Michael Houston, better known as “tic”, has been in the community radio realm with CKCU FM for a whopping 35 years. His show, Wednesday Special Blend, is celebrating a major milestone with its 1000th episode on March 13th, 2024. The morning radio program, hosted by tic, started in April 2002, but his involvement at CKCU FM began much before. In 1983, he stumbled across a documentary produced by a CKCU volunteer and it was love at first listen according to the host.  Two weeks later, tic was a volunteer on his journey to become part of the CKCU FM family. The rest is history, as 22 years later, he is reaching his 1000^th episode! 

When it comes to contributing to CKCU and the community, tic leads by example. He has a big heart and likes to share about what people in the community are doing, their stories, local music, events, and the odd opinion.  He has been instrumental in supporting the annual CKCU FM Funding Drive and contributing to community connection.  As well, he is a technically savvy guy who offers support to others with his skills. He’s been an integral part of the CKCU, working hard to make sure Wednesday Special Blend is engaging, entertaining, and informative for the audience. 

Michael absolutely loves being on the radio, but he is especially interested and attentive to the technical side of creating his content. He takes pride in making sure his shows are quality sounding and run smoothly for the listener’s experience. After being live in the studio for many years, since the pandemic, tic prefers to record his shows in his cozy home studio. It allows him to focus on the technical quality by reducing any potential challenges that could happen during a live broadcast. He believes that good sound and production are important and add to listening enjoyment.  

CKCU FM is far more than just a community radio station to tic. He shared that part of its value is its diversity. The station broadcasts in at least a dozen languages and features special interest programming that you won’t find many other places. It’s a friendly place where people can learn about different cultures, music, and community news. As tic says, “Sometimes you just need to mix things up and try something new!”. That is exactly what CKCU FM offers and is a key reason why he loves being part of it. 

– Joy Keke

Love, whether shared, found, grieved, or lost, surrounds us through the melodies of love songs. Vintage Love beautifully displays this essence with its blend of Reggae and Caribbean-centric tunes, offering a tranquil space of positive vibes. Its calming ambiance invites all to unwind, feel hopeful, and embrace the warmth of love’s lasting spirit.

O’shea Adagio brings us this sanctuary every Saturday night from 10:00 PM to 12:00 AM on CKCU FM, and has for the past 20 years. Always having a fascination with music, his mother was a classically trained pianist so his childhood was defined with music. Moving from St. Catharines to Toronto, to Ottawa for school, O’shea attended Carleton for Law and Sociology. While he was attending, he volunteered for CKCU for a short period. Although it didn’t stick, after graduation, with encouragement from his family and friends, O’shea made a demo and pitched Vintage Love to CKCU FM. It was an immediate hit. The show has been loved ever since reaching highs such as winning the Best Reggae Radio Program for Canada’s “Caribbean Music & Entertainment Awards”.

Over the past 20 years, O’shea has built up a community that eagerly awaits his show and it brings him immense joy to provide this. He says “The world has so many unhappy and crazy things going on that it is important to take a break and think of the people you love and the good things in life that helps you get through the unfavourable times”. He aims that his show provides this space to reflect and relax. O’shea and Vintage Love remind us that love and goodness is all around and sometimes we just need a second to see it.

– Marissa Guido