CJAM creates static in the community

By Michael Hugall

A Windsor- based alternative radio station is campaigning to raise $30,000 to stay on the air.

CJAM 99.1FM, is a not for profit station running out of the basement of the Canadian Auto Workers Centre at the University of Windsor. Every year CJAM and its volunteers dedicate the beginning of November to a pledge drive to support the station.

Program Director, Brady Holek who started volunteering in 2011 is grateful pledge drive is able to accomplish for the radio station.

“It is the most important week of our calendar year,” said Holek. “We have 120 volunteers on over 70 different types of programs and without the work of our programmers we wouldn’t remain on the air.”
CJAM, which is funded by the University of Windsor Student Alliance, gets an annual budget of $150,000-170,000. With the USWA on strike, some are troubled CJAM’s funding could be cut.
“We were scared when we heard Dr. (Alan) Wildeman was thinking of cutting our funding,” said CJAM President Ankur Kumar. “Luckily enough (station manager) Vern Smith was able to talk with him directly and we got our cheque for the semester.”

CJAM’s volunteers are in charge of collecting pledges as a way of giving back to the station. “It has been a fixture for a very long time,” said Kumar. “Our goal in 2011 was to hit $25,000 and once we hit our mark that goal rose to $30,000. I’d love to see us hit $30K but it’s all up to the people in the Windsor-Detroit community.”

It’s not only residents of Windsor-Detroit who contribute to CJAM’s cause. Many local papers and businesses have also contributed to CJAM’s pledge drive.

“As an independent media outlet ourselves, we recognize the high importance of an alternative voice in the community,” said Windsor Independent Editor-in-Chief, Dean Scott.

Scott said CJAM provides an invaluable service to our city and is like nothing else on the airwaves.

“We’re proud to work together with the station at every available opportunity and want to see it continue to provide its diverse view and volunteer opportunities for many years to come,” said Scott.

CJAM provides incentives for people who contribute to the pledge drive. A $20 pledge gives contributors an opportunity to choose from a studio music store, a $50 gets them access to a custom made t-shirt and $100, a combination of the two.

CJAM has been operating within the community since 1977 and is celebrating a signal increase which has now made the frequency available from Tilbury, Ont. to Grosse Pointe, Mich.

“We provide an alternative perspective to topics generally marginalized in mainstream media,” said Holek. CJAM will be holding a final pledge week event Saturday Nov. 8 at Villains Beastro in downtown Windsor.