Hay River (Apr 07/03) - What are music fans to do if they just can't find the music they like on the radio?

In Hay River, it's simple -- they can become the deejay and select the music to play. That's because CKHR, the local community radio station, encourages listeners to volunteer and create their own shows.

Right now there are four deejays at the station, offering their own kind of music to the masses. One of them is Jerri Forsyth, who has been a CKHR deejay for nine years.

"I just love it," she says. "I never thought I'd be doing something like this." And she notes she had no radio experience when she began. Forsyth has two shows, both featuring contemporary Christian music. One is especially designed for children, with the music wrapped around a story. Another deejay is Laura Rose, who is probably best known in Hay River as the executive director of the Soup Kitchen.

On the radio, Rose also has two programs. One of her shows features gospel music and Bible readings. The other features the big band and swing music of the 1930s, '40s and '50s, she says. "That's been a real hoot." And for something completely different, another deejay offers up a selection of punk and alternative music.

As for station manager Willy Lake, he confesses to being a big fan of classic rock music. Kansas' Dust in the Wind is playing in the background as he speaks.

Anyone can spin discs

Lake says anyone can apply to the board of directors to become a deejay. "We very rarely reject anyone."

However, he says the board wants the music to be light and entertaining. One of the rules is no obscenities or really off-the-wall music, Lake explains. "It has to be in the bounds of common decency." Other than that, there are many musical styles that would be welcomed - country, blues, jazz and classical.

"People say we've got to play more country," Lake notes. "So I say, come on down and play it." The station has several thousand long-playing discs and over a thousand CDs for a person to choose from. A deejay can either play one song at a time or record a set into a computer program that can play for hours on end.

Lake says the interest in being a deejay has gradually waned since the station first opened 24 years ago. "I guess at that time you had to wait to get a show."

CKHR - it has a small studio in the Mackenzie Place highrise - can be found at 107.3 FM. Its 32-watt transmitter broadcasts the signal as far as Enterprise.