For immediate release: April 9, 2009
CKLN 88.1 is a campus/community radio station broadcasting from Ryerson University and in operation since 1983. For 25 years this alternative media outlet has served as a key point for dissemination of independent and grassroots news, views, music and culture. It has provided a rare voice for marginalized communities in Canada and internationally.
It is now over a year that CKLN has been without a functioning Board of Directors or proper management. In February of 2008, due to oppressive behaviour of the Board and management at that time, which saw the beginning of unjust dismissals of volunteer programmers and technical staff, a Special Membership Meeting was held which elected the non-student members of a new board. That legitimate new board was never allowed to take over management of the station. The situation in the station deteriorated to the point where CKLN is now virtually dead after a year-long, bitter struggle by members and supporters against a corporate takeover which ran the station into the ground. Currently the station is sporadically broadcasting recorded programs or dead air. Only two people are authorized to enter to put old recorded material on the airwaves.
Within the past year organizational and structural changes have been initiated which have been non-inclusive, non-transparent and in violation of the governing by-laws and of the mandate of CKLN to provide “a forum for historical contextualization and development of musical, artistic and other cultural expressions, along with socially progressive ideas which arise from communities…which are politically and economically disadvantaged and whose access to public communications and media is thereby limited.”
Within the last year 67 staff and volunteers have been forced out of the station. Some programmers and volunteers had more than a decade of service at CKLN.
This is a crucial turning point in the fight to save CKLN so that we do not lose forever one of the unique voices for social justice in Canada.
There will be a CKLN Membership meeting to update on the current legal actions which are in progress and to decide on strategies to solve the crisis.
Tuesday April 14th 2009 from 6-8pm
519 Church St, Room 322
All concerned members (staff, volunteer, community, student) and supporters welcome.
From: Catherine Holliday catherine.holliday@utoronto.ca
Posts
There is some confusion with this announcement. While organizing a meeting about CKLN is certainly legitimate, it is problematic to call this a "Membership meeting". If one is to follow the CKLN bylaws, which Ms. Holliday rightly proposes, a "Membership meeting" could only be attended by:
ReplyDelete-a Full time Ryerson student with ID
-a volunteer who has performed 3 hours of service in any given 6 week period and has a volunteer card
-paid staff
-a Community member contributing $50.00 to CKLN Radio Inc. (with receipt)
Also, a "membership meeting", according to CKLN bylaws, must be called with two week's notice.
So, I think it is troubling that Ms. Holliday is bandying around words and phrases in a way that further confuses this already perplexing and frustrating situation.