LJI Journalist – CHLY FM

Location

Nanaimo, BC

CHLY 101.7FM is a campus‑community radio station of Nanaimo and Vancouver Island University (VIU) students. Beginning as a student club in 1994 and becoming a not‑for‑profit in 1997 as the Radio Malaspina Society, CHLY‑FM was approved for a broadcast license by the CRTC in 2001. The station operates in the Traditional Territory of the Snu’ney’muxw First Nation, broadcasting from Nanaimo to the broader Vancouver Island region.

CHLY has a small staff and over 60 volunteers, including community members and VIU students. It focuses on local stories, niche programming, and supporting Canadian artists and under‑represented voices. Programs are broadcast in three languages and can also be streamed online or accessed as podcasts.

The Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) program was launched by the Community Radio Fund of Canada and funded by the Government of Canada. It targets underserved local communities to increase community and civic news coverage. Our Nonprofit Newsroom Project builds a newsroom driven by public‑service journalism, funded by memberships, donations, grants, sponsorship, and advertising.

Our focus is on in‑depth reporting on local government, provincial impacts, the environment, housing, social justice, education, arts, culture, and general community news.

CHLY is seeking a motivated and dynamic reporter to work in the Nonprofit Newsroom covering local news in the Comox Valley and northern Oceanside area.

• Produce 4 news updates per week for distribution via broadcast, podcast, and the CRFC news service Frequency ().
• Work with a small team in a non‑profit broadcasting environment.
• Report on local issues in the Comox Valley and Salish Sea broadcast region from a civic and community journalism perspective.
• Create audio content for the station’s airwaves.
• Post stories to social media multiple times a week.
• Transcribe audio (via Descript or Otter) for use in updates.
• Provide additional journalism support as needed (research, writing, social media support, and assistance to fellow journalists).
• Attend weekly editorial meetings (30–60 minutes).

• Resident of the Comox Valley or Vancouver Island area.
• Degree or diploma in Journalism, Communications, Arts, or equivalent experience (minimum 5 years of journalistic/radio experience).
• Excellent radio, interview, and communication skills.
• Strong writing and research abilities; loves storytelling from pitch to publication.
• Great listener, speaker, and interviewer with strong people skills.
• Deadline‑driven with an eye for detail.
• Knowledge of community and regional concerns or news and a passion for local journalism.
• Strong teamwork and independent work skills.
• Audio production skills and understanding of the radio environment.
• Critical thinking, analytical abilities, and impartiality.
• Social media savvy for posting and research.
• Interest in new models of journalism like non‑profit newsrooms.

• Understanding of diversity, different perspectives, and sensitive/complex issues.
• Desire to report on a range of topics: city hall, courthouse, band council, affordable housing, employment, environmental concerns, mental health, poverty, Indigenous rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and more.
• Attend editorial meetings with station and LJI coordinators as needed.

This is a salaried position: $25.00 per hour at 40 hours per week.

Earliest anticipated start date:
April 1st, 2026.
Anticipated end date:
March 31st, 2027.

Pending renewal of LJI grant funding and newsroom growth, there is opportunity for contract extension.

Remote from the station in the Comox Valley with occasional visits to the studio and office in Nanaimo.

Final date to receive applications:
February 28th, 2026, by midnight.
Submit your resume, a cover letter detailing your interest in the role, and any relevant project work or experience to CC: .
Use the subject line:
CHLY Hiring Committee LJI – Comox Valley Reporter – [Your Name].

The Radio Malaspina Society (Operating CHLY 101.7FM) is an equal‑opportunity employer and values diversity in its workforce. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply, though further consideration will be made for those from the following groups: women, Indigenous peoples, and members of visible minorities.