The general manager of the Battlefords' three radio stations was the guest speaker last week before the Saskatchewan Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs luncheon in the Battlefords.
David Dekker addressed an audience of mostly young professionals at Venice House Friday, focusing his remarks mainly on the business of radio and the unique nature of the business.
Dekker is general manager of the Northwestern Radio Partnership, a partnership between the Dekker and Rawlinson families that goes back to a meeting in Blaine Lake in 1963 when a handshake agreement between E.A. Rawlinson and CJNB's manager, broadcaster Harry Dekker, formed a relationship that lasted the next several decades.
In the initial arrangement, Rawlinson bought the CJNB radio station from the local radio owners, and agreed to keep Dekker on. Eventually the Dekker family agreed to purchase a share of the operation, forming Northwestern Radio Partnership in partnership with the Rawlinsons in 1989.
The radio operation now includes the FM stations Q98 and 93.3 The Rock, which opened in the past decade, as well as CJNS in Meadow Lake.
During his meeting with the SYPE members, Dekker talked about the radio business, which he described as "intensely regulated business" with requirements for Canadian content and other stipulations. He also described the obstacles to getting a new station up and running, saying one cannot simply open up a new radio station like an ordinary business.
He talked about the CRTC's requirements for getting new stations up and running, which involve the filing of all sorts of financial information, bank statements and so on, to make sure the broadcasting operation is viable before the license is granted.
"The CRTC does not want to give a license to somebody in Saskatoon and have it go belly-up," Dekker said, citing the need for prospective owners to be financially solid and to have a good relationship with the CRTC.
Dekker fielded several questions from audience, including one asking about the benefits of networking for young professionals.
He spoke about the importance of networking and mentoring, and particularly praised SYPE for 小蓝视频 in existence.
"We had none of that," Dekker said of when he was starting out.
One of the ways he found to get himself known was to join the local Chamber of Commerce, where he served several terms. As well, he had the opportunity to join industry associations.
Attracting young people to the Battlefords was another item of interest to the audience. Dekker noted the vast array of talent that had their start in the Battlefords. Among the notable CJNB alumni include names such as John Gormley and Murray Wood, both at CKOM. Dekker said Gormley used to fill in for him on a one-hour talk show called Talkback.
Saskatchewan Liberal leader and SYPE member Ryan Bater asked Dekker what he does to bringing new young people to work at his stations in the Battlefords, many of whom were not from the area originally.
Dekker responded that he used to say, but can't anymore, was that this was "a very inexpensive place to live." The rise in rents, he said, has changed things.
He also would promote the proximity to Saskatoon and Edmonton as an advantage, as well as the fact that "we've grown so many terrific broadcasters through our operation."
"We provide opportunities for people to get actual broadcast experience," said Dekker.
He did admit, though, it is a challenge to sell young announcers on the nightlife in the Battlefords - or lack of it.
"The good thing about hiring a young single announcer is they really don't know the nightlife yet," joked Dekker.
Dekker acknowledged the difficulty young announcers find in meeting other 20-year olds in the community, but pointed to organizations like SYPE as a good way to meet other people and form relationships.
