Tuning In To Climate Change

Tuning In To Climate Change

Event Report: Kippens, The Kippens Community Centre, 104.7 FM

Tuesday — Thursday, April 29-May 1, 2003

Background

Kippens is a small community with a population of roughly 5000. It is essentially a suburb of the town of Stephenville. Stephenville has hosted several similar community radio and television events in the past so many people were familiar with the concept and process of participatory radio.

Venue

The portable radio station was set up in the Kippens Community Centre in partnership with the Town of Kippens. The venue was quite suitable as it provided:

A large open space in which to set up, conduct interviews, play live music and conduct group activities
Kitchen and bathroom facilities
A well known community venue

The venue did have some drawbacks:

People complained that it was cold
While well known, there was not a lot of natural public traffic or drop-in’s

Timing

One of the goals of a community radio event such as this is to have a strong youth presence. Normally the month of April would be a fairly good time to recruit school participation as exams are still a fair way off. Unfortunately due to the number of school days lost to snow this year, schools were not willing to let students out of class during the day. This limited much of the youth participation to after-school hours.

Lead Time

The coordinator for this project, Janet McDonald, started work on April 1^st. In mid-April she and colleagues Terry McNeil (Climate Change Education Centre) and Fred Campbell (Ryakuga Grassroots Communications) traveled to Kippens and Corner Brook to conduct planning meetings. This allowed only one week to plan the Kippens event. The fact that the coordinator was based on the other side of the province in St. John’s, and was not familiar with Kippens and its local groups, musicians etc. made for a rather challenging task. Fortunately the local partners were very helpful in suggesting contacts for potential interviews, local environmental leaders, musicians etc. Also the local partner Communities in Schools was an invaluable liaison in recruiting school participation.

Partners

Local Partner organizations for the event were:

The Long Range Regional Economic Development Board (Tom Hutchings, Cheryl Hayden)
Communities In Schools/Teen Help Corps (Tracy Snow, Denise Cole and Mandy Gale)
Community Youth Network for Southwestern Newfoundland (Anna Russell, Kim Kendell and Mary Gaultois)
Community Education Network (Bev Kirby)
Development Alliance of Western Newfoundland (Connie Boland)
The Town of Kippens

Volunteers

Normally all technology would have been operated by local youth but as discussed earlier, it was very difficult to get school-aged youth out of school to participate during school hours.

Fortunately several adult volunteers from partner organizations were available to help out during the day until the youth volunteers took over in the evening.

The broadcast day ran from 12 noon to 8 pm.

Hosts: On-air hosting duties were generally carried out by adult participants from various partner organizations:

Tracy Snow (Communities In Schools)
Cheryl Hayden (The Long Range Regional Economic Development Board)
Janet McDonald (Project Coordinator, Tuning In To Climate Change)
Bruce Gilbert (Conservation Corps Newfoundland and Labrador)
Terry McNeil (Climate Change Education Centre)
Anna Russell (Community Youth Network)
Jeff Rasmussen (music student, College of the North Atlantic)

Technical Volunteers

Tom Hutchings (The Long Range Regional Economic Development Board)
The Teen Help Corps (youth group from the Stephenville Middle School)
Students from the Stephenville High School

Content

Content for this event was made up from a combination of:

Pre-taped climate change related interviews (from a previous show by Terry McNeil in October 2002)
Live climate change workshops (presented by Terry McNeil to local students)
Live interviews on local environmental issues and discussions on how climate change impacts them
A panel discussion on environmental issues
Live interviews on local interest and cultural topics
Live local music

Please see Appendix A for detailed program log

Recommendations for interviews, panelists, musicians etc. came via an "information tree" of local people compiled by the project coordinator. She consulted with primary contacts (community partners) to suggest names of:

Local environmental leaders
Community leaders (cultural, youth and arts-based contacts)
Musicians

Subsequently every new person contacted (by phone) was asked to suggest other people who might be interested in taking part.

Publicity

Publicity was carried out via:

Posters
Local Media (The Georgian, The Western Star and local Ad Channel)
Word of mouth

For examples of the press release please see Appendix B
Conclusion

Overall partners and participants were positive about the event. The management team was pleased with the content and participation from established local partners. Goals for upcoming events include:

More extensive publicity/media coverage
More youth involvement in gathering video footage
A bigger focus on interactive (phone-in) panels

It was agreed that Kippens/Stephenville was a good place to launch Tuning In To Climate Change. Local partners’ history, experience and confidence with community radio were definite assets.

