Back in April 2024, CKUA Radio launched their annual Spring On-Air fundraising campaign lasting 10 days. Executive director Marc Carnes pleaded with listeners to help raise $775,000 towards a $3 million dollar goal or face a shutdown.
Listeners, individuals, businesses and corporations responded by the thousands. In an interview with radio host Grant Stovel, Carnes recently stated the donor-supported radio station raised $1.8 million.
“It’s been a blur, but in a good kind of way. We had a lot of momentum coming out of that campaign. We raised $1.8 million and we’re pushing close to $2 million. We’re well on our way to the $3 million march,” said Carnes of the campaign themed The Time Is Now.
As part of its financial revenue, CKUA owns and operates the Jasper Avenue building it occupies. A portion of the building is leased to other tenants. However, due to COVID and inflationary pressures, the station lost its major tenant.
As a result of the widespread publicity campaign, “We went from 50 per cent occupancy in April and now it’s about 80 per cent, and we’re still in discussion with some folks,” Carnes said.
“The challenge is that people sign a lease right away, but it takes several months for the money to come online and in the meantime, we have to spend money to modify the spaces.”
For 97 years, the station has supplied listeners across the province with music and information not available on commercial stations. It is the only one of its kind in Canada.
Although it operates independently of government tax dollars, Carnes asked both the provincial and federal governments for a one-time injection of funds to offset inflationary pressures and as an investment into this one-of-a-kind cultural space.
“I think we’re at an interesting place where the provincial government is saying, ‘well, the feds caused part of the problem, so they should be doing something.’ And the feds are saying ‘the province has lots of money and they should be doing something.’ They’re in a stand-off and we’re caught in the crossfire. So, what we’re trying to do is make the case that if one moves the other will move, and it’s just who is going to move first,” said Carnes.
An offshoot of the spring fundraiser was a letter-writing campaign where listeners and donors were asked to contact their elected officials and tell them why CKUA deserves their attention. It attracted 1,000 supporters.
“It helps to get the message to Ottawa. Sometimes we realize the Alberta story doesn’t make it to Ottawa the way we want it to. So, our listeners and supporters are really helpful.”
Judging from the outpouring of support the station received in April, it plans to launch a Centennial Fundraiser on Sept. 30.
“We always planned to do a Centennial Fundraising Campaign to build an endowment which creates some sustainability going forward. We don’t have government funding, that reliable source of funding is important.”
Donations from the Centennial Fundraiser would be used for large expenditures such as transmitter upgrades and new technology.
“That’s the story we can tell. People want this thing in record numbers, but we need money. That’s the reality...We intend to pull all the levers whether it’s government, business or individuals. We need all people at the table in some capacity.”
Currently the station is hosting a 50/50 raffle. The deadline to purchase tickets is Thursday, Aug. 15. The draw is Monday, Aug. 19 at 11 a.m. For more information visit ckua.com.
