The CKCU 2025 Funding Drive kicks off this Friday and we’re calling attention to the importance of independent community media: INDEPENDENT MEDIA MATTERS!

Come kick off this exciting annual event with us at The Record Centre on October 24th from 2pm – 7pm. Meet the people behind CKCU, enjoy snacks, listen to music, and shop a great selection of vinyl. DJs Trevor Walker, Lamb Fatale, Chris International, and Grondini will be spinning music live; and at 5pm, Friday Drive will be broadcasting live from the location.

CKCU is not only a community radio station — we’re a leader and advocate for independent and community media near and far. This year, we’re celebrating 50 years of FM broadcasting as Canada’s first campus-community station. When you support CKCU, it’s not only about sustaining us as a station — it’s about standing with fellow independent media groups in community radio, community TV, and other digital networks and independent platforms to show that independent media matters everywhere.

You can support this year’s fundraising goal of $193,100 anytime from October 24th – November 9th.

We hope to see you Friday!

September’s Live Off The Floor session is with rappers dannydukess and HUG MOSH, and their thoughtfully crafted, clever and conscious songs. They took the opportunity to shift their approach to presenting their music in our smaller studio setting. 

Happy National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. On this day, Sept 30th we honour the children who were lost to the residential school system, the Survivors and their families. Let us all commit to continued learning, reflection, and action toward reconciliation. For this day and surrounding days, several CKCU Programs will highlight music and information about Indigenous issues and artists including: Stranger Songs, Coast To Coast, Alan Surmachynski and others to be announced, stay tuned/keep it locked to the Mighty 93.1FM.

A funeral service will be held at the Orleans United Church (1111 Orleans Boulevard, Ottawa) on Sunday September 21, at 1:30 PM.

For more information, please visit Dignity Memorial’s website.

CKCU Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the arrival of a new Station Director, Lia Kiessling.

Lia holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Carleton University and is a longtime listener and supporter of CKCU FM. After 17 years in Switzerland working in communications, advocacy and membership roles at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Internet Society and MSC Cruises, she is back in her hometown of Ottawa to join the CKCU community.

Lia brings decades of experience managing large teams of volunteers and overseeing complex budgets. With a long-standing passion for grassroots media, Lia is thrilled to be returning to a field that aligns so closely with her values.

“Lia also brings extensive fundraising expertise,” says Corrie Rabbe, Chair of the CKCU Board of Trustees. “The Board was especially impressed by her transparent, collaborative leadership style and her clear, inspiring vision for CKCU’s future. We’re confident in her ability to lead the station effectively and to navigate the challenges of today’s rapidly evolving media and economic landscape.”

“I’m thrilled to be joining CKCU — the community radio station I grew up listening to,” said Lia. “For 50 years, CKCU has been at the heart of Ottawa, supporting local people to be active in their community and have a voice in the media. I’m deeply grateful to the Board for their trust and I’m honoured to help carry that legacy forward.”

“It’s been a true privilege to serve as CKCU’s Interim Station Director,” said Anne-Marie, who has been
involved in local community radio for nearly 25 years. “I leave with a full heart and immense pride, having
met — and even exceeded — our fundraising goals in both 2023 and 2024. Together with our incredible staff and devoted volunteers, we reconnected CKCU with the community — from event tables to live broadcasts — and even relaunched the CKCU Kids Summer Radio Camp, a joyful mix of chaos, laughter, and learning. I’m confident that with Lia Kiessling now leading the way, the station is in excellent hands.”

As the leadership torch passes from the Interim Station Director to a permanent one, Corrie Rabbe shared, “On behalf of the CKCU Board, staff, and volunteers, I want to extend our heartfelt appreciation to Anne-Marie Brügger, who stepped into the role in 2023, and led the station with outstanding professionalism, dedication, and integrity. Having restored a strong sense of purpose and excitement at CKCU, she leaves the organization on solid financial and operational footing. We are sincerely grateful for her efforts in raising the profile of our community radio station and strengthening its future.”

CKCU’s Live Off The Floor session for June feature sets by DJs Lamb Fatale and Fembottt. They share some of their current favorite music selections and encompass a range of moods doing so. 

We’re very excited to share a new CKCU FM project we’ve been working on —please welcome Live Off The Floor! This monthly series revolves around connecting with music, music makers, and the music community of the Ottawa area and beyond. Artists are invited to CKCU’s Studio B for an intimate live set that’s filmed in one take. Each month, we will be releasing new sessions of the series on the station’s YouTube channel for you to watch and enjoy. For the launch and first installment, we invited three of Ottawa’s finest DJs to the studio to kick things off with gusto and beats! Don’t miss out—check it out, and give the CKCU channel a follow while you’re there so you don’t miss out on upcoming new Live Off The Floor sessions!

After two amazing years on the air, we bid a heartfelt farewell to Riley Murphy, co-host of CKCU FM’s Thursday Special Blend. In the summer of 2021, Riley joined us from Georgetown, Ontario, bringing with her the curiosity, creativity, and compassion that define a great journalist —and a great co-host.

A student of Carleton University’s School of Journalism, Riley balanced her academic workload and volunteering her time and talent to community radio. Whether diving into local stories, sharing music, or guiding thoughtful interviews, she brought a bright energy and professionalism to the studio that made every Thursday morning better. Listeners could also hear her lending her voice to MidDay, the School of Journalism radio program. In a standout moment, Riley represented both CKCU FM and her Carleton peers, as a host of the 2024 World Radio Day live broadcast, done from Ottawa in February. The broadcast was a proud reminder of her skills, poise, and passion for community media on the world stage.

Riley’s final show on CKCU FM airs April 24, 2025, as she hosts her last Thursday Special Blend. Though we will miss her behind the mic and at CKCU, we know her future is full of promise.

Congratulations on your graduation and all you have accomplished in the past few years, Riley! Thank you for making CKCU FM such a significant part of your journey. You have given countless hours and brightened the 93.1 FM airwaves on Thursday mornings with much success. You learned with us and grew immensely. We can’t wait to see where your storytelling takes you next.