From October 29-November 9, vote YES for $3 more to save CKUT in the upcoming SSMU referendum!
Listen above or read below for more information about the station and why we need this increase now.
WHAT IS CKUT?
McGill’s radio club was founded in 1921 and evolved into what is now modern-day CKUT when it went live on the FM airwaves in 1987. The station broadcasts a diverse array of 24/7 programming cross the island of Montreal on the FM dial as well as streaming online worldwide. The station’s mandate is to grant airtime and facilitate self-representation for communities who are underrepresented or misrepresented in mainstream media. CKUT is also a creative hub that links McGill to the greater Montreal community, often co-presenting concerts, cultural events, and more. We have a mandate to support Canadian and local music, especially music made by people who have traditionally faced barriers to the music industry (QTBIPOC folks, women and non-binary musicians, etc.). Overall, we’re a vital community and campus resource at your fingertips, on your dial, and on the web.
WHAT DOES CKUT OFFER FOR MCGILL STUDENTS? WHY SHOULD I VOTE YES?
CKUT has a rich history of launching the careers of many McGill alumni, from CBC hosts to world-renowned musicians, academics to artists, and more. At a university without a journalism program, CKUT fills this gap. The station offers training and access to audio software and equipment for McGill students looking to share their research in creative formats, like a podcast. CKUT also offers a variety of resume and skill-building opportunities for students, such as volunteering, internships, work-study positions, and summer jobs. More than this, CKUT is a grassroots organization and campus media outlet that is vital to on-campus democracy and campus life. It has a legacy of connecting McGill to the greater Montreal community, from student reporters being on the scene at the Oka crisis to volunteers covering recent tuition hike protests on campus. CKUT has an important legacy at McGill and beyond, and we need your help keeping our nonprofit, campus-community radio station alive.
Allie, Nour, and Carla, pictured above, are McGill students and cohosts of “STEMinism,” a show they pitched and created that aims to reduce barriers to STEM and make talking research fun!
Throwback pic! CKUT’s 2012 News Department. This was the time of indie sleaze and twee, when we last raised our fee!
McGill psychology student Michelle (left) hosts “Panacea,” a show where mental health is discussed candidly and openly, and resources, stories, tips and solidarity are on offer!
WHAT ARE WE ASKING FOR?
We are asking for a modest $3 increase in our student fee. CKUT’s fee hasn’t been raised in OVER A DECADE (since 2012), so the budget is extremely out of step with inflation – and the station is facing a deficit. Let’s bring CKUT’s student fee into this decade and continue the station’s unique on-campus legacy with the next generation of media-makers, musicians, and creatives! The $3 increase brings it to a maximum total of $8.
See the breakdown below of what you are currently charged depending on faculty/status:
You might be wondering why our fee is broken down into so many subcategories. This is something that likely happened in the 1980s or 90s when the fee was first implemented. The McGill administration told us our fee is likely broken down like this because it was mirroring the SSMU fee breakdown at the time.
Unlike some other student fees, CKUT’s fee is entirely opt-outable. You can still opt-out of the fee in any given term if you vote YES on this ballot. Even if we’re not for you, we hope you will vote YES for the rights of other students to access services that transform their McGill experience, and in the interest of on-campus news, discussions, and democracy.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS VOTED NO?
Student fees constitute an essential chunk of CKUT’s operating budget. Losing the referendum would mean that CKUT would continue to struggle considerably as our costs steeply rise, but our income doesn’t budge. Staff are burnt out – overworked and underpaid for many years. We’ve had to cut student jobs at the station and make hard calls on what we can and cannot afford, and resorted to cost-cutting measures that stretch CKUT thin and make it so we are just barely surviving, not thriving. We need your help to support the existence of independent media more than ever – before it is too late.
FIND OUT MORE! Follow @saveckut on Instagram, or email funding@ckut.ca with any questions.