MBC Radio

MBC Radio, or Missinipi Broadcasting Corporation, is a radio network in Saskatchewan, Canada. It airs programming produced by and for First Nations communities.

The network's flagship station is CJLR in La Ronge.

MBC – A SHORT HISTORY

The beginnings of Missinipi Broadcasting Corporation [1]MBC Radio in Saskatchewan go back to the early 1980's. Prior to that, the north had received merely token attention in the area of communications. Starting in the 1960's a provincial government radio service, broadcast out of Prince Albert Saskatchewan and eventually produced in La Ronge (Northern Saskatchewans 'Hub' community) called "Northern News" was hosted by its first producer Helga Reydon. The program addressed issues and matters of interest for aboriginal (& white) fisherman and trappers in the north with a short weekly information/interview program. However, the broadcasts were short and plagued by poor reception and unequal signal distribution and lacked the major 'content' so desired by the majority of aboriginal people in the north.

The Saskatchewan provincial government realized its shortcomings in serving the north and the program started to be produced out of La Ronge in 1973 by the DNS (Department of Northern Saskatchewan). This (now daily) program was hosted by producer and announcer Barrie O. Ward [[2]], with aboriginal language content added by Cree linguists Tom Roberts [[3]] and Robert Merasty [[4]]. The 'New' extensive radio program added more northern content and significantly included major aboriginal language content. The program however ended with the provincial governments disbanding of the DNS in 1982 and the elimination of the broadcasts.

In the late 1970's, CBC also began the broadcasting of an alternate northern program, "Keewatin Radio" [5]. The program contained snippets of relevant northern content and was aided by better reception due to the installation of the low power FM relay transmitters in the north. The stories, though pertinent to the northern populace, were largely in English, and still originated from a southern broadcast ___location (Regina).

It wasn't until 1983 that the north would have a chance to truly create its' own aboriginal programming. At that time, the Federal Government of Canada introduced the Northern Native Broadcast Access Program ([NNBAP]), funded and supported by the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Department of Canadian Heritage. The NNBAP program's aim was to enhance, protect and preserve aboriginal languages while at the same time allowing indigenous peoples to control their own communications services. In March of 1984 a full time coordinating committee was formed in northern Saskatchewan and a coordinator Robert Merasty [[6]]was hired to gather information on what was needed.

A survey was conducted of the residents of northern Saskatchewan at that time. The results of a questionnaire responded to by northern people gave the organizers an accurate idea of what aboriginal people wanted to hear on radio. Following the survey the first Board of Directors for Missinipi Broadcasting Corporation (a Non Profit organization) was elected in 1984 and a headquarters was established in La Ronge with Robert Merasty as the first CEO. The corporation implemented a basic radio skills training program in 1984/1985 that was delivered through the local Community College.

With the essential operating structure in place, and the first efforts underway to develop the skills needed to provide quality programming, the corporation was on its' way. The first MBC broadcast took place in February 1985 with [Tom Roberts ][[7]] hosting the first program.

MBC's initial broadcasts were predominantly in English with some Cree but lacked professional 'polish' and the corporation realized it needed a major skills training program beyond its initial effort in order to better serve its aboriginal audience. This was done by launching a training program at CJLR in 1986/1987 under the direction of noted Saskatchewan and Canadian Broadcaster/Writer Barrie O. Ward [[8]] a longtime broadcaster and aboriginal peoples advocate. A strong focus was placed on implementing the expanded use of aboriginal languages and the 'overall' technical skills of its broadcast staff were addressed and improved.

Today, within the sphere of its 24/7 operations MBC Radio provides a minimum of ten hours of Cree language programming and ten hours of Dene language programming per week, and strives to integrate the languages into everything from special programs, remote event coverage, contests, commercial content and more.

