CJLO1690 – The Concordian

CJLO’s recent facelift will provide quality campus radio for everyone

“Campus Radio is for Lovers” are the words sprawled across the white T-shirt hung in the hallway by CJLO 1690 AM’s offices at the Loyola campus. The bubbly red font is reminiscent of the 70s—an era of extravagance, groove and one in which radio reigned supreme. In our internet age, where everything is digitized and readily accessible at the tips of our fingers, radio seems to be a bygone medium. Its failure to adapt to the needs of the current-day consumer has rendered it futile and irrelevant. College radio, however, proves to be the sole exception, acting as the last vestige of an archaic platform.

Nestled at the far end of the CC building’s fourth floor, reaching the station requires you to awkwardly trudge through the Guadagni Lounge. Upon entering the station, however, its charm immediately takes over. The sound of music buzzing from speakers greets you as you pass by the in-house studio space and DJ room.

A community-driven operation, CJLO 1690 AM is run by a devoted team of DJs and volunteers. “We are not for profit,” said Allison O’Reilly, the station’s program director, whose CV includes commercial radio gigs in Nova Scotia. “Everything we do is in service of the students and of the local music scene. We try to stay progressive, we try to avoid commercialisation, we try to appeal to underground music. So everything I value.”

O’Reilly, alongside station manager Michał Langiewicz, and director of promotions, sponsorship and funding Josh Spencer, make up the “big three.” They are a tireless trio with invaluable experience in the industry, which makes them a tremendous asset to the station. They are also fresh faces to the station, having all joined the team within the past year, after the exodus of a large portion of the longtime staff. “It was like a domino effect,” Langiewicz said. “A lot of people were graduating, a lot of people had been there for a while and felt like it was time to move on.”

The change, although major, is generally seen as positive. This coming school year marks the newly-assembled staff’s first year together and seems to be the dawning of a new era for the station. Though the new staff greatly commend their predecessors’ work at the station, they made it clear they plan on revamping CJLO as much as possible. “I think it’s a new opportunity for us to expand into different directions,” said Langiewicz, who first broke into the city’s music scene through BAD LUNCH, a DIY concert venue he ran out of his Pointe-St-Charles home. “It’s kind of continuing a legacy, but taking it in a new direction.”

The changes made to the station deal, in part, with modernizing its programming by introducing more progressive shows into its already packed rotation. “We have LGBTQ programming, we have programming which deals with social and racial issues, and that’s something I feel the station didn’t have as much of in the past,” Langiewicz said. “We’re definitely looking to go in a direction that’s covering more ground and representing as many different people as possible.”

Allison O’Reilly’s enthusiasm about CJLO’s future is infectious.

The most noticeable update is the new staff’s dedication to increasing community involvement. This new direction is obvious in the station’s upcoming promotional events. Hiring Josh Spencer, the founder of the local music event planning company Kick Drum, as director of promotions, has certainly helped. “He’s very attuned to what’s happening in the local music scene, so since he came in all of a sudden, Montreal bands came in,” O’Reilly said. Despite his recent arrival, Spencer’s promotions expertise has proven momentous, as his summer backyard sessions have been greeted with great applause from spectators and artists alike.

The station’s biggest event, its annual FUNDrive, takes place from Sept. 22 to 30 on both campuses. The event will be a grand debut of sorts for the new trio. Showcasing their experience, as well as the station’s new direction, the eight-day event is going to be jam-packed with 10 events ranging from a heavy metal showcase to a soccer tournament. The proceeds will go to the station, allowing its staff to make improvements and continue pursuing their vision.

With regard to the importance of campus radio, O’Reilly said, “while it may not seem relevant [within the scope of modern media], what we can do to support those who wouldn’t otherwise have a platform in mainstream media, I believe, is very important and still relevant.”

Photos by Kirubel Mahari

The little radio station that could, CJLO 1690AM, has made strides since hitting the AM airwaves a mere three years ago—but they’re not finished dreaming yet. They hit the ground running with their first annual fundraising drive from March 5 to March 11, with the goal of raising $5,000.
“Essentially, [the money from the drive] is going to help sustain the station while we apply to broadcast on a low-power FM frequency,” explained station manager Stephanie Saretsky, adding that while students might remember a fee levy being approved in the fall to help with the station’s goal of going live on FM, the process is a little more complicated and takes a little more time and money than they originally anticipated.
Because of this, the money received from the fundraiser will not only help with the station’s day-to-day operating costs, but it will also go towards replacing copper that was stolen from the station’s downtown transmitter, paying an AM consultant to survey downtown to find out how far their frequency will travel and its effects on other frequencies including the Dorval airport radio communication. The fundraiser will also pay for their FM application to the CRTC and develop other programs to reach as many students as possible.
Once their application is approved by the CRTC—which Saretsky said is very likely since it will be a low-power signal—the station will need to pay to assess where the best location for an antenna should be, as well as other set-up costs.
“The cost could go up depending on the survey,” Saretsky admitted, which is why it’s important for CJLO to get financial support from the community.
The station doesn’t only serve as a voice for Concordia news, but it also provides services for students and the community.
“The station is open to anyone and provides a great experience,” said Tariq Sattaur of Rex’s Barn Sessions, which airs every Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. “They’ll teach you how to use the equipment and they give free air time to broadcast student meetings, concerts or shows. A lot of students could really benefit from the station if they knew it was here for them.”
And that’s the problem—with CJLO’s current antenna, the downtown campus’ reception is shoddy at best.
“The signal fades in and out downtown now because of the buildings absorbing the signal,” Saretsky said. “We stream online and have an app for the iPhone. We want to develop one for the Android, but we want to make [CJLO] as listenable as possible. We want to reach as many people as possible.”
CJLO held four fundraising events last week, including a Mix Swap Club and concert at Divan Orange, a live broadcast at Café X, and Caribbean-style party with hosts from Beat The World and Caribbean Callaloo broadcasting live from the Caribbean Curry House.
So far they’ve received over $3,000 in pledges and will continue to accept pledges until March 28. Depending on the size of your donation you can get some pretty sweet swag, including being entered in their grand prize draw on March 30.
Donations can be made via snail mail (7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite CC-430, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4B 1R6), in person at the station (Loyola campus, room CC-430), or online at www.cjlo.com/fundingdrive.