a re-print from “The Record”
It’s amazing how people are quick to pass judgement on others simply because they look and act differently. If one doesn’t resonate with the “flock” then that person is out, with very little hope of being taken seriously.
One of the challenges we are faced with at Radio Communautaire Missisquoi is accommodation. How do we embrace the variety of personalities coming through our door wanting to do radio, TV or help out in the kitchen so to speak?
We are all special and need to be recognized as such if there’s going to be any hope of “being who we are”. People in key positions of any non-profit have to put their feelings and prejudices on the backburner in exchange for corporate success. Give people a chance if there is to be peace, has to be the realization of the day.
Professor Tickle (aka Richard Price from Foster, Quebec) is a mainstay on CIDI with his Word of the Day, and a good example of being who we are.
Power trips and egos have to be retired and a process of understanding has to take hold. No one can be “a boss” or “a volunteer” for the sake of being a boss or a volunteer, but a leader and unpaid helper instead, with the knowledge necessary to carry the project forward. What are we selling? Would one attempt to be a car salesperson knowing nothing about cars? Let’s not go there.
What kind of music is CIDI therefore supposed to play? Our listening area is diverse in opinion and we have to reflect it as a community radio station in our play lists. The government expects us to. If someone were to walk into our studio requesting to do a hip-hop show, for example, we would have no choice but to consider it seriously.
Chances are that if one person in our community appreciates a certain type of music and comes forward wanting to do a show, there are likely many others enjoying the same tonal pleasures. But how many? Enough to merit their own show?
Music is something that speaks to segments of the population. Everyone can imagine a type of person when listening to country music or classical music for example. Stereotypes are common in our culture and music supports lifestyles. To sell upscale products classical music is usually the choice of the day. Guaranteed, you’ll never hear Mozart’s music selling pickup trucks. But wouldn’t that be a great idea? I believe that it’s high time the world begins a process of cross pollination, culturally speaking. There will never be peace unless we get to know each other.
You know what? I’m willing to bet we’re all stuck in this mode of one must do this-that and the-other-thing because of consulting firms. Our minds are soldered/hardwired into believing the common good is best served by fragmentation. Hey, you want to be successful in radio, then you better choose a niche such as classic rock, classical music or country. Want to be a success in the restaurant business? Hamburgers baby, that’s the answer.
There is nothing in the computer world, or the world we live in for that matter, that benefits from fragmentation. Hence, why do we think we’re better off as a society being divisive. Fragmentation is separatism, a form of trying to be perfect. It creates dissonance, dissension and dispute.
On the other hand, music is harmonious with nary a perfect interval to be found. How is this possible? We think we control harmony but are mistaken. All we do musically is create beauty out of imperfection. Let this be a lesson to us all.
Richard Price with his band Foster Grit, has managed to preserve an appreciation of popular music as perceived through the prism of Townships life.
At the end of the day RCM’s success will be determined by its ability to accommodate the differences within its community and organization rather than by dictating policy created by so called experts and egocentrics.
Professor Tickle (aka Richard Price from Foster, Quebec) is a mainstay on CIDI with his Word of the Day, and a good example of being who we are. I wonder if commercial radio in all its wisdom would ever spend the time of day on such an idiomatic character. Price (pronounced Proice by his truly) plays with the colloquial expressions of the Anglo Eastern Townships and has written a local dictionary based on common pronunciations of everyday words, names and places. For instance: poine instead of pine.
The Word of the Day plays every day at 9am, 1pm and 6pm right after the bulletin board, another interesting reflection of local Brome Missisquoi and Shefford county life. Coming back to music, Price prides himself on being a rock ‘n’ roll guitarist steeped in the musical tsunami of the 60′s and 70′s. With his band Foster Grit, he has managed to preserve an appreciation of popular music as perceived through the prism of Townships life, and performs regularly at Brome Fair (or Broom Fair as he would likely call it) and other events in the area.
At CIDI, we have the privilege of having a terrific team of volunteers who come up with fresh and original ideas each and every week and a wide variety of programs all year long! What a treat. But we always appreciate feedback from our listeners and welcome new ideas, the more the merrier.
So don’t be shy, speak up, send us an email or give us a call, or come visit us at the radio station in Knowlton. We want to hear your opinions and suggestions and play the stuff you want to hear. You can also become a member of the team if you want to do a show or help out on the technical side. We welcome one and all, because first and foremost it is YOUR radio station, serving the community, promoting local businesses and events and bringing you what want to hear, because at CIDI 99.1 fm we are just being who we are.
Pretty soon, we’ll be gearing up and getting ready for Brome Fair, preparing our booth and lining up volunteers for the weekend. Please drop in to see us, you may be interviewed and played on the radio, or if you want to lend a helping hand just let us know. If you are participating at the Fair, tell us about it, and we’ll talk about your event.
We always enjoy hearing from our listening audience and welcome your suggestions.
For more information on how you can participate in RCM’s local Townships community radio station CIDI and its other multimedia projects, please contact us by email or call us at 450-242-9873 / 1-888-539-2098 and go to our website rcmmedia.org.
Maurice & Tanya Singfield are RCM volunteers.
Tags: create beauty, fresh and original ideas, pass judgement, personalities, Richard Price, taken seriously, volunteers, Word of the Day
