Volunteering at Canoe FM


CANOE FM is proud to be your community radio station. We broadcast an eclectic mixture of music, share vital local news, provide a space for local artists to record their music, and more!

If you'd like to learn more about how Canoe FM came to be "The Voice of the Haliburton Highlands," please feel free to browse this booklet: Twenty Years of Canoe FM-The Little Station That Could

If you are interested in getting involved and ensuring the future of community radio, please fill out the application form.

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Volunteering at Canoe FM

Office Help

A community radio station can be a very busy place and by helping out in the office-you are at the centre of it all! We get calls from our community asking for information on various events, as well as reporting lost and found pets, road closures, power outages and more. As well this role involves awarding prizes, organizing and updating our public service announcements, assisting with purchases of bingo tickets and station merchandise. If you are a people person and want to experience a variety of different aspects of community radio, then perhaps helping out in the office is for you.

On-Air

So, you want to be a radio star! Many volunteers have found their niche at Canoe FM behind the microphone; either as a daytime host or programmer.

Daytime hosts are on-air between 7am and 6pm Monday to Friday sharing vital community news and information, great music, and are a source of company and connection to our listeners. 


Programmers are on-air outside the 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday timeframe and curate a show that focuses on a specific genre of music (i.e. rock, country, jazz, classical) or host a talk show focused on a specific topic (i.e. the environment, farming, local issues).  

Live On-Location Broadcasting/Canoe FM Ambassador

Do you enjoy meeting our listeners and being an ambassador for Canoe FM around the Highlands? The benefits are twofold, our presence at local events helps provide exposure for Canoe FM, while in turn we promote the event on the air which encourages our listeners to support community initiatives and our economy. We also need help with set-up and take-down of our display.

Radio Bingo Team

It's the hottest game in Haliburton County and beyond! Would you like to help set up, or run the world famous Canoe FM Bingo?

News Writer

Do you have a passion and drive to be informed on current news and issues affecting our area? Do you enjoy research and writing? If so, becoming a news writer at Canoe FM would be a perfect role for you! As a community radio station, our listeners count on us for information that impacts day-to-day life in the Haliburton Highlands. This includes decisions made by county council, maintenance work and road closures, updates from Emergency Services, power outages, as well as weather information. 

Board Of Directors

 

Are you driven to make an impact and have a say about the future of Canoe FM? As a not-for-profit radio station, we are governed by a Board Of Directors that makes vital decisions in the areas of: strategic direction, financial reporting and budgeting, ethical governance, hiring decisions and more.

Music Committee

Are you knowledgable and passionate about the vast variety of music we feature here on Canoe FM? Then the music committee might be a good fit for you, and we currently have a spot available. The music committee approves new music to add to our Canoe FM music library as well as keeping our music library organized, and maintaining our music logs and playlists to ensure we are meeting Canadian Content regulations. 

Production, Recording & Technical

Are you fascinated by the behind-the-scenes of radio and music production? Perhaps you'd like to try producing a commercial or help a local artist record a song in theStudio-or maybe you are interested in being part of a Canoe FM Radio Theatre production. Training is provided, however some recording and technical experience (specifically with Apple Software) is an asset. You may also be interested in one of our standing committees: The Technical Task Force.

Help With Fundraising

Fundraising is vital to keeping Canoe FM on the air and serving our community. Annually in July, we hold a Radiothon and we look for volunteers to answer phones to collect donations, assist with our auction, go on-air to talk about the value of community radio, update social media, sell merchandise and more! It's an exciting and necessary aspect of Canoe FM's survival.

Driver For Bingo

There are more than 20 retailers across this vast county who sell Canoe FM Radio Bingo sheets. The sheets need to get to these retailers so listeners can purchase them without having to drive too far. Radio Bingo supports Canoe FM along with various other not-for-profits in our region. 

Program Committee

As a community radio station, we offer diverse programming not found on commercial radio. We actively seek out new programs to better serve community members of various demographics. When someone has an idea for a new radio program, it is up to the programming committee to review and approve it. If you are knowledgeable about our current programming and want to have a say in what we broadcast going forward, then the programming committee might just be for you.

Marketing and Fundraising Committee

Do you like sharing and brainstorming creative ideas? Then perhaps you might enjoy being a part of the marketing and fundraising committee. This committee devises and executes strategies to better promote and increase engagement among members of our community. This committee also plays a major role in ensuring our annual Radiothon is a success. 

Technical Task Force

Do you have experience working with or performing maintenance on audio and broadcast equipment? Are you knowledgable and comfortable updating software, hardware, and/or diagnosing technical difficulties during live broadcasts? 

We would love your expertise on Canoe's Technical Task Force.

Radio Traffic/Scheduling

24 hours a day, 7 days a week-Canoe FM is on the air! Every hour is pre-programmed including the music, special programs and commercials paid for by our advertising clients. Unexpected things can happen, and sometimes commercials don't play which can understandably be upsetting to a client who has paid us for air time. If you enjoy working with computer software and want to learn more about the behind-the-scenes of the daily operations of a radio station, consider Radio Traffic.

 

For this role, you will be trained on-site at Canoe FM.

Web Development and Social Media

Web Development:

Do you have a good eye and a passion for design? We need help to create banners and graphics for our website to promote upcoming station events, contests, fundraisers and more. This role can also involve publishing podcasts, as well as other on-demand audio and video content. Help keep canoefm.com up to date and truly highlight what we do as an award-winning community radio station.

 

Social Media:

There is so much going on at Canoe FM including: interviews with celebrities and other prominent local figures to special themed shows, Bingo, contests and lots more! While promoting all of these happenings over the air is certainly effective, we can reach so many more people through our various social media channels. We also share vital community information including: local breaking news, weather, events, lost items and more. We are on Facebook, TikTok, X and more! 

Our Mission

Canoe FM is a not-for-profit, volunteer-driven community radio station, dedicated to serving the Haliburton Highlands by offering diverse, engaging programming and promoting local talent. We strive to advance the public’s knowledge, and appreciation of community radio by providing educational sessions, and volunteer opportunities in Haliburton County. Canoe FM will remain a strong partner in the community we serve.