That's a very popular name in these parts and it's also the attitude that a media veteran brings to Queens County in his quest for a radio station for this area.
"Why not a radio station for this area," says Alex J. Walling who has been in the radio, print, TV and now the internet business since the mid sixties.
Walling, who has spent most of the past 35 years in Halifax (with stops in Newfoundland and a year in Saskatchewan) moved to Queens County in the autumn of 2007 with the intention of starting a small, community oriented radio station for the Liverpool, Brooklyn, Milton and other areas in Queens County.
"We're talking about a small not-for-profit radio station that, from the center of Liverpool, would do a radius of 18 to 20 miles. And in time, would cover most of Queens County.”
So, why this area?
He believes Liverpool (and immediate) area is perfect for such a small venture. This area doesn't have a radio station. In fact the Liverpool/Milton/Brooklyn area doesn't even have a daily voice. A weekly paper, yes, but a daily means of hour to hour communication with the citizens, no.
Walling maintains that while we get signals from other places, such as Halifax and Bridgewater, they are not serving Queens County. The closest media coverage we have to a daily source is the Queens County Times," says Walling.
The radio station would be called Q.C.R. for Queens County Radio and will tentatively start at 99.3 on the dial some time this summer.
"I don't mind getting this project off and running on a temporary basis but the reaction and support will determine what happens after that," says Alex J.
Walling plans to start with a 28-days Special Events radio license in a few months and judge the reaction to the station. If favourable (and early indications indicate the support is there) then the Queens County Radio Society, a not-for-profit body, will be set up and a formal application will be made to the CRTC for a full time license.
These Special Events broadcast certificates as issued by Industry Canada allow a station to be on air for up to 28 days and usually center on a theme for the event such as Privateers Days, the major Music Festival, and other major events. Walling believes there are lots of events that can qualify for such certificates and points out to the Special Events licenses issued to the town Parrsboro and Eastern Passage over the years.
"We are starting from scratch and are looking at, and for, everything. Our major problem is the obvious and that is space. As a not-for-profit, we are looking for a space (preferably donated in return for advertising on the station) for now and when we get a full time license then we can commit to lease. But to operate for 28 days or several 28 day events and be down for other months before we return with another Special Events license, makes it hard to get and afford permanent quarters.
"We cannot afford to pay rent while we are not on air. But we don't need much space. A radio station these days could be two small rooms or a larger one. Gone are the days of record players, and huge reel-to-reel tape decks. A radio station could be two computers with all the music files on those computers."
Community Radio has accelerated in this country and especially in Atlantic Canada with centers such as Eastern Passage, and Glace Bay getting licenses. Glace Bay got theirs before Christmas. Parrsboro has had years of Special Events programming and Walling has just finished doing that application for the Parrsboro community radio group for a full time license. That application went out last week.
"Parrsboro is a great example of a group that started off very small, grew, got community support and will get a full-time license very soon," says Walling.
And support is important.
"We need all kinds of support to make this fly. We need volunteers, and radio experience is not necessary as we are prepared to train them. Volunteers are needed for everything, from on-air work, to handling reception duties, to people who know a few things about engineering. Parrsboro did it with a very small population (under two thousand); we have so many more people and a larger civic and business base to draw from. And of course when we get on air we need support of the business community by buying advertising."
What Kind Of Music Will Be Played? Musically speaking, the proposed radio station will cut a vast musical swath.
"Let's look at the age demographic of Queens County. It is an older demo and our music will reflect that. We're looking at a slogan of 'Sensational Songs of the Last 60 Years' or 'Fifty Years of Fabulous Favourites' which mean we start at the birth of rock and roll with Bill Haley in 1955 and go from there." Other than heavy metal, rap and hip hop, one will be able to hear just about everything. From Annette and Abba to Alanis and Avril; from the Bobby's (Vinton, Vee, Curtola, and Daren) to some songs from the Backstreet Boys and Braxton (Toni), it will be wide ranging."
QCR radio will have music from the early years and the pioneers of Rock ‘n’ Roll such as Chuck (Berry), Bo (Diddley) Elvis, the Platters, Connie (Francis) and Brenda Lee.
Music of the 60s will have the "B" groups such as the Beatles, Bee Gee's and Beach Boys, and so many others with the British Invasion.
The 70s will feature Elton, Billy Joel, Olivia Newton John, The Eagles and Chicago.
The 80s came across with the likes of Wham, Michael Jackson, Blondie, Phil Collins, Whitney Houston and others while the 90's would feature artists such as Mariah Carey, George Michael and Janet Jackson.
And of course Walling says there's always room in this area for country music, Hank Snow and Carol Baker.
Most radio stations have a play list of 400 to 500 songs that are repeated over and over again but this station would have one of the largest libraries in this country with thousands, and thousands of music selections. Walling who has been collecting music for years has more than 10,000 albums.
"My wife keeps threatening to get rid of them," he says. "But she's a knitter and has as many knitting books as I have records so it's a saw-off."
The station also plans several specialty shows such as big band (Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey, and Harry James) and barbershop programs, aired once a week, probably 30-60 minutes in duration and special weekends such as a "Beatles" weekend, an Elvis weekend, a 'one hit wonder' weekend, etc.
In fact QCR will deliver some of the top radio programs in radio over the past 30-years.
"We have several major special programs. One is the history of rock ‘n’ roll which starts at 1955 and goes till the late 70s. It took three years to produce and is one of the top shows I have ever heard. It's 50 hours long and can be played over a long weekend. The other is the 52-hour history of country music; again it has been acclaimed as the greatest country music documentary of all time. I can almost guarantee the listeners will get a treat from those programs," says Alex J.
