Reen Cook is easily the most recognizable voice in the Seaway Valley. She’s been on the air at 97.3 CKON in Akwesasne since 1987. As a quick reference, the top song that year was “Walk Like An Egyptian” by the Bangles. Most likely, she played that cassette on her boom-box while riding the bus to high school.
When did you get your start in radio?
I had just turned 14. CKON was three years old, broadcasting from a cabin on Cornwall Island. A friend’s mom asked if we could volunteer on weekends to try it out. We would just giggle on the air. It was really cool to play our favorite songs. Our friends would call in requests. We always made the best mix tapes! Eventually, she went on to Cosmetology and I stuck with radio.
Why radio?
I always wanted to be a DJ since I was little. I loved music. I would be the one who played music at family parties. I would bring a boombox on the bus for our away games and pretend I was DJ-ing. Music touches you in so many different ways. I can make you laugh, it can make you cry. Make you think. Music means something different to everyone. I can’t sing, I can’t dance. I just hit the buttons. I know what goes with what.
Who does CKON serve?
We primarily serve Akwesasne and the Seaway Valley, and have about a 95-kilometre radius. People can listen online anywhere in the world. Listeners have tuned in from across Canada and the United States, as well as Cuba, China, Turkey, and parts of Africa.
What’s your typical day like?
I host the Get Up and Go Morning Show. I pick the music, gather and deliver local news, sports and weather while welcoming fellow on-air personalities Dalton, Owistha Woman, and Chantelle the Celebrity for their segments. The rest of my time is devoted to office duties as Station Manager. I also host our talk show, Tetewatha:ren (Let’s All Talk), Radio Bingo, and conduct live remote broadcasts.
We have to work to stay relevant. Content is important. You can make your playlists on Spotify or whatever but you won’t hear that there’s a bear on Cook Road!
What’s special about community radio?
There are people who don’t like classic country music but they listen because their parents or grandparents listen. It takes them back to a certain time or place and brings them memories. Sometimes you go into someone’s house, especially if they’re elders, and the radio is on all the time. It means something to me when CKON is on in their home.
What’s on your road trip playlist?
If it’s a long trip, I listen to Howard Stern. He is one of the best interviewers I’ve ever heard. If I’m by myself, that’s what I listen to. When I want to feel something, I put music on. I’ve made thousands of CDs and cassettes. I still have my original iPod with 10,000 songs on it. I won’t let that library go, even though I can play any song I want right now. That’s not any fun.
Friday sure are interesting on CKON. What’s that about?
Free Format Friday was created about 25 years ago. It was a day for listeners who didn’t like country music. It was supposed to feel like a party. So George Jones comes on, then AC/DC right after, then Cinderella. I pictured it like a bonfire. One of the lines I would use on the air was, “It’s like a jukebox without the quarters.” I love Free Format Friday.
Tell us about a career highlight.
One of our biggest moments was the Ice Storm of 1998. When community leaders came on the air, it seemed like no one believed them. The weather got worse day after day. The station became a two-way radio because we had phone lines on both sides of the border. When someone needed help, they’d call us and we’d call the police to send help. That was happening around the clock. We shared live updates about power outages from say, Barney Rourke’s to Bulldogs Hill. Just like that, because we can. You won’t hear that anywhere else. That’s what it’s all about.
After all these years, what’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
I’ve learned not to ask kids what their favorite radio station is while we’re live on the air! They don’t always say CKON.
You’re a fan favourite when it comes to radio bingo. What do you enjoy the most about it?
I enjoy calling bingo because of our elders. It’s a fun activity for them. They don’t have to leave their house or go to a smoky room to play. It usually connects them with someone else and turns Tuesday evening into a social event.
Finding your “radio voice” must be tough.
We have to be patient and remember that we all learned. I got a chance. They let me keep coming to work! We have to do that for others who are new to it and never think that we’re too good to have someone on the radio. We need to stay humble. That’s how you learn.
You’re universally loved by your community and non-indigenous listeners alike. What’s your secret?
I love what I do and I think CKON listeners and our bingo players can feel that. I try as hard as I can to promote our community and I think people appreciate that, too.
What’s the future of community radio?
We have to work to stay relevant. Content is important. You can make your playlists on Spotify or whatever but you won’t hear that there’s a bear on Cook Road! We need to always have something to provide, content-wise. That’s big for me. Today, radio is a business. CKON is a family member.
Listen to Reen live at 97.3FM and also on the CKON website.
Illustration by Jade Thompson.
