censorship have pared away at the independence of journalists in allcorners of the world through fear for their jobs. This, combined with business imperatives breaking intoeditorial decision-making, have whittled away at reportage which was once made without fear nor favour.The Taz Co-operative has been able to rise above these travails which plague other newspapers. It has asolid capital base of nearly 11 million euros. It has about 250 contributors to its pages. And, 33 years onfrom its inception as a newspaper, the Taz is still independent. The same deep-seated beliefs permeate the

publication.

Simpang Beluru Secondary School Co-operatives Limited

This school-based co-operative is situated in a village about 30 kilometres from the nearest town and servesstudents and other people in the village so they dont need to go to town for school supplies and otherbasic goods. The members plan the co-operatives main activities, thereby having many opportunities todevelop their entrepreneurial skills. The co-operatives prots are returned back to its members in the formof a dividend payment to the school through community programmes. It is a model that has thrived in almostall secondary schools in Malaysia. In 1997, the