CKVS-FM

On August 21, the CRTC approved an application by Voice of the Shuswap Broadcast Society for a licence to operate an English-language low-power community FM radio station in Salmon Arm. VSBS was a not-for-profit corporation controlled by its board of directors. The new station would operate on 93.7 MHz (channel 229LP) with an average effective radiated power of 15 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 556.6 metres). The station would broadcast 98 hours of programming each broadcast week, of which 62 hours would be station-produced. The remaining programming would be obtained from other campus and community stations across Canada and from the CBC. The station would also broadcast two hours of programming in French, one hour in German and one hour in Secwepemctsin. Spoken word programming would consist of local information, news, weather, community calendars and announcements as well as emergency messages. VSBS intended to develop various spoken word programs, such as live theatre, local sports coverage, story reading, spirituality and inter-faith dialogues, parenting and children’s programs, call-in shows, environmental, business and political coverage, travel ideas and events promotion. The station’s musical programming would be drawn from a variety of popular and specialty genres including pop, rock, dance, country, acoustic, folk and world beat. The applicant stated that all its station’s original programs would be developed, produced and presented by local talent. This would include musical recordings and spoken word presentations in the form of commentary, interviews, entertainment, drama and documentaries. VSBS intended to benefit from partnerships in development with the Salmon Arm Folk Music Society and the Roots and Blues Society in order to develop programs incorporating local and international music, discographies and artists’ profiles. VSBS stated that the station would be volunteer-based and that it would recognize and support volunteers’ efforts to express themselves through radio. VSBS is committed to offer adequate and continuing training to all volunteers and to encourage all to participate in as many areas of the station’s operation as they can. The licence would expire August 31, 2019.

CKVS-FM began on-air testing in February.

On November 14th, CKVS – The Voice of the Shuswap, asked Salmon Arm city council to consider covering its operating costs as it faced a funding shortfall. The not-for-profit station relied on fundraising and grants to cover costs averaging $3,600 a month, including rental and antenna site costs and one part-time person to manage the studio.