Jazz.FM91, Toronto, ON

Providing youth programs and partnering with educational institutions, JAZZ.FM91 gives opportunities for thousands of promising young students and emerging artists to gain experience in music and broadcasting through workshops, internships, scholarships, and jazz-related content and programs. Jazzology, the Jazz 4 Kids concert series, the JAZZ.FM91 Youth Big Band, and The Canadian Jazz Archive Online (www.canadianjazzarchive.org) are some of the JAZZ.FM91 programs and resources available to youth interested in expanding their knowledge of jazz. The station began life more than 60 years ago as CJRT-FM, Ryerson's university radio station, broadcasting an eclectic mix of educational programming, classics and jazz. Then in 1996, it was transformed when the Ontario Government reduced its annual operating stipend from $1, 300, 000 to zero, leaving the radio station to find its niche in one of North America's most crowded radio marketplaces.