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Aboriginal Voices Radio (AVR) Network is a Canadian national radio network with licensed radio stations in nine Canadian metropolitan areas, all which are licensed under the calls of Toronto flagship station CKAV-FM. It airs programming produced primarily by and for Aboriginal people in Canada, featuring music and personalities from around the world.
History AVRN was founded in 1998 by a group of high-profile Aboriginal Canadians, including actor Gary Farmer, playwright, novelist and author Tomson Highway, filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin and actress/producer Jennifer Podemski. Other founders and key contributors to creation of the network included project manager and training coordinator Brian Wright-McLeod, Christopher Spence and Andre Morriseau (production and programming), John Matthews and Mark MacLeod (licencing), Robert Templeton and J. Robert Wood (corporate funding), Elaine Bomberry, David Deleary, Sherman Maness, Nicole Robertson, Minnie Two Shoes and Doug Bingley (strategic advice). AVR's first station, CFIE-FM in Toronto, was licensed by the CRTC in 2000. CFIE changed its callsign to CKAV in 2006. AVR had previously operated on 106.3 FM (JUMP FM) for a short 6 day period in 1998 during the Aboriginal Voices Festival at Harbourfront Centre in Toronto. The network's earliest and largest corporate sponsor is Newcap Broadcasting. Some sources have confused the Aboriginal Voices network with the Aboriginal Multimedia Society of Alberta, which operates a distinct community radio network in rural northern Alberta that is not affiliated with Aboriginal Voices. Station launches The network has faced technical and logistical problems which have prevented it from launching some of the licensed stations listed below. For some of the stations, the network had applied to the CRTC for extensions five or six times as of the end of 2005. Since then, however, the network has moved forward with most of the approved licenses.[1] Programming AVR's playlist represents not only an American and Canadian presence but that of indigenous and diasporic performers from around the world, including Oceania, Africa and Latin America. Within the last two years more popular main-stream music has been introduced into AVR's playlist. The names below represent a sample of Aboriginal and diasporic artists that have been or are currently being aired. Occasionally, identities and/or song titles are announced on-air by prerecording. Artists Between every second or third song, AVR does insert their station identification. Special programming Fridays, between 10 PM and midnight ET, featured The Plex Show,[17] a showcase of Hip hop artists hosted by emcee Plex (Doug Bedard).[18] The last and only program to be produced for AVR has since been cancelled. {Doug Bedard AKA: Plex, 2009} Weekend programming Airplay on Sundays features Wisdom of the Elders with program host Arlie Neskahi (Dine' Navajo), a public radio talk show that showcases native culture, musicians, storytelling, drumming practices and flute playing. Co-hosts include educator and Herbalist Judy Bluehorse Skelton (Nez Perce-Chickasaw-Cherokee), music director Nico Wind (Assiniboine/Ojibway) and storyteller and song-carrier Judy Trejo among other recordings taken from the Smithsonian's Pulling Down the Clouds CD.[19] Stations On air Licensed but not launched - Regina - 96.1 MHz [25] (approved May 2007, launching 2009)
- Saskatoon - 102.9 MHz [26] (approved May 2007, launching 2009)
Surrendered licenses In 2009, the network surrendered its licenses for transmitters in Kitchener, Ontario (CKAV-FM-8, 102.5 MHz)[27] and Montreal (CKAV-FM-10, 106.7 MHz).[28] On August 20, 2009, the CRTC approved an application by Canadian Hellenic Cable Radio (CHCR) to amend the broadcasting licence for its station in Montreal at 106.3 MHz, a second adjacent frequency to CKAV-FM-10 at 106.7 FM, requiring AVR to find an alternative frequency in the event of any interference with the signal of CKAV-FM-10.[29] As of January 2011, CHCR's station, CKIN-FM, has signed on at 106.3 MHz. Another broadcaster, Evanov Communications, has since filed an application for a new station at 106.7 serving the western suburb of Hudson in January 2012.[30][31] References External links
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