The next event in Corner Brook will be somewhat different. That community does not have the same familiarity with community radio as Kippens/Stephenville. More promotion and partnership building will be needed in order to create a true community event.

The management team hopes to build on the momentum from this event to create a positive experience in Corner Brook at the end of May, 2003.

Appendix A

Program Log

Tuning In To Climate Change, Kippens Community Centre, April 28-May 1, 2003

Day: 1

Disk	Track and Length of Track	Start Time	Item
1	1 (11:40)		Climate Watch PSA
			" "
		2:00	Sign on hosts Cheryl Hayden and Tracy Snow
		3:00	Live interview Janet McDonald on Tuning In To Climate Change
		11:36	CD music
	2 (8:45)		" "
	3 (6:17)		Live phone interview Darren Feltham on Conservation Corps Environmental Leadership Program — bad connection, cut off
		1:27	Cheryl/Tracy chat
	4 (2:54)	0:00	Climate Watch PSA
			Climate Watch PSA
			Climate Watch PSA
	5 (29:20)	0:00	Live interview Neil Dollard and Anna Russell on Stephenville Crossing Wetlands Project
	6 (9:12)	0:00	Taped interview Mary Murphy on Climate Change PEO hubs
	7 (4:48)	0:00	Cheryl/Cindy chat Knights of Columbus fundraiser and phone in contest (Anna Russell called)
	8 (5:54)	0:00	CD music
	9 (?)	0:00	Live interview Dale Bursey on Holiday Inn’s eco-friendly policies (cut off)
2	Record Error		-live interview Dale Bursey contin. -live interview Terry McNeil climate change 101 -taped interview Norm Catto on current effects of climate change -taped item Climate Change Play
3	1 (11:48)	0:00	End Climate Change Play
		0:13	Janet intro
		1:00	Taped interview Climate Change Play actors
	2 (6:15)	0:00	Janet chat
			CD music Land Water Wind
	3 (60:58)	0:00	Janet intro
		0:43	Taped interview Susan Hawkins PEI PEO hub

Program Log

Tuning In To Climate Change, Kippens Community Centre, April 28-May 1, 2003

Day: 1

Disk	Track and Length of Track	Start Time	Item
3	3 (60:58)	12:22	Janet intro
		13:05	Taped interview Jack Layton on Climate Change and economy
		24:45	Janet chat
		26:00	Climate Watch documentary #1
	4 (?)	0:00	" "
4	1 (25:55)	0:00	" "
		8:52	Janet intro host Bruce Gilbert and high school student Patrick Leonard
		10:21	Live interview Patrick Leonard on high school drama festival
		12:35	Live interview Bruce Gilbert on Conservation Corps (interviewed by Patrick Leonard)
		25:45	Bruce intro
	2 (11:02)	0:00	Taped interview Jennifer Duggan on Manitoba climate change PEO hub
		10:25	Bruce chat
	3 (0:10)	0:00	" "
	4 (14:37)	0:00	Live interview Darrin Martin, singer
		10:48	Live music Darrin Martin "Danny Boy"
	5 (?)	0:00	Taped interview David Blackmore City of St. John’s on retrofits to buildings
		9:18	Patrick Leonard intro
		9:33	CD music Crevice
5	1 (54:46)	0:00	Live Environment Panel: Anna Russell, Lloyde Pretty, Don Gale, Leo Foley Moderator: Bruce Gilbert
		35:50	Bruce Gilbert intro
		36:30	CD music Land Water Wind
		41:20	Janet intro
		42:00	Taped interview Bruce Whiffen meteorologist on changing weather patterns in NF
	2	0:00	Bruce intro and chat Stan Gallant and Jamie Walsh

Program Log

Tuning In To Climate Change, Kippens Community Centre, April 28-May 1, 2003

Day: 1

Disk	Track and Length of Track	Start Time	Item
5 contin	2 (?)	2:44	Live music Stan Gallant and Jamie Walsh
6	1 (65:39)	0:00	" "
		9:23	Bruce intro Terry McNeil
		10:50	Live Terry McNeil climate change workshop with Girl Guides

