CBC Radio hit the road last week when its morning show, Daybreak South from Kelowna, hosted three live broadcasts in the East Kootenay, including one from The Invermere Bakery.
The local broadcast happened on Thursday, March 12th. Producers arranged to have many of the valley’s top-of-mind subjects discussed, from the controversy surrounding Jumbo Glacier Resort to the successes of local entrepreneurs.
“The idea of speaking to a broad media like CBC that has a broad reach in order to get some fair and correct information out is an opportunity you always want to take,” said Grant Costello, senior vice president of Jumbo Glacier Resort.
Host Chris Walker questioned Costello on the financial, legal, and engineering obligations required to make the project happen. The following day, Costello’s comments were used in a CBC article online titled, “Jumbo Glacier Resort faces funding uncertainties.”
Costello feels as though the article poorly reflects the information he shared with Walker, claiming that CBC is not interested in economic development and has always taken a negative approach towards the development of Jumbo Glacier Resort.
“They consistently ask the same five questions from what I call the Wildsight playbook,” he said.
Amid the low oil prices and relatively low Canadian dollar, Invermere mayor Gerry Taft and Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce executive director Susan Clovechok were asked about how the valley is maintaining its tourism-driven economy.
“Generally the outlook is cautiously optimistic,” Taft said. “Theoretically, a lower price at the pump and stronger U.S. dollar, people might be taking trips closer to home, and it’s becoming easier for Americans to travel north.”
With its combination of guests and topics, Taft said CBC addressed a good cross-section of the community.
District of Invermere event co-ordinator Theresa Wood was invited to make a plug for the Invermere Coffee Fest, which will be held for its second year between March 25th and 29th.
“(The Invermere Coffee Fest was) able to reach a wider audience,” said Wood. “Daybreak is listened to over a very wide region, an audience we wouldn’t have had normally. I think it went great, it was very fast and over before I knew it.”
Also featured was local brewmaster Shawn Tegart, who spoke about the growing success of the Arrowhead Brewing Company.
“It was great; an honour to be on the show, and asked to be involved,” he said.
Another one of the valley’s entrepreneurial claims to fame is Kootenay Bayou Hot Sauce whose founder Dale Hunt was also asked to be a part of the live Invermere broadcast. Over the past month, Hunt and his hot sauce have been featured on Shaw Cable, and were then discovered by Global Television, which broadcasted another segment on Kootenay Bayou.
Hunt said that Daybreak host Chris Walker was outgoing and offered gentle conversation.
“It was nice to be part of it,” he said. “It really gave us a lot of exposure.”
Other locals interviewed on the show included artist Chloe Marson, Invermere Bakery owner Peter Banga, baker Andi Schoni, Valley Echo/Pioneer editor Nicole Trigg, and the entire cast of The Visionary and The Ghost of Pynelogs, which performed the operetta’s opening song.
During its East Kootenay road trip, the team from Daybreak South also broadcast from Cranbrook and Revelstoke, and made stops in Kimberley and Brisco. A video of their travels along Highway 95 was shared on the Daybreak South Facebook page.