In
2011, a group of like minded Bell Islanders embraced a Community Development
Project offered by The Rural Secretariat of the Provincial Government. On March
14, 2011, Radio Bell Island went on the air for a one week special event
broadcast. The results were truly incredible to behold. The Community came
alive with students working alongside adults to create unique locally produced
programming and the entire town tuned in to listen to their friends and
neighbours tell stories, read the news, play quiz shows, perform music and
interview seniors and the local law enforcement. A sense of community pride and
connectedness emerged. As one elderly resident said appreciatively during a
phone in program, “I haven’t had this many Bell Islanders in my kitchen in 40
years”.
A
Committee was struck and applications were made to Industry Canada and the CRTC.
Radio Bell Island was incorporated and a second special event broadcast was
undertaken in March 2012. A fundraising campaign during this event netted over
$11,000 in support locally which, along with a $15,000 grant from The Dept of
Innovation, Business and Rural Development, enabled the creation of what you
see here today. CJBI 93.9 FM began
broadcasting as a permanent station on Jan. 28, 2013.
So,
what is to be gained by a community such as Bell Island spending all that money
and effort on a radio station? Here is my list of what the teachers here at St.
Michael’s School call “outcomes”.
- Youth Engagement: Probably first and foremost is the capacity
this project has to involve the youth of Bell Island in a constructive and
beneficial activity in their community. It is a priority of RBI to incorporate
young people into the daily operation of this station.
- Local Businesses: They can
now reach residents directly, creating better awareness of what services &
products are available.
- Benefits to the Tourism Industry:
Travelers coming to Bell Island will be able to listen in their cars and get
the latest updates on entertainment, cultural events, tours and other essential
information. The potential to positively
enhance tourism is huge.
- Cultural Development: Bell
Island has always been well known for its wealth of musical talent. RBI will
serve as a training ground for musicians, actors, technicians and perhaps
future broadcasters in the provincial and national field.
- Cultural Preservation: RBI
will embrace the past and carry it forward into the future through local
storytelling and on air plays, comedy and music. Local history will be
revisited and local culture celebrated.
- Education: The
station will play a major role in developing communication skills among young
people. Courses can be developed that challenge students to use their
imaginations and come up with unique ways to bridge gaps in the past and future
generations of the community. I might mention here that already two former students
have decided on broadcasting and broadcast technology as their career goals at
MUN based on their RBI experience.
- Emergency Services: The Town
will use the radio as an emergency broadcast system to bring people up to date
with major problems as they occur on the island. During Radio Week 2012, the
town experienced a critical water shortage and Council was able to update
residents on when and where shut-offs and repairs would occur.
- Social Services: Real
time communication can occur between disenfranchised groups such as people with
disabilities and senior who at times can feel very left out.
- Community Spirit: The
lifeblood of a community is its people and their sense of pride is key to the
success of any society. Community radio has the potential to significantly
enhance this Pride of Place.
- Community Improvement: Even
something as simple as a “community cleanup campaign” can be enhanced by a
radio station, encouraging residents in recycling and anti-littering.
-
Transportation and Ferry: RBI will be an ideal
forum for the community to come together to discuss problems such as the Ferry
System. Schedule changes, updates, etc will be available to all residents.
-
Network with Other
Communities:
There are other community radio stations in NL in various stages of
development, and RBI can share programming and communicate in real time with
these other stations thus bringing together rural NL communities like never
before. This was successfully undertaken last year during Network 12, hosted by
RBI, when other communities were linked “live” on the air to discuss community
issues. Plans for a Network 13 are ongoing.
-
Connecting Bell
Islanders Living Away
and Connecting Bell Island to the World
RBI can be heard, not just all around Conception
Bay but all around the world as well, through internet live streaming. Many
Islanders moved to Cambridge years ago, leaving families and friends behind. Now
these people are able to reconnect with “home”. Last year, live on the air, we linked a Bell
Island soldier stationed in Afghanistan with his parents here on Bell Island
and his wife in Ontario. This reunion was hosted by a Senior Army Cadet and
Level 3 student at this school.
So
as you can see, Community Radio really can bring about positive change in a community.
Now if we could only improve the transportation system. Perhaps Radio Bell
Island can help bring about that change as well. Although, I have to say, now
that we have Radio Bell Island, somehow the Tickle doesn’t seem quite as wide.
1.
Training and experience for youth & adults in radio
broadcasting
2.
Showcasing of local talent (music, storytelling, knowledge
of key issues of the day, etc.)
3.
Preservation of Bell Island's rich history and culture
4.
Creators and contributors of media (alternative and local
media) at a time when we are bombarded a one-sided mainstream
corporate-controlled media
5.
Entertainment (music, stories, special guests, etc.)
6.
Inform (local issues, problems, conditions as well as non-local)
7.
Educate (a medium for people to learn about a wide range of issues,
topics, etc.)
8.
Interactive communication medium (residents and all
manner of community organizations can talk to each other)
9.
An
Economic Development Tool (both aiding and abetting local economic
development and attracting outside business and investment)
10. A
Community Development (CD) Tool to help build and invigorate a sense of
responsibility and civic pride in our community.
