a re-print from “The Record”
When you truly love what you’re doing, it’s not that difficult to do. In fact, it’s kinda fun. We have been so fortunate at CIDI that there have been so many people willing and able to put in their time and effort producing shows, doing interviews, digging up guests to interview, doing odd jobs in the office and volunteering their time and talents. It hasn’t been so long since we’ve actually been on air.
If any of you have any ideas or suggestions, we welcome you to participate. Please let us know what you think of our programming so far. CIDI is here to serve you and all our communities and we need your input to make it successful.
What would you like to hear? What do you not want to hear?
So far, we’ve come up with many different concepts and ideas, different shows and hosts and guests. We have community bulletin board announcements for upcoming local events which are updated every Thursday. If your organization has something coming up, just give us a call and we’ll be only too happy to include the announcement (free of charge) to promote your event.
We hope to expand our tower power so that our station will be able to reach a wider audience, but in order to do that, we will have to raise more money. Hopefully sooner rather than later because we have already had numerous inquiries from various people wondering when they would have access to CIDI in their area. Its coming, we’re working on it. There is nothing we’d love to see more than to be available to a wider audience.
We are constantly developing new shows and new concepts and thinking about improving everything we do. We have only been on air for three months, and actually, we’ve done a pretty good job so far, but we always want to make it better. We want to be the best that we can be, why not? Let’s not say “Oh, that’s good enough!” If we are capable of making it so much better, and with all of our talented and dedicated volunteers we certainly are, then let’s go! Let’s do it !
Our shows to date are:
- Ask the Pastor, a one hour show featuring Pentecostal pastor Brent Robillard and Anglican minister Tim Wiebe, addresses the many different issues facing us as a modern day society. Every Sunday at 7 p.m.and Thursday evenings at 8.
- The burning Bush (Bushy) from the Hall of Flame, with host Ralf Bushenbaum, presents the many different styles of music we as a community have grown up with over the years. Within a two hour time frame, Bushy plays music from the 40s to recent times. Well researched, the show walks us through popular musical history every Friday evening at 7 and Tuesday at 8 p.m..
- It’s on the Record, featuring “the dude with a tude”, host David Chapman, takes us on a Magical Mystery Tour of the sixties and the seventies with the odd off-the-cuff piece from recent times. The show refreshes our memories and reflects on what Chapman seems to think are the most important musical sounds of our lives; Californian flower power, psychedelic music, the blues, Woodstock and many forgotten songs. Chapman’s two hour show is on every Sunday and Thursday night at 8 PM.
- The D&A show, featuring local singer songwriter Angel Forrest and her musician-husband Denis Coulombe, presents Forrest and Coulombe’s personal musical selections with an enchanting mix of English and French spoken-word programming. Definitely being who we are, the hosts guide us through one hour of stimulating songs and anecdotal experiences. Check them out every Wednesday evening at 9 and Saturday at 8 p.m.
- Around Town, a half-hour program of interviews with local politicians and residents, provides a forum for local mayors and members of parliament to speak, and for community members to acquaint themselves with regional history. Hosted by Dewey Durrell and Chuck Christie, the show is a must listen every Monday at 3 p.m., and Wednesday and Saturday mornings at 10 with programs in both English and French.
- The Marie and Lucie Chronicles, featuring sisters Marie and Lucie Fortin, bring us in touch with Brome Lake life in both official languages. Marie and Lucie have empathy for people who are willing to give of themselves to help others and tend to act in kind when they bring people to CIDI’s studio to be interviewed. Having resided in Knowlton for the past five years, they have decided to take the plunge into Brome Lake community life. Nothing seems to escape the interests of these effervescent-chatty siblings as they take their daily strolls on the old railway-bed walking path in Knowlton, called the Douglas Path. You can catch their show on CIDI every Tuesday morning at 10, Wednesday afternoon at 3 and Sunday at 2 p.m..
- Julie and Company, a half-hour interview show discussing the benefits of living in the Town of Brome lake features bilingual host Julie Taylor, a McGill graduate with a degree in political science. She has two boys, 7 and 11 years of age, and wants to see them grow up strong and healthy, physically and emotionally. Her show airs every Monday at 10 a.m., Wednesday at 3 p.m. and Saturday afternoon at 2.
- Sunday Classics, with host Gilles Theriault, is a three-hour classical music show broadcast each Sunday morning from 9 ‘til noon.
- The children’s Corner, with hosts Klaus Bremer and Wioleta Leska, presents children’s stories in English and French every Saturday and Sunday morning at 8, along with a mix of children’s music.
Don’t forget to check out our “STOP!” battle of the bands TV show, featuring local bands, on Granby, channel Vox cable 9/Videotron every Sunday and Thursday at 8 p.m. We’re really proud of it and hope you will enjoy it! The winners from this years challenge will be revealed shortly.
It would be hard to imagine all of this production taking place at Radio Communautaire Missisquoi without the inspiration that comes from loving what one does. If you wish to get involved creatively in your community please contact us at 1-888-539-2098 or 450-242-9873 and help create the next generation of broadcasting through community radio & television, Internet podcasting and video & radio production.
The recording / broadcasting arts and sciences are here to stay and are the modern-day tools for creating the face and voice of a community. If we want to move forward together we need to gain the confidence that comes from being who we are. Love is all you need.
Wishing everyone a very happy Valentine’s Day!
Maurice Singfield is vice-president of the board of directors, a volunteer and CIDI’s program director for Radio Communautaire Missisquoi. He also writes a column in the “TALK” section of the Sherbrooke Record.
Tags: CIDI is here to serve, loving what one does, Radio Communautaire Missisquoi
