This On The Air occupies a bizarre space in Discorder: it is an article in CiTR 101.9FM’s magazine about the radio station’s magazine’s radio show. Discorder Radio, the Discorder Magazine and the Discorder Radio Collective show, moves through similar layers of community each episode, airing Tuesdays at 5PM. I talked to the collective coordinator Dora Dubber about the show, and how it’s changing.  

Last year Claire Bailey, Discorder Liaison to the CiTR Student Executive, and producers Matt Meuse and Jordan Wade formed the Discorder Radio Collective as a directional change toward expanding the types of content on Discorder Radio. Dubber explains this shift as “the result of the show catching up to the magazine in a lot of ways.” As Discorder Magazine broadened its content beyond a strictly music focus, the radio show needed to broaden as well. For years before this, Discorder Radio functioned as a music show curated by longtime programmers, Meuse and Wade. Dubber, who joined Discorder Radio Collective last year before becoming the collective coordinator, admits that playing music “was the point of the show, but just didn’t fit the magazine anymore.”

To accommodate this change, the show has evolved its structure: there are established segments and more spoken word: “We’ve been trying to bring in contributors, and produce stuff specifically for the show —  like [Real Live Action reviews] or auditory accompaniments to web exclusives,” explains Dubber. With new members and “new people playing what they know is happening in the city that they want to highlight,” the collective hopes that diversity in voices will breed diversity in content. Dubber believes that “the point of radio is that you can say whatever you want, […] if you find it interesting it will be interesting. Passion is endearing and passion is fascinating.”

As an active member of many CiTR radio collectives, a contributor to Discorder Magazine and Vice President of the Student Executive, Dubber is aware of Discorder Radio’s unique intersections in the CiTR community. They’re actively trying to navigate how the radio show both acts as representation for the organization and is its own voice. As an extension of Discorder Magazine, the show acts as a platform for local and underrepresented culture, but also carves carve its own niche. Right now, each episode consists of upcoming events and music from artists associated with those events.

Speaking to Discorder Radio as a platform, Dubber explains,“The magazine [features] upper-low-level artists in the city. I try to do a tier or two below that […] because it’s so temporary. […] I like to play artists that I think would be excited to hear they got played on the radio. I think that’s really exciting and […] it’s something the show can do that the magazine can’t.” Sometimes though, this closeness is difficult to navigate. “[Discorder Radio] is paired really tightly with a publication, so it has to tie into [a] mandate […] the collective doesn’t determine. That’s kind of weird. I’m still figuring out what that means.”

Right now, the Discorder Radio Collective is still fledgling. Over the summer the show has been produced primarily by Dubber and longtime collective member Kat Kott. The collective is actively welcoming new members: “‘Collective’ is a funny word because no one’s in it [yet]. [Ideally], it would be like any other collective at the station where there are several members who produce content,” says Dubber.

Discorder Radio Collective and the weekly show is becoming a point of access to CiTR’s community. “It’s beyond the music,” explains Dubber, “It’s almost beyond the content being produced and just finding out what’s going on the city. It’s essentially a social portal on air.” Speaking to who can join: “Anybody. Literally, fucking anybody. […] [You can just] record yourself on your phone. […] The point of the show is to highlight and promote people in our community who do things that we appreciate. If it’s how you want to be highlighted and promoted, then talk about slime mold.”

Discorder Radio is an aural resource for showcasing local events and artists, and will only continue to expand with the introduction of new members. Listeners have an opportunity to experience in real time the shift of a show that wants to appreciate those that make Discorder content possible. Celebrate with us, and tune into to CiTR 101.9FM Tuesdays at 5PM, or stream at citr.ca.

 

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To get involved in the Discorder Radio Collective, email CiTR’s Volunteer Manager Eleanor Wearing at volunteer@citr.ca. You can also call in to the show Tuesdays between 5-6PM by dialing 604.822.2487.