Video killed the radio star, so the city invested in community radio
CFRU’s mobile studio received $6,000 from the City of Guelph during the third round of The Elevator Project.
The Elevator Project connects entrepreneurs with investors through an online voting system and a panel of judges. The entrepreneurs propose their “ask”—which can be money, time or resources—and investors approve accordingly.
In an interview with The Ontarion, CFRU’s community outreach coordinator, Andrea Patehviri explained, “Entrepreneurs have ideas, they apply for the elevator project, and then investors pick which idea they’re interested in.”
“For CFRU, it’s money for wages per person operating the mobile studio, but also equipment. So money for equipment, or equipment itself,” added Jenny Mitchell, mobile studio coordinator.
CFRU’s mobile studio hopes to build three mini studios with the money received, so that those who can’t make the trip to the university could have hubs within their communities where they can go to make radio.
“Once the mobile studio leaves a specific location the groups don’t have means to make radio anymore, so we would love to be able to empower each of the neighbourhood groups to create radio on their own,” said Patehviri.
“The idea is that the mobile studio coordinator could train somebody to be able to make radio on their own, and then when the mobile studio leaves they’ll have that mini radio studio,” added Mitchell.
Mitchell explained that the mobile studio coordinator would still have to return to the communities to reanimate the small spaces, to check in, and to provide training.
“It’s not like we think just leaving a little box there means people are going to make radio,” said Mitchell.
“So bringing them to these neighbourhood groups means we’re reaching demographics that we wouldn’t be reaching if we were to only be making radio at the station,” said Patehviri.
The mobile studio’s goal is to give voice to those who want to be heard, to empower the community, and to make radio more accessible. It has visited three communities so far: Two Rivers, Brant Avenue, and Parkwood Gardens. Each community has welcomed the CFRU mobile studio with open arms, and few have even shared their stories.
“One guest, Uncle Leo, was coming in, and then started interviewing other people, which is totally the dream. So Leo can be trained and make radio to his heart’s content, and have his own radio episode, but doesn’t have to come up to the university to do it,” said Mitchell.