Program Log

Tuning In To Climate Change, Kippens Community Centre, April 28-May 1, 2003

Day: 2

Disk	Track and Length of Track	Start Time	Item
7	1	0:00	Climate Watch PSA// hosts Janet McDonald and Cheryl Hayden sign on
	2 (11:07)	0:00	Hosts sign on continues and review schedule
		6:04	Live Test remote
		6:50	CD music
		11:05	Janet intro
	3 (?)	0:00	Live remote: Terry McNeil climate change workshop with teen help corps at Middle school
		35:52	Cheryl and Janet chat/intro
		39:04	Taped interview Denise Cole on Teen Help Corps
	4 (1:42)	0:00	Climate Watch PSA Climate Watch PSA
	5 (0:43)	0:00	Janet intro
	6 (12:06)	0:00	Taped interview Phil Brown climate change PEO hub NS
	7 (?)	0:00	Climate Watch PSA Climate Watch PSA
		1:50	Janet and Cheryl trivia contest
8	1 (12:46)	0:00	" "
		3:40	CD music Gerry Formanger Janet and Cheryl
	2 (30:44)	0:00	Taped interview Robert Chafe playwright on play about Emile Benoit
	3 (?)		CD music Emile Benoit
9	1 (61:54)	0:00	Live remote: Terry McNeil climate change presentation at High School Geography class
		46:34	Dead air
		49:34	Cheryl and Bruce chat intro
		60:35	Climate Watch documentary #2
	2 (?)	0:00	" "
10	1 (30:18)	0:00	Bruce intro Sparks
		0:30	Live Activity Sparks opening song Live Bruce Gilbert workshop about water with Sparks

Program Log

Tuning In To Climate Change, Kippens Community Centre, April 28-May 1, 2003

Day: 2

Disk	Track and Length of Track	Start Time	Item
11	1 (0:03)	0:00	Taped Item Cindy O’Neil reading story "It’s Up To Me, the Climate Change Challenge"
	2 (3:35)	0:00	Taped Item Rebecca Moyes reading stories
	3 (8:36)	0:00	" "
		8:19	Janet intro Jonathan Hann — middle school student
	4 (27:20)	0:00	Jonathan Hann reads line up and intro
		0:35	Taped item — the Climate Change Play
	5 (13:50)	0:00	Janet chat
		0:28	Melanie — middle school student intro next interview
		0:44	Live interview Rosemary Finn, Nita Guron and Alicia Oliver on the Duke of Edinburgh Awards
	6 (12:52)	0:00	Taped item — Jerry Doyle story recitation
		12:28	Chelsea Hynes intro the Lorax
		12:36	Live reading The Lorax Jonathan Hann and Danika Hynes
	7 (?)	0:00	" ‘
		10:47	Janet — thanks and coming up….
		12:00	Live trivia question
		12:18	CD music
12	1 (60:24)	0:00	-Live interview Bertram Alexander local band chief on conservation -CD music Medicine Dream interspersed -Tiffany Hinks on Native Women’s Association -Taped interview Bruce Whiffen meteorologist on changing weather patterns in NF -sign off

Program Log

Tuning In To Climate Change, Kippens Community Centre, April 28-May 1, 2003

Day: 3

Disk	Track and Length of Track	Start Time	Item
13	1 (3:47)	0:00	Host Terry McNeil sign on
	2 (24:23)	0:00	Live interview Caytor Best on Western NF waste management plan
	3 (32:42)	0:00	Terry intro
		0:21	CD music
		3:02	" "
		6:45	Janet intro
		7:00	Live interview Claudette Gallant Island Waste Management PEI on waste management strategy — bad connection, interrupt
		9:45	CD music
		12:50	Claudette Gallant interview contin
		32:36	CD music — Let me Fish
	4 (?)	0:00	" "
		5:28	Terry intro
		7:26	Climate Watch documentary #3
14	1 (2:15)	0:00	CD music - Estacy
	2 (14:37)	0:00	Live interview Mary Evens Stephenville Theatre Festival on upcoming season
	3 (12:29)	0:00	Taped item Jerry Doyle story recitation
	4 (22:03)	0:00	Terry intro
		0:40	Live interview Colin Smith, Ray Schumph, Glenn Kirby Appalachian Trail Project
	5 (1:41)	0:00	CD music Gravel Connection
	6 (13:33)	0:00	Live Fred Campbell Ryakuga on participatory communications and cultural celebration and Sonic Potluck concert
		2:39	Live interview Jeff Rasmussen on Music and Recording Artists program and College of the North Atlantic and community radio/Sonic Potluck
		10:24	Jeff R intro song
		10:56	CD music Jeff Rasmussen Sonic Potluck

