On the Air with CJSR

For nearly three decades the campus radio station has kept U of A students connected to the world around them

Joni Mitchell's "You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio" was the first song to grace the newly minted airwaves of CJSR, 88.5 on Edmonton's FM dial, on January 7, 1984. The station was filled with volunteers and staff supporters of independent radio, all of whom shared the dream that CJSR would cover the news, issues, events and communities that were underrepresented in mainstream media, while playing challenging and entertaining music.

Twenty-eight years later, CJSR is still living up to its own lofty expectations. It continues to support Edmonton's varied populace, and each day, CJSR pursues its mandate to "enlighten and entertain [its] audience through high quality and diverse programming that constantly challenges the status quo."

For Chad Burnet, CJSR's music librarian and volunteer co-ordinator, it's this mandate that has allowed the station to be such an integral part of not only the U of A campus, but also the eclectic communities around Edmonton.

"Edmonton is a very diverse city, and there are lots of people out there that don't have anything they can relate to on the radio. [CJSR] is here to offer that," Burnet says. "If you're a part of a community that is not being represented [on the radio], and you would like to have a show, it's as easy as volunteering."

"As a university student, I was drawn to how different CJSR was. I wanted to be a part of it." - Chad Burnet, CJSR music librarian and volunteer co-ordinator

From a small, utilitarian space (part of which was once a bank vault years ago) in the lower level of the Students' Union Building on the U of A's North Campus, CJSR creates and broadcasts a unique smorgasbord of radio programming. The station is home to Terra Informa, a nationally-syndicated environmental news program; Sounds Ukrainian, a program dedicated to discussing issues of interest to Edmonton's Ukrainian community; and Borrowed Tunes, a music show loaned out from the Edmonton Public Library. And the list doesn't stop there. In total there are more than 90 programs in the CJSR weekly line-up, ranging from jazz music radio to Bears and Pandas varsity sports.

So how is it possible for CJSR to produce all this on a shoestring budget that's a fraction of what commercial radio stations in the city operate on? The secret: a little bit of ingenuity combined with a dedicated group of about 200 volunteers who keep the station running, the tunes flowing and the news programming informative.

"It's a labour of love," Burnet says. "Anybody who's doing a show is doing it as a volunteer. It's a big deal, and the people who are here every day are very dedicated to the cause."

A large portion of those volunteers are U of A students who find their way to the lower level of the Students' Union Building either out of curiosity or a desire to learn how to produce excellent radio. Whatever their reasons, over the years CJSR has become an inclusive hub for students to explore their interests while engaging with the community both on and off campus.

"Students directly affect the programming of our station. If you are listening to CJSR, you'll hear about what's happening on campus. We like to stay connected to student issues and broadcast them across Edmonton," Burnet says.

Part of CJSR's dedication to students originates from Burnet's own experience as an undergraduate at U of A. The station gave him a sense of belonging, a place filled with people who were interested in the same kinds of things as he was and a place chock-full of new ideas and creative energy. It was where Burnet found a place where he could dedicate his energy to a cause he believed in, and since being hired on as a staff member in 2010, he's focused on facilitating that same experience for every volunteer who cautiously makes their way to the station.

"Students want to be challenged; it's one of the reasons why they're here," Burnet says. "CJSR offers a lot of challenging material. Even if you don't like [the programming] or don't agree with it, at least it's something different, something that you may only hear that one time."

"We're different, and we always have been," adds CJSR's station manager Sarah Edwards, reflecting on the stations early days when inaugural DJs that spun vinyl instead of mp3s. "We're sharing the highest quality programming, and we're challenging the status quo. I am proud of that."