Serving a diverse community through radio

Producing independent radio has always been a labour of love. Whether you are broadcasting from your bedroom via the internet or have a long history in AM/FM radio signals, patience and passion are crucial to keep the airwaves alive.

Sound FM, a community-run station in Waterloo, Ontario, broadcasts online and on air to an estimated audience of 600,000 listeners.

The station offers a wide range of programming featuring news, talk and music, giving voice to the diversity of the region. Sound FM's programs include shows about Chinese and Islamic communities in the region, as well as a show focused on migrant workers. They also feature media and political activists on air, as well as local experts on agriculture.

"We have a shared love for radio and seem to understand the importance of community radio in overcoming the barriers constructed between communities in our region" DJ and board member Dan Kellar said.

Sound FM have been on the air since the '70s. The station maintains a resilient core of programmers and a continual influx of community support. "Our longest serving volunteer has been around 25 years," Kellar said.

The station began using Sourcefabric's Airtime, the open source radio automation software, a little more than a year ago, when they upgraded their computer system. "We came across many pieces of software and tested a few out. But in the end we liked the feature list and the possibilities for growth with Airtime's software."

Airtime helps Sound FM with remote broadcasts and with DJs who pre-record their shows. With the help of the smart block function they curate shows and easily schedule PSAs, advertisements and station IDs. Sound FM relies on volunteers with varying degrees of experience. Accidents can happen, but they rely on Airtime to keep dead air at bay.

Airtime recently saved Sound FM some scheduling headaches when the station took part in the annual Homelessness Radio Marathon. This annual radio event draws attention to the needs of homeless people by broadcasting live from the streets across Canada for a 24-hour period during the coldest time of the year.

Sound FM had a painful 4-5 a.m. slot in the round-the-clock broadcast. With Airtime, they were able to go live-to-air over their pre-scheduled programming. "We remotely broadcast from a home studio with better accessibility for our guests on a minus 20 Celsius night. It was pretty fantastic!" Kellar said.