CJLS 95.5 FM

 
The relevance of radio never expresses itself more than during a weather event.   

When Hurricane Bill was threatening to pummel the southwestern Nova Scotia coast in late August 2009, thousands of area residents found they had one main means of information and communication – CJLS “The Wave” Radio in Yarmouth.

Newspapers couldn’t give immediate coverage. Television’s resources couldn’t be everywhere. Even the Internet could only provide updated weather forecasts, but not the personal and expressive descriptions that radio could offer.

CJLS could, and did.

Now in its 75th year of serving the Yarmouth community, the 18,000-watt FM stereo station (95.5) blankets Yarmouth, Digby and Shelburne counties with 24/7 music, news and information.

Co-owned and managed by Chris Perry and Ray Zinck, two long-time broadcasters who have held various roles at the station for more than three decades, CJLS offers a mostly adult contemporary music format, while mixing in blocks of country, golden oldies and easy listening.

Perry has been with the station since 1972 when he started as morning show host. He had retired from the armed forces, took a broadcast course, peppered stations with audio tapes, and found a job in Yarmouth. Now he says, "It doesn't get any better than living here in Yarmouth. It's a great place to be."

“The way we make radio has changed considerably,” he says, admitting it’s not quite as much fun and that there are fewer bloopers. “From albums and 45s that we’d cue ourselves, to CDs to digital files, the job is easier now but certainly not as engaging for an announcer. There was more physical activity then, and no time during your show to do any preparation. Now you can go to a computer while the music is playing and get the information you need.”

Yet CJLS remains more “live” than many regional stations. There are on-air announcers from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekends. There are live newscasts on the hour, with headlines on the half-hour mark. Even overnight and on weekends, a national feed provides hourly newscasts.

Perry insists the local aspect of radio is what keeps listeners happy and tuned in.

“If you’re not listening to radio, you’re missing your community,” he says. “I admit we may not have the young demographic, but when they get to a point they want to know more about the community, they’ll be with us.”

Yarmouthians have been with CJLS since April 6, 1934 when the Gateway Broadcasting Company operated commercially with a 100-watt transmitter located on the top floor of the Grand Hotel. In 1940, it moved to 222 Main Street, increasing power to 250 watts and locating a 100-foot tower and transmitter in Brooklyn, Yarmouth Co.

In 1938, CJLS affiliated with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. In 1968, it built a new 5,000-watt transmitter at Overton, Yarmouth Co. By 1982, CBC established its own repeater in Yarmouth and a year later disaffiliated from CJLS, which by then had extended its signal to Shelburne and Digby counties via FM stereo repeat transmitters.

Perry is adamant that radio will never go away, even though some media observers have sounded the death knell on several occasions.

“When cassettes came in, people said radio was gone,” he says. “Then, with CD players, we heard it again. Now that iPods and MP3 players are in the peoples’ ears, and satellite radio is prevalent, critics are saying radio can’t exist. We still have that immediate community touch that nothing else can provide.”

CJLS has thrived with phone-in request shows at various hours of the day, with local on-air Swap Shop markets, with advertiser-generated remote broadcasts several times a month, and with news of municipal council, local happenings and sport scores, upcoming events – all people-oriented and drawing an array of demographics.

CBC-TV Prince Edward Island news host, Bruce Rainnie, cut his teeth at CJLS in the early 1990s. “I got to do everything as a morning announcer,” he says, praising the small station for providing an opportunity to correct and learn from mistakes he would make.

“I could have gone to journalism school but chose to start my career in community radio and work my way up. I did that, and, because of what I learned at CJLS, I can talk my way out of any situation.”

Rainnie echoes Perry. “CJLS means everything to the community. You usually won’t see Yarmouth on CBC or CTV news, but you know CJLS will tell you about last night’s council meeting, today’s boat mishap, and local events that Yarmouth (and area) people care about.”