SP0110: CKUT's "Under the Weather"

The concept of climate change is an ever-increasingly important and controversial topic, reported on in many different ways by the popular media. Often politicians, scientists and vested corporate interests argue over its definition and impacts. McGill’s student-run radio station, CKUT (90.3 FM), also has its own climate change program called “Under the Weather”.

“Under the Weather: Climate Change Research and Justice” is a monthly radio broadcast lecture series program, which discusses the causes and impacts of climate change. It features present and former members of the McGill community who are environmental specialists and climate justice actors. Each semester of the 2013-2014 school year had four events: three speakers and one roundtable. These events were broadcast during CKUT’s syndicated progressive lecture show ‘Grey Matters,’ which has a large listener base.

The broadcasts from this year-long series will be packaged together and distributed to independent media outlets. Through distribution, the team hopes to bring together the best minds at McGill and in Canada and bridge the gap between academia and the community with these broadcasts.

Resources from the SPF will be used to pay for the featured speakers (including honorariums and travel expenses), space rental in Leacock, live broadcasting equipment, promotional materials and hospitality.

CKUT believes that it is an essential part of any sustainability project on campus to be aware of the largest environmental and consequently social danger in our midst. They are confident that through distribution on the internet and other partnered media outlets, they will reach a listenership of hundreds of thousands.