CJAM celebrates its thirtieth anniversary

 

By Clara Musca

A local radio station has turned 30.

CJAM 99.1 FM Campus-Community Radio  celebrated its thirtieth anniversary with legendary Windsor reggae/ska band Contradance Sept. 21. at FM Lounge.

Contradance reunited for one night only after a 20 year break-up both to celebrate CJAM and help kick off the station’s annual pledge drive. The fundraiser raises money from listeners every year as the station is a non-profit, independent organization and needs listener support to survive.

According to Vern Smith, station manager, Contradance released an influential EP in 1982 and CJAM’s debut on the FM dial was not too long after, making it a historic era for music and radio in Windsor.

This event was just the beginning for the 30-year anniversary concert series, as the pledge drive does not start until the last weekend of October. Smith believes getting started early is important this year.

“We came up with the slogan ‘30 for 30’ to try and raise $30k this year,”said Smith. “So this event will be part of many more to come before the pledge drive officially starts,”  

Sarah Morris, program director for CJAM, believes the station plays a key role in the Windsor-Detroit community.

“We are a very small radio station, but very powerful because we are the voice of the underground, the voice of the underrepresented,” said Morris.

Morris said she feels that pledge drive is a very important annual event.

“Fundraising accounts for 25 per cent of our budget, so it’s definitely something that we really count on.”

CJAM  has only three staff members and over 100 volunteers, each with their own unique spoken-word or music program. For more information on the programs, upcoming events and how to donate, go to www.cjam.ca.