CKDU launches “SoundWorks”

Halifax, July 11, 2012 – CKDU, a community-based campus radio station at Dalhousie University in Halifax, is proud to announce that it was awarded $6,775 through the Youth Internship Program of the Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC) for “SoundWorks” It is the fourth consecutive year the station receives funding from the CRFC, for a total of $32,167.

CKDU 88.1 FM has hired Veronica Simmonds as a youth intern to execute a project in youth engagement at the radio station. The project will tap into a niche community of young spoken word poets who have been requesting such a service be provided, and introduce youth in Halifax to their campus-community station.

Over the course of this program participants will gain technical radio skills, build relationships with their peers and with the local arts community, get involved in their community radio station and record and distribute a CD of their work.

SoundWorks will run from 6-8pm on Monday and Wednesday nights, from July 16-Aug 31^st at CKDU in the Dalhousie Student Union Building. During that time, workshops will be hosted by Veronica Simmonds (Project Coordinator) and visiting artists. These workshops will include team building, poetry writing, technical skills training, event planning, and performance. Through this process participants will become fully trained in CKDU programming requirements and be certified as CKDU members.

CKDU is a 3200-watt campus and community-based broadcaster. It has been broadcasting on FM in Halifax since 1985, and has an eclectic and diverse programming schedule that reflects the community and provides an alternative to public and private broadcasters. CKDU is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run organization.

CRFC President John Harris Stevenson is proud to add CKDU’s “SoundWorks” to its growing list of funded initiatives.

“Community radio matters. By supporting these stations, we are helping them serve their communities and provide access to the airwaves for thousands of volunteers and the skills to help them tell local stories and share perspectives with neighbours”.

The CRFC supports the 175 licensed campus and community radio stations across Canada. Its programs aim to strengthen local news and community programming, promote local music and emerging artists, support emerging distribution technologies, and contribute to the sustainability and capacity to effectively serve local communities.

For more information about CKDU 88.1 FM and “SoundWorks”, please visit http://ckdusoundworks.wordpress.com/ or www.ckdu.ca

For more information about the CRFC and all of its recipients, please visit www.communityradiofund.org.

For further information, please contact:

Veronica Simmonds
Project Coordinator
SoundWorksCKDU 88.1 FM
Tel: 902-494-6479ckdusoundworks@gmail.com

Gianna LaurenStation Coordinator

CKDU 88.1 FM
Tel: 902-494-6479gianna@ckdu.ca

Melissa Kaestner
Executive Director
Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC)
Tel: 613-321-3513m.kaestner@communityradiofund.org