Local, Local, And Local! But the name of the game is local and our definition of local is Queens County and the decisions federal, provincial and municipal that affect it. That's the commitment the media veteran makes with plenty of local news, local information and if possible a local (area) public affairs show.
"We hope to be the voice of Queens County and QCR will have our own morning show from 6:30 to 9 am along with other daytime shows. The morning show will be about the people in Liverpool, Brooklyn, Milton and neighbouring areas. It will be about our news, our sports events, our community functions, our kids, our school events and our people. If there's a choir or Christmas play going on at a school, we want to promote and be part of it," he says.
In fact QCR plans to have a 'newsmaker of the day' as part of their morning newscast which will be a 2 to 3 minute interview and that could be with a councilor or a student on an activity at his/her school or about any event affecting/happening in Queens County The station wants to recognize the people and events that take place in this area.
On Saturday morning, Walling would like to do the 'Great Queens County Garage Sale', where people can call in and talk about their flea market/ garage sale items going on. Ideally, the station would love to have a Community Cruiser and actually go out for a few hours and do a few cut in's (broadcast from locations).
Open Line Show For Queens County The station will have a one-hour open line/interview show several times a week on Friday and Monday mornings between 9 and 10 am giving the community access to the newsmakers and topics of the area.
"On Monday it will be a great way to discuss what happened in our area over the weekend and on Friday it will be a great opportunity to talk about the events that will take place across Queen's County," says Walling.
Guests could range from government officials to the heads of different groups in Queens County to the activities of the many community and service groups in this area.
"It could be a simple interview such as asking a photographer of the Queens County Times such as Holly McConnell who had two of her shots in this website (Holly Days and Fix the Frigin Road Rodney both in Sunday's QCT) in the last few days, on the story behind them," but it's the stories of the citizens of this area that we want to promote.
While this is the first official release for QCR radio, Walling has held meetings with a few area people in regards to this topic. He's had a good chat with Mayor John Leefe who was 'very supportive' and councilor Susan MacLeod.
According to Walling, MacLeod has a wealth of experience as the former general manager of Able Cable and has agreed to head the advisory committee once the station gets off the ground.
"She has a wealth of experience and is an accomplished broadcaster with years in management and was very pleased with the idea of a community station. In fact, in her time, Able Cable was the community voice for this area and she was a very big part of it. I'm delighted to have her head our advisory board," says Walling.
The community radio station hopes to become a big time supporter of East Coast music and give an opportunity for air play for anyone from this area. "There is a wealth of music talent in this area and it needs more exposure."
The station's next move is to procure equipment and find a home and recruit volunteers and find a way to raise funds.
"Somehow, some way, I will find some equipment to get us off the ground. I have a few media friends who support this type of community radio and will help and lend me equipment to start. After that, it will be up to the people in the area to decide whether we form the Queens County, not for profit, Radio Society and help us get a full time license. I believe every journey starts with a single step. The journey has begun," says Walling.
Walling has started several media businesses over his career. He came to Halifax in 1972 and other than the one year out West, he has been in Atlantic Canada.
In 1977 he put on a radio station in Fredericton. "Elvis died on a Wednesday and our station (CIHI) went on air on Friday. Needless to say our first weekend was a 'tribute to the King weekend".
His success in Fredericton took him to Newfoundland and he started his own radio station which he did in 1984.
He returned to Halifax in 1988 and started Atlantic Media Institute, a career college training people for a media career. At the same time, he was the first sports anchor for MITV and spent his weekends traveling across Canada for TSN.
A few years ago, he sold his media career college and retired.
"I got bored and decided to do a few more things," he told Queens County Times.
He wrote a book on the Brad Gushue rink winning the Gold Medal in curling that did very well and from his residence in Queens County, he still does media stuff such a filing daily comments for several stations across Atlantic Canada, writing a weekly column for the Halifax Daily News, or he did until the Daily News stopped. He's still writing for TSN.ca and putting out a monthly high school newspaper centered around Halifax.
"While that sounds busy it's all done from my computer and takes very little time. The comments take a few minutes each morning, a column takes a few hours and the high school paper is done over one weekend a month," he says.
For the past three summers, he has filled in for Rick Howe on the CJCH Hotline show.
Walling started in the media industry in 1965 when he was 17 as a newspaper reporter in Quebec City and quickly moved into radio. "When I started, the Stones had the #1 hit in Satisfaction. And it's still a monster hit today."
From there, he's been all over the place including managing a few stations and owning one in Newfoundland. He first came to the Maritimes in 1972 and worked for CHNS Halifax. Within two months of his arrival, he covered the Canada-Russia Summit Series in Moscow.
He has a connection to the area as his wife Kathleen (Kathy) was born in Liverpool and lived in Brooklyn for her first 17 years. Her dad (Edwin Davis) worked at Mersey Paper Company until he retired in the late 60s. Her mom, Margaret, 95, passed away in the fall of 2007. They lived on Markland Avenue in Brooklyn.
Walling met his wife when she worked in management at a Halifax radio station in the 70s. Kathy is related to well-known area resident Joyce (Gauthier) McLean who is married to Danny McLean.
Those who are interested in helping or inquiring about the proposed station can reach Alex J. (Walling) at 947-2066 or via email at: ajw@eastlink.ca
Alex J. Walling
Tremendous Reaction To Proposed Radio Station One of the first to jump forward offering to help Alex J. Walling make Queens County Radio a reality was Malcolm Charlton, who retired to Liverpool after decades with CBC and CTV. Since then, about 50 more persons, interested in being part of this exciting project, have contacted Alex J. more...
