Alberta CKUA asking for support letters to be sent to Ottawa
Posted May 16, 2024 5:40 pm.
An Alberta public broadcast radio station is now turning its attention to the federal government for support to be able to stay on air.
In April, CKUA announced it was looking to raise $3 million by the end of September, or it would no longer be able to broadcast.
CEO Marc Carnes says between April 17 and 29, listeners helped the station raise over $1.8 million of the proceeds needed to stay afloat.
Now, the radio station is again asking for listeners’ support, but in a different manner.
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- Alberta CKUA Radio fundraiser: Corb Lund voices support
CKUA is asking listeners to start writing letters to Ottawa, clearly and respectfully explaining why the station is important to them and why it needs support.
The letters will target key MPs like Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Canadian Heritage Pascale St-Onge, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic Leblanc, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as well as additional local MPs.
A form has been set up on the CKUA website, with a simple five-step process to help listeners get started.
The Edmonton-based station has been on the air since 1927 and cites inflation, limited government funding, and the post-pandemic vacancy and devaluation of the Alberta Hotel, which it owns, as the reasons for its financial struggles.
