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satellite
signal
Investment
CKU
The company normally does private satellites
for oil and gas and private contracting, so this was
a new experience for it, and an opportunity to do
some research and development in the radio space.
“It was not just a board member saying: here’s
money, go fix it,” says Carnes. “It was an opportunity
for both businesses to work together and learn. And
so, they were the ones who jumped to the table and
helped cover a significant portion of the equipment
costs by working with their partners. They were able
to absorb a lot of the cost through their technical
infrastructure and all that stuff. So, that was the
saving grace there.”
Meanwhile, CKUA also applied for a Community
Grant from Edmonton Community Foundation
(ECF). Their application was successful and the
funding helped cover the equipment costs to make
the satellite network happen.
“CKUA is a vital part of our community,” says
Melisa Zapisocky, ECF’s Grants Associate. “CKUA
creates a welcoming community where music, arts
and culture bring people together; showcasing
countless Albertan artists over the years. We’re
delighted to have assisted them in securing a new
satellite, enabling them to continue sharing our
community’s stories.”
Carnes says the timing was perfect. And the
funding helped CKUA leverage more private
funding as well.
“What I appreciate about the ECF funding is
that this is a project that benefited 16 communities,
as it was technology and infrastructure that went
into multiple communities,” says Carnes. “It was
an investment in CKUA, but we were able to
distribute that not only to service the thousands of
listeners in Edmonton but the tens of thousands
across the province as well. So, it had a residual
benefit on the community side of things.”
And to Carnes, that’s really what CKUA is
about. “What we do is radio, but why we exist
is to build community and make community
stronger,” he says.
Now, with the new satellite network, the
radio station no longer has the issues it did with
going off the air, so it can connect the community
even more consistently. The system is much
more advanced and can be much more easily
upgraded and adaptive to changes in technology.
Rather than having to replace components, now
techs can just upgrade the software. Meanwhile,
Network Innovations is more of a partner that’s
up-to-date on what CKUA is doing rather than
someone who just sends a bill.
“We do this really great programming that more
and more people are seeking out and supporting,
and that satellite connection is the lifeline. Without
it, it’s just a bunch of people sitting together talking
to themselves,” says Carnes.
ecf.ca
ecf.ca
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