Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Vancouver To Have Women's Radio Station

Harvard Broadcasting is in the run for a new FM Station in Vancouver. JANE FM 104.1 will feature many established and up & coming BC Women Music Artists with a focus on Roots, Folk & Alt Country.

JANE FM's application is coming before the CRTC in late February - but, support has to reach Harvard Broadcasting, or Grrls With Guitars organizer Nadine Davenport or directly to the CRTC by January 23rd 2008.

On a local level – this application has great potential for Vancouver longest running Women Songwriter Showcase & Compilation Series. The key is getting a successful application & winning the bid for the FM station available. If JANE FM is born there will be an opportunity to produce Grrrls With Guitars Compilation CD's for the next 7 years. From the beginning the Grrrls With Guitars mandate has always been to showcase at the highest possible level some of this Country’s brightest emerging talent. As a multifaceted project with 14 years under it's belt, it continues to seek out new & upcoming women songwriters of all genres that will be the voice of the future. There is certainly no shortage of talent to choose from.

"It is exciting to think about a future with many opportunities for women artists in the years to come on the airwaves of Jane FM. The injection of funding by Harvard into the GWG project will breathe new energy into this grassroots indie endeavour and allow us to produce CDs on an annual basis," Davenport says.

The Vancouver hearings have been scheduled for the end of February. The applications are now public and there are 16 applicants. They are now in the process of getting letters of support and in order for these to become part of the public record they must be filed by the third week of January.

There will be a meet-and-greet tomorrow, January 9th, in Vancouver at the Hotel Vancouver. You can bring anyone you like and anyone you think might be able to help raise awareness and support for this radio service. They would like to get as many people as possible out. They will host two sessions - 5pm to 7pm and a second one from 7pm to 9pm. It will allow them ti discuss their vision of what the service will be, collect input and answer any questions that people may have.

"We will have take away information as well and hope to motivate the submission of a 1000 letters. This will be an important part of the process in convincing the Commission," according to Davenport.

For this reason, Harvard Broadcasting is asking for your support to help make JANE FM 104.1 application a success. The CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission) evaluates input from the local community and businesses to determine the successful applicants.

You can also write a letter, showing your support for the application which will be presented at the license hearing the week of February 28, 2008.


Here is the procedure for filing Letters of Support for Harvard Broadcasting

1. Use the sample letter & support info ( the icons below ) to best address the needs of our application. We do encourage you to customize as much as possible or the Commission will file it as a "form letter". While this does not discount it entirely, it certainly has more force if it is seen as been inspired and constructed by the individual.

2. Insure that the application filing number (200714221) is included.

3. Please provide Harvard Broadcasting with a copy of your letter at the same time that you send it to the CRTC. Mail to 1900 Rose Street, Regina, SK, S4P 0A9 or janefm@harvardbroadcasting.com.

4. You can either fax the letter or mail it. CRTC - Ottawa, Ontario Canada, K1A 0N2
The fax number is 819-994-0218. If you fax they should retain the confirmation sheet.

5. Or you can file electronically at on the CRTC web site.

http://support.crtc.gc.ca/rapidscin/default.aspx?lang=en&applicant=n2007-12

Following the link above, click the button labeled > 2007-18
Put a check mark in the box beside ' 200714221' Harvard Broadcasting,
and click next, at the bottom of the page. Add your comments, or attach your letter and click next. Choose whether or not you would like to appear in person at the hearing, and click next. Fill out your personal information and click next. Click Submit.

6. If possible please place the letter on company letterhead.

7. If you would like to appear at the Vancouver public hearing to show your support you must state that in your letter to the CRTC.

8. Filing of the letters of support needs to be received by the CRTC by Jan 23rd, 2008.


For more information go to the Grrls With Guitars website:

http://www.grrrlswithguitars.com/