Dutch Hour starts on Ottawa’s new CHIN radio station

Channel created by government

OTTAWA, Ontario - Dutch programming has been included in the set-up of new radio station CHIN Ottawa, the Canadian Heritage Information Net-work. Produced and presented by Lia Weiland, the Dutch hour can be heard on Sundays between 2 pm and 3 pm local time.

The radio station is part of the CHIN agency created in 1972 by the Department of Canadian Heritage. CHIN’s mission is “to broker effective access to Canadian and international heritage information for public education and enjoyment and for the collective benefit of Canadian museums.” More than 700 Canadian museums had joined in the collaborative effort - the Virtual Museum of Canada - to develop content for on-line audiences.

Weiland’s first program - aired on October 26 - on CHIN was taped elsewhere, because the studio at the time still was under construction. When work on the studios is fully completed, the Dutch program (and many others) will air live. Weiland already has a number of guests lined up to help enhance the weekly transmission. CHIN’s radio frequency is at 97.9 FM. The slogan used is Niemand houdt ons Nederlands tegen: zet hem vast op 97.9.

Weiland, a former director of the Ontario Folk Arts Multicultural Council, for years has been a familiar figure at Dutch events in and around Ottawa.