Late last week, the Government of Ontario announced changes to the way student ancillary fees are paid. These fees, which support organizations and services on campus, would now be made optional with an “online opt-out option” for fees deemed “non-essential.”
CJRU 1280 AM is one of the organizations that relies on student fees. We provide students and recent graduates with employment opportunities that help them build for the future. CJRU 1280 AM offers internships, creative practice hours and volunteer experience for current students. This year the station will employ nine students, host five interns and 75 volunteers, as well as fund documentary work produced by students.
“Campus radio stations are large employers of youth and this announcement will inevitably lead to a rise in youth unemployment and a lack of professional development of Ontario’s young people,” said station manager Jacky Tuinstra-Harrison. “We are also an emergency broadcaster.”
In addition to youth employment, CJRU provides thousands of dollars worth of promotion to local musicians, and subsidizes special events such as the Refugee Radio workshop, CJRU Radio Camp for Kids, The Toronto Funk & Soul Festival and the upcoming 24-hour Radio Challenge.
CJRU and stations like it have given some of Toronto’s most celebrated bands and musicians their very first in-studio session, spotlighting and promoting local and new Canadian music before it hits mainstream, including artists like Stacey Kay, Cadence Weapon, The Darcys and Ryerson alumni like KarisLive and Love Wagon.
“CJRU is experiential education at its best,” says Professor and Chair of Journalism at Ryerson, Janice Neil. “While students are learning journalism and broadcast skills in the classrooms, they are practicing and demonstrating those skills for real audiences. CJRU contributes a vibrancy and youthful perspective that serves central Toronto. I cannot imagine the prospect of a smaller, weaker or diminished CJRU.”
To designate your campus radio as an essential service, send an e-mail with your full name titled “Ryerson’s Essential Radio” to noah@cjru.ca.
CJRU & Student Value: From Fall term (Sept 2018) to present
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Total training sessions: 96 hours
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Campus event attendance: 3241
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Intern Placements: 3 x 21 hours x 12 weeks = 756 hours
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Student staff budget: $59,000
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Student Production Funding: $4103
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Student Volunteers: 47 volunteers giving 141 hours each and every week
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Student Travel and Conference Funding: $2161
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Promotion and events for Student Groups = $34,360
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For every dollar of levy funding we receive, 36 cents goes to fund student work
Facts about campus radio:
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One-fifth of Canadians listen to campus or community radio
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Campus radio in Ontario employs over 300 young people
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One Quarter of Adults aged 18-29 listen to campus or community radio
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One-third of respondents get local news on campus or community radio
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Campus radio stations broadcast in over 60 languages province-wide.
About Us
CJRU 1280AM is Ryerson University’s campus and community multi-media hub. Our station airs a variety of programming from the university, Ryerson students, and the community at large. In March of 2016 we started broadcasting on the AM dial. The station uniquely provides students with the opportunity to learn about emerging artists in Toronto. CJRU 1280AM’s goal is to provide Ryerson University and the downtown core with a sense of community through local artists, businesses and events.
Contact: jacky@cjru.ca
Website: www.cjru.ca
