Source : Waterloo Chronicle

Waterloo is one of 13 areas across the country identified as underserviced by CBC Radio and the broadcaster hopes to change that.

There has been rapid growth in communities outside of the traditional centres which means some cities are not receiving the level of coverage as others with similar populations, said Ted Kennedy, the chief of staff for CBC Radio.

"There's been a lot of new growth in areas outside of the GTA," Kennedy said. "The concerns of the GTA aren't the concerns of the listeners in those areas."

High immigration rates from both outside of and within Canada to previously small markets such as Fort McMurray, Alta., and Waterloo region have left more than five-million citizens underserviced, he said.

The broadcaster is asking the government to allow stations to be opened up in these areas and provide local coverage and content for certain hours of the day, such as the morning drive time. The rest of the time the station will broadcast provincial or nationally-produced content.

CBC Radio brought its plan to the identified communities and encouraged local politicians to lobby the federal government to fund the new stations, Kennedy said.

"In every city, people asked what they could do to help," he said. Kennedy and his staff asked civic leaders to start a campaign and work through local MPs to help promote the issue.

At last week's city council meeting, Coun. Ian McLean presented a motion in support of a CBC station coming to Waterloo.

The motion asked the federal government to fund the station and encouraged other municipalities to pass similar decrees.

McLean's motion, which was passed unanimously, will be sent to local MPs as well as distributed to councils across the country.

"We're supporting the CBC with our tax dollars, so it makes sense for us to have a station," McLean said.

"Another opportunity to share information with the public is a good thing."

Not only would the station provide another voice to tell local stories, it would be a chance for the stories to be relayed on a grander scale, he added.

"It would let us hear local stories and share experiences at a local level," McLean said. "And as the world's most intelligent community, there would be reason to share programming."

That could mean a higher profile for the area.

"The CBC has the capacity of sharing our stories not only locally, but regionally, nationally and maybe even internationally" McLean said.

Even some existing local radio stations are hoping for the national broadcaster to move into the market.

"I think competition is a good thing," said Clyde Ross, general manager of CKWR, Waterloo's community radio station.

Ross said he's not worried about CBC horning in on his listeners.

"CBC is available now (via a Toronto feed) and it's been here a long time," he said.

"Their listeners are pretty loyal listeners and I think if they have some local coverage they stand to make some gains. They do different stuff than us.

"I think it will be good."

© Waterloo Chronicle