It may be powered by a meagre 50 watts and run on a shoestring budget, but don’t underestimate the impact of Liverpool’s QCCR 99.3 FM.
The community radio station, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this month, has become a Queens County institution over the past decade. “We have local hosts, local stories, and we highlight local events and musicians,” said station co-manager Brian Godfrey.
Founded by prominent sports journalist Alex J. Walling in June 2008, the station was sold in 2012 to the CJQC Radio Society, a non-profit organization that operates QCCR to this day.
An army of dedicated, passionate volunteers forms the backbone of the station. “It’s run by local volunteers. None of us really have radio backgrounds, we’re just doing our best to make it work,” said Godfrey. “It’s truly run by the community.”
Financial contributions from listeners – whether by donation or through fundraisers such as 50/50 draws and trivia nights – help keep the ship afloat. “Financial support from the community has been essential to us remaining on the air,” said Dan MacLaren, a long-time volunteer and former station manager. “We could never survive on ad sales alone.”
While QCCR’s weekday format focuses on “soft hits,” there is a wide range of programming to suit nearly every musical taste.
“We have something for everyone, except maybe rap music,” said Godfrey. “You name it and you’ll find it here.”
In addition to music, the station broadcasts daily weather updates, local events listings and human interest programming such as The History Vault, a weekly look at Queens County’s colourful past. Volunteer hosts have interviewed a wide array of politicians, musicians, comedians and other notable figures over the past 10 years.
“We’ve been very lucky to have some rather high-profile people here at QCCR,” said MacLaren. One guest in particular made a deep and lasting impression on the former station manager. “The one that sticks in my mind – and will always stick in my mind – is an interview I did a few years ago with Stuart McLean,” the celebrated CBC personality who died last year.
“He was such a high-profile man and such a nice man,” said MacLaren. “I’ll never forget that interview. He really put me at ease. And I was terribly sad when he passed away.”
The station has hoped for several years to expand its reach by adding more wattage and new broadcast towers. But it’s a tremendously expensive endeavour for which funding is not yet available.
To reach more listeners and make the most of new technologies, QCCR has developed a mobile app, has a livestream available through its website, and is beginning to embrace podcasting so that people can download and listen to programs at their convenience.
With new projects underway to improve Internet access in some remote parts of Queens, this means more people have access to the station’s feed.
“Anyone with Internet can livestream QCCR through our website,” said Godfrey. “That’s been a very positive thing for local people and even those outside of Queens.”
Thanks to a grant from the Region of Queens Municipality, QCCR recently upgraded its website. “It’s one of the better radio station websites around, in my opinion,” said Godfrey.
And a federal grant has helped the station develop an original documentary series that has garnered a significant amount of attention, he said. Mi’kmaq Voices by Kinsey Francis and Nick Moase is available in podcast form on the new-and-improved website.
Asked about the proudest moment in his years at QCCR, MacLaren pointed immediately to an award given posthumously to one of the station’s earliest and hardest-working volunteers.
At the 2014/15 Community Radio Awards in Saint John, QCCR put forward Blaine Whynott in the “Volunteer of the Year” category. Whynott, who had passed away in 2014 at the age of 60, was announced as the winner.
“In front of 500 or 600 people, they gave out the award for volunteer of the year in honour of Blaine Whynott,” MacLaren said. “It was quite emotional and a very proud moment for all of us.”
LighthouseNow Progress Bulletin
June 20, 2018
Scott Costen 