New Stations

[Jack Bennest]

For the first time in Canada, a radio station is targeting a specific age group within the specialty ethnic South Asian market.
RJ 1200 (AM dial) begins broadcasting November 25 at 12 minutes to 7 p.m. throughout Greater Vancouver, Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island and its targeted listenership is ages 18-44. The format features a high ratio of music to talk and showcases a lively mix of Bollywood, hip hop, Indi-pop, rap and bhangra.
According to a study on diversity in Canada by Solutions Research Group, the South Asian population skews substantially younger than the average Canadian population at 161% higher for ages 12-17 and 41% higher in the 18-34 group. Statistics Canada projects that immigration trends will see South Asians becoming the dominant visible ethnic group in Canada by 2017.
The youth-oriented station brands itself as being ?the new Apna thing? and TV commercials show young South Asians affectionately poking fun at the culture with references to arranged marriages, matchmaking ?aunties?, late dinners at formal functions and a penchant towards careers in technology.
RJ 1200 broadcasts in 17 languages and in addition to a playlist of upbeat new music and popular favorites, live news, sports and weather is featured hourly with a 30-minute major newscast nightly at 6:30 p.m. Sundays on RJ 1200 are devoted to the international community and offers independent programmes in 10 languages, including Filipino, Farsi and Italian.
The new station is a wholly-owned subsidiary of i.t. Productions Ltd., Western Canada?s most prominent South Asian media organization, privately owned and operated by Shushma Datt, veteran broadcaster and a pioneer of Indo-Canadian broadcasting in Canada.
In awarding the AM license to i.t., the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in July 2005 cited the success of Radio Rim Jhim, i.t. Productions? SCMO service, as well as the experience of Shushma Datt, as the primary reasons for the successful application.
Datt, President of RJ 1200, said she is pleased the CRTC recognized that the South Asian market was vastly under served. ?RJ 1200 serves a demographic group that differs from the listeners of Radio Rim Jhim and that?s the way it should be. We have a very large community here and although India is 13,000 miles away, this is a technological age we live in and the interests of all South Asians can be catered to. With 2 radio stations, we?re really trying hard to do exactly that.?
In addition to operating 2 radio stations, i.t. Productions Ltd. also produces 9 television programs currently shown on OMNI TV and Shaw?s Multicultural Channel.

[HST]

Does anyone of any race in that age group listen to music on AM?

[johnsykes]

If we're spending countless dollars to teach immigrants to speak English, or in Quebec's case French, why is there a need for multi-lingual radio stations. No wonder problems exist where many don't even bother to learn English.

I'll stand back now and wait for the blast!

[3XHappy]

If we're spending countless dollars to teach immigrants to speak English, or in Quebec's case French, why is there a need for multi-lingual radio stations. No wonder problems exist where many don't even bother to learn English.

I'll stand back now and wait for the blast!

Tsk tsk tsk, Shame on you...

[johnsykes]

Is that it? shame on you?

Anyone who disputes what I said should try living in Abbotsford for a few weeks....maybe then you would change your opinion.

[johnsykes]

You see, you've fallen into my trap just like that. It's ok for the other side to say what they want, but we can't? gimme a break. And if I recall correctly, the reference to a burning cross concerns Afro-Americans. I never have had a problem with them. One of my favourite interviews ever was with an amazing football player by the name of James Sykes, who just happened to be an Afro-American. At least they speak our language!

When I worked in a local store just over three years ago, before I retired, I had a comment from an "Indo Canadian".......why don't you speak our language.......I responded.....I speak both official languages of Canada....I suggest that be your goal for your family.

Yes, I too, am an immigrant from another country.....I have been here for 54 years....27 of those years as a Canadian citizen. I suggest you question yourself....

1. Can I speak both our official languages
2. Why does this country admit people who can't speak either, even though they aren't refugees.

I rest my case. Radio and television stations in this country should be either in English or in French.

[sparky]

Maybe the taxis and dump trucks only have AM radios.

And for the first time in history, I agree with Sykes!

[tuned]

I think the younger crowd that this station is trying to attract is probably quite fluent in English as well as their mother tongue. John makes a decent point about recent immigrants needing to learn to speak English but the reality is that it is only a problem for one generation since their kids are going to learn it without much difficulty. I am not going to be listening to the new station but it is owned by a real broadcaster and I bet it's live most of the time so good on them and best of luck!

[Cliff Bashly Kinkade]

Sykes,

I am actually embarrased for you.

That was truly pathetic.

[cart_machine]

  In your interview with James Sykes, you didn't happen to ask him if it was true that "those people" had larger than average weiners?

No, but he told him that Al Jolson was a credit to their race.

A bunch of guys I know like Paul J. and Cam MacC. headed over to China to take up radio/TV gigs there. They don't speak Mandarin or Cantonese. Using the Sykes Logik, they never should have been let into the country.

They're still over there, so I presume they're able to function in Beijing OK. (then again, I think they learned the word for "beer" ).

One of the main complaints about radio today is it doesn't serve the community; it's just a bunch of consultant-driven corporations feeding bland, generic programming from out of town. At least this station sounds like it's serving an audience, which is what radio's supposed to do in the first place. Bravo for them.

cArtie

[tuned]

In the 60s Canadian immigration policy was that you had to speak English in order to immigrate to Canada. Not the Queens English and if it was a family only one person had to be moderately proficient in English. I don't know when the policy changed, probably by Trudeau. I don't know if it is still the case but you used to be able to get an interpretor to take your BC driving test which I think is innapropriate.

[johnsykes]

Biff....don't feel embarrassed for me.....I'm not alone in this, not by a long shot. Too many people are afraid to speak their mind....afraid of the Politically Correct crowd. No one seems to give a damn about our values and our country....to afraid to offend the newbies. I'm seeing too many signs that indicate Canada has to change its thinking and its ways in order to accommodate the newcomers. It should be the other way around.

We should not presume an Indo-Canadian is a Canadian citizen....not should we presume a Brit-Canadian is a Canadian citizen. I'm just as outspoken against people from Russia who don't speak English or French as I am against people from India. And, I might add, I could care less if they are good hockey players. Learn one of our languages BEFORE they come to this country. Think I'm wrong? Check out the Australian government position. They got it right.