During its formative years MBC Radio was dependent on theCanadian Secretary of State (now Department of Canadian Heritage) for funding and the use of CBC's transmitters in carrying its' programming in its startup stage. By the use of skillful strategic planning put in place by MBC's second CEO Nap Gardiner [[9]] MBC became much more independent of Federal funding. Today (2005) MBC is primarily supported by self generated (advertising) revenue along with gaming revenue (Radio Bingo)and thus MBC is relatively self-sufficient in its radio operations.

MBC's third CEO Marty Ballentyne [[10]] brought about the corporations move into TV production in 1998 and served on the Board of Directors for APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network)Canada's [and the worlds] first independent Aboriginal TV Network. MBC has been a major contributor to APTN and it produced 39 episodes of "Heartbeat Of The Earth" {a series for and about Saskatchewan's Northern Aboriginal peoples and their communities}. The series coincided with the startup of APTN.

MBC has a superb digital satellite network signal delivery system that it owns and operates thus eliminating reliance on ground distribution systems. MBC also facilitates and supports the growth and establishment of small community owned low power radio stations and provides support and training services to them as needed. The Saskatchewan Association Of Aboriginal Broadcasters also known as (SAAB) was founded in 1997/1998 primarily through the efforts of Barrie Ward [[11]] and the community station managers across the north. SAAB has grown into a large cooperative entity encompassing services for all Aboriginal broadcast outlets in the Province of Saskatchewan.

While its' original list of communities served virtually mirrored CBC's service area and broadcast into only 22 communities, today MBC is heard in well over 70 Saskatchewan communities, including the provinces major southern cities where thousands of ‘Urban Aboriginals’ now make their homes but still wish to keep informed of what is going on in the north. MBC's Cree and Dene programming is nationally recognized as leading the field in indigenous communications, and has been shared with audiences as far away as the Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Alberta, BC, and Ontario.

MBC's current (Fourth) CEO (since 2001) Deborah Charles[12] is an employee who rose through the ranks over the first three decades of MBC operations.

Deborah [[13]] is the first female CEO of an aboriginal radio broadcast network in Canada and she is one of Canada's most highly regarded female Aboriginal executives and also sits on the Board of Directors of the APTN. She has worked to see that MBC expands its television operations and MBC will shortly (2005/2006) be launching a weekly TV newsmagazine program in cooperation with Saskatchewan Communications Network (SCN).

In light of these developments in a relatively brief period of time, one appreciates MBC's well earned position as the pre-eminent institution for the preservation, protection and enhancement of aboriginal languages and culture in Saskatchewan, and a leader in First Nations communications throughout Canada.

Source - Missinipi Broadcasting Corporation ([14])

Frequencies

• Beardys - 97.3 FM
• Beauval - 96.5
• Big River - 95.7
• Black Lake - 91.7
• Brabant Lake - 88.9
• Buffalo Narrows - 89.3
• Camsell Portage - 103.1
• Canoe Lake - 103.9
• Carot River - 101.1
• Cluff Lake Mine - 104.1
• Cole Bay - 89.9
• Cumberland House - 89.9
• Deschambeault Lake - 88.9
• Dillon - 92.7
• Fond du Lac - 89.9
• Garson Lake - 89.9
• Grandmothers Bay - 89.9
• Green Lake - 94.9
• Ile-à-la-Crosse - 92.5
• James Smith - 96.5
• Jans Bay - 89.9
• Key Lake - 89.9
• La Loche - 89.9
• Lac La Plonge - 96.5
• McArthur River - 89.9
• Meadow Lake - 105.7
• Missinipi - 105.9
• Montreal Lake - 89.9
• North Battleford - 94.7
• Onion Lake - 97.7
• Patuanak - 89.9
• Pelican Narrows - 89.9
• Pinehouse Lake - 89.9
• Prince Albert - 88.1
• Rabbit Lake Mine - 89.9
• Sandy Bay - 96.5
• Saskatoon - 104.1
• Shoal Lake - 89.9
• Southend - 96.5
• Stanley Mission - 98.5
• Stony Rapids - 91.9
• Turner Lake - 89.9
• Uranium City - 99.9
• Wollaston Lake - 91.9

External link

• MBC Radio