Coming Soon to Your Community…

 

Twillingate Radio – 104.7 !!

 

Greetings. I hope that the above headline caught your interest. After all, that’s what headlines are supposed to do. This note (which is being sent to all residents in Twillingate), is designed to give you some information about a rather interesting radio event which will be taking place for several days in the middle of October. In your community!

 

First of all, I should introduce myself. I’m Ivan Emke, a professor at MUN’s Grenfell campus in Corner Brook and a researcher with the New Rural Economy project. I’ve been to Twillingate and area many times over the past few years, sometimes accompanied by students, doing various bits of research, and sometimes accompanied by my kids, who poke about in old root cellars and like to throw stones into the ocean. One of the areas that I research relates to media, and looking at the communication tools that are available in a community, and how these tools are used.

 

As you may know, there will be a major conference held in Twillingate and area during mid-October, called “Big Lessons from Small Places.” The conference is sponsored by the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation (now there’s a mouthful…) as well as the North Atlantic Islands Program. Between the 12^th and the 15^th of October, there will be delegates visiting Twillingate from many parts of Canada, as well as other countries. Last year, this conference was held in Tweed, Ontario. During that time, we decided to get a temporary low-power radio license, and we broadcast throughout the conference on FM radio. We included material and guests from the conference, but the majority of the content was from local folks in Tweed. There were musicians, service groups, schools, local municipal politicians, church groups, and just plain folks off the street who dropped by and helped out with the programs. They were young and old, from all walks of life, sharing only a passion for talking about their communities and their lives.

 

Well, it all went so fine that we’ve decided to repeat the experience at this year’s conference! And so, the New Rural Economy folks, in partnership with Ryakuga Communications and the conference sponsors, have received permission to broadcast on October 13-15, on 104.7 FM. We will be bringing a portable radio transmitter and station to Twillingate, and setting it up at the Lion’s Club on Tuesday the 12^th of October. Then we plan to broadcast during Wednesday to Friday, the 13-15. We’ll likely go on air sometime around 9 each day, and end the broadcast… well, that depends on how many folks we have coming by. We might go to 6 or 7, maybe 9, maybe later.

 

The portable radio studio includes microphones, telephone equipment, cassette and CD players and a 30-watt FM transmitter. We have no real idea how far the signal will go. There are so many variables, such as the type of rock formations, water, wind, cloud cover, etc. But be sure to tune in 104.7 during that time, and let us know if you can get us. You can always call us at the Lion’s Club if you have comments. Or call us at 884-7099, which will be the radio station’s mobile phone number during the conference.

 

However, one of the major reasons I am sending this out is to get you thinking about how you might get involved with the radio station. Sure, we’d like you to listen, but we’d especially invite you to come by and get on the radio. The “studio” is always a very social place. You don’t have to worry about “bothering” people who are broadcasting. Come by and you’ll see how simple radio really is!

 

So, we are looking for individuals, groups, classes, bands, whatever combination of folks you can think of. This is an opportunity for your group to get some publicity for an upcoming event. Maybe you’d like to play some of your music on the air (if you need any backup on guitar or mandolin or whatever, I’ll promise to play along)? Maybe you’ve written some poetry or stories you’d like to share? Maybe you’d like to talk about economic development or the fishery or tourism? Maybe you teach a class in creative writing, and you’d like to bring your students to the station to read their material? There are lots of ways to be involved.

 

We’ll also be broadcasting some of the events of the conference, as well as interviews with people at the conference. In this way, you’ll get to hear what kinds of topics the conference folks will be talking about, and you’ll get to meet (on the radio, at least) some of the “strangers in your midst.”

 

If you are interested in getting involved, in some way, I’d much appreciate hearing about it as soon as possible. There are a number of ways that you can get in touch with me (and feel free to call collect as well). You can phone me at either: 709-634-2361 (home) or 709-637-6200, ext. 6322 (work). In addition, during the week of the conference, you can call my cell phone number (which is a local call), at 884-7099. You can try that number before the conference, but I might not always have it turned on (you can leave a message). If you have access to the internet, you can e-mail me at: iemke@swgc.mun.ca. Or you can send a note by mail at: Social/Cultural Studies, Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, Corner Brook, NL, A2H 6P9.

 

I very much look forward to being in Twillingate again. I hope that you’ll tune in, and that you’ll take advantage of this opportunity to use the miracle of radio!

 

 

 

 

 

Resident

 

Town of Twillingate