UMFM, U of M’s campus and community radio station, is bringing back its annual Pledge-O-Rama later this month after a four-year hiatus. 

Pledge-O-Rama is the annual funding drive for UMFM, where listeners can donate to support the station. 

Station manager Jared McKetiak said the radio station, on air since 1998, is a volunteer-run way for students to “express themselves either musically or through talk programming.” The station broadcasts all genres of music and talk shows, and gives opportunities to local bands and podcasters. 

Originally held in October, UMFM took a break from holding Pledge-O-Rama during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic. McKetiak said “it didn’t feel right to be asking members of the community for money when a lot of the folks in that community were struggling.” 

The decision to bring Pledge-O-Rama back this year was because “this year, it felt like a real return to normalcy,” McKetiak said, noting the drive for students to get involved on campus and the addition of over 30 new volunteers UMFM has trained this year. 

2024 also marks the 25th year of UMFM being on air, something McKetiak said is important to celebrate, particularly in a time where access to media is being blocked by Meta and “we can’t really reach out to people through [the social media] channels that we’ve come to rely on.”

“It’s important to celebrate milestones like that for independent broadcasters and independent media organizations,” he said. 

“It was also a really good indication to us that it was time to celebrate what it is that got us here, and that’s being on the radio, and doing what we do on the regular.” 

McKetiak said the fundraising goal for this year is $28,000, which is 15 per cent of the station’s operating budget. The goal of $28,000 is meant to help the station “rebuild and repair” from the hardship the pandemic left on the station.  

Pledge-O-Rama will begin on April 19 at 6:30 p.m. and end one week later on April 26 at 8 p.m. Donations can be made online at any time at umfm.com/donate, over the phone by calling (204) 474 – 6610 between 6 a.m. and 3 a.m. or in person at the UMFM office Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

Those who donate are eligible for UMFM merchandise, a tax receipt or entry into one of the special bonus draws which give donors the chance to win tickets to music festivals and programming throughout the province.