Program Log

Tuning In To Climate Change, Kippens Community Centre, April 28-May 1, 2003

Day: 3

Disk	Track and Length of Track	Start Time	Item
14 contin	7 (?)	0:00	Terry McNeil on Jean Best’s trivia question
		01:38	Live interview John McPherson and Vaughn Bennett from Regional Economic Development Board on watershed management
15	1 (?)	0:00	" "
		?	Climate Watch documentary # 4
16	1 (79:57)	0:00	" "
		8:35	Hosts Anna Russell and Jeff Rassmussen sign on
		9:00	Live interview Calvin White on Band Council variety show
		15:07	Live chat Ashlee Warford (piano)
		15:45	Live music Ashlee Warford piano
		24:50	CD music Estacy
		29:45	Live chat Ashlee Warford and Ryan Fraude musicians
		30:42	Live music Ashlee Warford trumpet and Ryan Fraude bass
		32:25	Intro sonic potluck
		32:40	CD music sonic potluck
		36:22	Live interview Kim Kendell and Anna Russell (field workers), Deanne Myles, Victoria Dyke and Alias Bennett (members) on Community Youth Network
		53:44	Intro sonic potluck
		54:00	CD music sonic potluck
		59:40	Anna — trivia contest call-in — winner Jean Best
		61:59	Live interview Melissa Noonan actor
		62:30	Live performance Melissa Noonan monologue
		64:50	Live interview Nita Guron (piano)
		66:50	Live music Nita Guron piano
		78:00	Anna intro
		79:50	Taped item high school streeters on climate change

Program Log

Tuning In To Climate Change, Kippens Community Centre, April 28-May 1, 2003

Day: 3

Disk	Track and Length of Track	Start Time	Item
17	1 (69:44)	0:00	Taped item high school streeters on climate change continued
		12:10	Live chat Anna and Bruce Gilbert on previous item and misconceptions
		35:14	Intro
		35:57	Live music Jeff Rassmusen
		44:12	intro
		44:54	Taped interview Susan Hawkins climate change PEO hub PEI
		56:38	Anna intro Jeff
		57:10	Live music Jeff Rassmusen
		59:46	Anna and Jeff chat
		60:35	Taped item — middle school streeters on how to help the environment
		64:42	Anna intro Jeff
		65:16	Live music Jeff Rassmusen
		68:48	Taped interview Jack Layton on climate change and the economy
18	1 (38:52)	0:00	" "
		9:10	Anna chat
		9:25	Live music and chat Melvin Russell guitar and singing

Appendix B

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Musicians, entertainers, people with a story to tell or a message to share, are invited to get involved with Tuning Into Climate Change, an innovative new project from the Conservation Corps Newfoundland and Labrador and Ryakuga Grassroots Communications — a non profit organization based in Stephenville.

From April 29 to May 1, the Kippens Community Centre will be home base for an interactive community radio broadcast/Internet web cast that will encourage listeners to talk about climate change. People can tune in to 104.7 FM or log on at http://www.ryakuga.org/kippens from noon to 8 pm each day.

"The Conservation Corps, is a not for profit organization dedicated to providing youth with training and employment in environmental and cultural heritage conservation. We undertake and participate in numerous special activities and projects throughout the year. Tuning Into Climate Change is one such event," explains project coordinator Janet McDonald.

The federal government states that the actions of individual Canadians account for about 28 per cent of Canada’s total greenhouse emissions. "Many of us don’t realize there are lots of quick and easy ways we can all cut down on our share of greenhouse emissions," she adds.

"During the three-day event, people will have the opportunity to learn more about climate change and how we can all help address the problem. The event will also feature local performers, community groups and others, who want to share their talents, talk about their volunteer organizations and other community-based projects."

Tuning Into Climate Change will utilize Internet web casting to bring the three-day event into the homes of people living outside the immediate broadcast area. People will be invited to post comments and questions to a discussion board at http://www.glinx.com/~ryakuga/eco/eco.html

The Kippens event marks the beginning of a cross-province tour that will see Corner Brook Tune Into Climate Change May 27 to 29. Similar events are planned for Gander and St. John’s.

Tuning In To Climate Change is funded by the Government of Canada through the Climate Change Action Fund.

For more information please contact Janet McDonald at (709) 729-7280 or email jfa_mcdonald@hotmail.com

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