Radio Worth Fighting For

A one-hour documentary about the crusade to save CKUA, Canada’s oldest non-profit broadcaster. Over the past 76 years CKUA has launched the careers of many talented announcers and musicians -- and fostered fiercely loyal fans. tells the CKUA story by interweaving three themes: The Music played on CKUA, and The History of the station and The Fight to get CKUA back on the air after it was shut down in 1997,. The Music is the heart of Radio Worth Fighting For. The film highlights the amazingly eclectic music played on CKUA by featuring the live performances of 37 musical acts including Ricky Skaggs, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Bruce Cockburn, Kiran Ahluwalia, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Jim Cuddy, Roy Forbes, Janiva Magness, Mose Allison, The Mahotella Queens, Bomba!, Pete Seeger, Daniel Lanois, and Sylvia Tyson performing with Quartette The Fight chronicles the long odds and serious struggle facing CKUA’s supporters after the radio station fell silent in 1997 due to government cutbacks, questionable management practices, and bureaucratic bungling. Footage of television news reports from the time of the shutdown is combined with commentary by the CKUA staff and listeners who lead the fight. These scenes paint a compelling picture of people of all ages, classes and tastes banding together on a social crusade to keep their favorite community treasure on the air. The History of CKUA is shared through fascinating archival photos, stock footage of events at the station over the past seven decades, and storytelling by colourful CKUA staff alumni. These include actor-singer Robert Goulet; musician-turned senator Tommy Banks and John Worthington, who continues to host a weekly big-band show after 53-years at the station. CKUA was saved by it’s listeners. Remarkably, one-quarter of CKUA’s annual budget now comes from donors in Canada and around the world who tune in to this unique station on the radio, or on the Internet.