by Cheryl Leschasin
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 04/97) - From Tulita to Sanikiluaq, local radio stations are an integral part of daily life for people living in small Northern communities.

"Everybody in town listens to it," said Isaac Aqqaq of the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation signal in Taloyoak.

IBC Taloyoak, like many other Northern radio stations, operates only a few hours a day, usually over lunch and in the early evening, when residents are most likely near a receiver. Many stations do not operate at all over the weekend.

And programming for small radio stations is as individual as the community.

"We play anything except heavy metal," said Aqqaq. The usual programming consists of community news, Inuktitut music, light rock and some country and western.

At the Issatikpaluk Radio Society in Whale Cove, it's up to the disc jockey on duty to decide which music will be played. "We have three announcers and the music they play is up to them," said Jimmy Qiyuk, executive director.

Programming at Issatikpaluk Radio Society also includes birthday and anniversary greetings, community news, Inuktitut music and a bit of country mixed in during the evenings.

Issatikpaluk also brings in guest speakers from time to time.

Besides being a great source of entertainment, small radio stations also play a role both unique and vital to the North. They act as an information link in the case of emergencies, such as when someone is reported missing out on the land.

"We keep the radio on 24 hours a day if someone is lost," said Qiyuk. "Everyone is waiting for news about the person."

Qiyuk said almost everyone in the community of 300 keeps their radio on all the time, making it the fastest way to pass information around.

The same goes for Taloyoak residents, and likely anyone else living within range of a community radio station.

Another special kind of radio service found in the North is the Community Aerodrome Radio Station.

"We provide airport service, take-off and landing information as well as hourly weather updates for Environment Canada, said Bob McLean, a CARS employee in Sanikiluaq.

CARS is used in places too small to have a 24-hour airport service. There are seven in the Northwest Territories.