Listen to Vancouver Co-op Radio, CFRO 100.5 FM

Community Radio Education Society (CRES) is a charity that gives support to Vancouver Co-op Radio through their Community Radio Education and Training program (CRET). Through CRET, CRES contracts Co-op Radio to do some of its charitable activities.

Our Mission

CRES strives to provide a learning space for under-represented and marginalized communities by teaching and thereby strengthening the voice of the voiceless.

Vancouver Co-op Radio strives to produce creative and engaging programming for communities whose voices are underrepresented in the mainstream media.

With your help, Co-op Radio provides access to community space, training and equipment for 300+ volunteers who produce 140 hours of original programming, in over 10 languages. We are a mosaic of 90 unique Radio Show collectives, supported in partnership by some of the most respected non-profit organizations in the province. Our beautiful Radio Station is a jewel in the heart of the city, and since 1975 we have celebrated the GVRD’s rich cultural diversity through our arts, music, and spoken word programming.

We strive to provide programming that does not discriminate against people on the grounds of sex, race, age, class, ability, sexual orientation, or anything else. Our first priority is to provide a media outlet for the economically, socially or politically disadvantaged. We provide news and perspectives that are not otherwise accessible – information that is not covered by the conventional media or perspectives that challenge mainstream media coverage.

Public Affairs

In our public affairs, we try to provide airtime to many groups who are frequently ignored by the conventional media. We aim to cover issues and events from the perspective of the social movements involved in addressing them.

Music

In music, our primary emphasis is on promoting exposure to locally-produced and performed music, whether it be live or recorded. We also focus on broadcasting music that is both entertaining and rarely heard elsewhere. Our music programmers put the music they play in context by providing information both about the performers and the genre. They are passionate about what they choose to play!

Arts

Our arts programming presents the work of local artists, especially those who are not yet established or who are dealing with contemporary social issues. Co-op Radio provides a forum for artists to showcase their work and to promote local shows and performances.

Third Languages

About 20% of our programming is broadcast in languages other than English or French. We give priority to people from language groups who have no access to media or who wish to provide a significant alternative to existing media outlets for that group.