CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine is a non-profit UBC campus and community radio station and music magazine in Vancouver, broadcasting 100+ local programs on FM, online, and as podcasts, and publishing Discorder six times per year across the Lower Mainland.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1937
- HeadquartersVancouver, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine does
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine is a non-profit campus and community media organization operated by the Student Radio Society of the University of British Columbia, broadcasting from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 1937 as UBC Radio, the station delivers 100+ locally-focused radio programs in multiple languages via FM at 101.9 MHz, online streaming through citr.ca, and on-demand podcasts. Alongside the radio broadcast, the organization publishes Discorder Magazine, a print and digital arts, culture, and music publication released six times per year and distributed across Vancouver and the Lower Mainland via subscription and a network of 30+ local business drop spots. The station is the longest-running campus radio station in Canada and was among the first campus/community stations globally to offer podcasting when it launched podcasts in 2007.
The underlying technology stack centers on a terrestrial FM broadcasting infrastructure — with its signal processor and transmitter replaced in 2024 to materially expand signal quality and reach — paired with online live streaming, a podcast syndication pipeline, and a content management system serving the merged CiTR/Discorder web presence (latest version launched in 2025). Discorder Magazine maintains a digital archive of 400+ issues dating to 1983, preserved and made publicly accessible through the UBC Library open archive, creating a substantial historical content library. Live in-studio band performances are produced through the Thunderbird Radio Hell program, and a weekly Top 50 Albums chart surfaces Canadian and local artists.
Revenue is generated through a hybrid non-profit model combining listener donations (collected via donatetocitr.ca), Discorder Magazine subscriptions ($20/year for the physical edition, free for digital with a monthly newsletter), and local advertising and sponsorship sales led by a dedicated sponsorship contact. The organization operates with a paid staff of 46 personnel supplemented by student executives, a board of directors, and a large volunteer programming force drawn primarily from the UBC student body and broader Vancouver community. Content distribution spans FM broadcast across the Lower Mainland, global online streaming and podcast syndication, mail and digital subscriptions, and physical drop spots at local businesses in the Kits, Main, Chinatown, Commercial, and Hastings neighborhoods.
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine
- Legal name
- CiTR & Discorder
- Website
- https://citr.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1937
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine is a non-profit UBC campus and community radio station and music magazine in Vancouver, broadcasting 100+ local programs on FM, online, and as podcasts, and publishing Discorder six times per year across the Lower Mainland.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Radio Broadcasting and Arts Magazine
- NAICS
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110)
- SIC
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- University/Educational Local Stations (College Radio, Campus TV) (MPABACAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Talk/News/Sports Radio Networks & Syndication (MPAIAEAG), Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE)
Keywords
Where CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: Accepts donations through donatetocitr.ca. Annual fund drives support station operations.
- Discorder Magazine Subscriptions: Digital subscriptions are free; physical subscriptions are $20/year. Physical copies also available at drop spots across Vancouver.
- Advertising and Sponsorship: Coraline Thomas serves as Advertising & Sponsorship contact, generating revenue through local business partnerships.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Digital subscription - Free |
| Subscription | Annual | Physical subscription - $20/year |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine operate as a unified non-profit campus and community media organization broadcasting at 101.9 FM with over 100 locally-focused programs in multiple languages, available via FM, online streaming, and podcasts. Discorder Magazine is a print and digital arts, culture, and music publication released six times per year and distributed across Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, with web-exclusive content and a digital archive of 400+ issues since 1983.
Product overview
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine are operated by the Student Radio Society of UBC as a unified campus and community media organization. The offering consists of CiTR 101.9 FM (the core radio broadcast at 101.9 FM with 100+ locally-focused programs streamed online and as podcasts), Discorder Magazine (a print and digital publication released 6 times yearly covering local arts, culture, and music, distributed across Vancouver), Thunderbird Radio Hell (live in-studio band performances), and Music Charts (Top 50 Albums ranking local and Canadian music). The organization provides media training and community access to airwaves, with programs in multiple languages.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CiTR 101.9 FM Radio Broadcast CiTR 101.9 FM is the campus and community radio station of the University of British Columbia, broadcasting at 101.9 FM with over 100 locally-focused programs in multiple languages, available via FM, online streaming at citr.ca, and as podcasts. Programming is targeted at UBC students and Vancouver residents seeking alternative, locally-produced content.
- Discorder Magazine Discorder Magazine is a print and digital arts, culture, and music publication released six times per year and distributed across Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, with web-exclusive content published throughout the month. The magazine targets readers interested in independent music, local arts coverage, and emerging Vancouver artists.
- Thunderbird Radio Hell (Live In-Studio Performance Program) Thunderbird Radio Hell is a live in-studio music performance program featuring bands performing in the CiTR lounge, primarily from the Lower Mainland but occasionally from across Canada and internationally. It is targeted at local musicians and listeners interested in live, independent music recordings.
- Music Charts (Top 50 Albums) Weekly charts ranking the top 50 albums, featuring Canadian and local artists, published to highlight emerging and local music. The charts are targeted at listeners, musicians, and music industry followers tracking independent and Canadian music.
- Summer Radio Camp Summer Radio Camp is a media training and community engagement program first organized in 2015, targeted at participants interested in learning radio production, sound engineering, and broadcasting skills. It is offered as part of CiTR's community-driven engagement model.
- Shindig Battle-of-the-Bands Competition Shindig is CiTR's signature battle-of-the-bands competition, running since 1983. It is targeted at local Vancouver bands and musicians seeking exposure, performance opportunities, and promotion through community radio and Discorder Magazine coverage.
Companies that use CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- The Student Radio Society of UBCcoreThe Student Radio Society of UBC is the governing organization that runs CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine. The society provides the institutional framework, bylaws, and governance for the station, which serves as the broadcasting voice of the University of British Columbia.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CJLO 1690 AM (Concordia University): Concordia University campus/community radio station in Montreal. Direct peer with similar volunteer-led programming model, focus on independent music and alternative voices, and community-engagement orientation.
- CFRO 100.5 FM Vancouver Co-op Radio: Vancouver-based community radio station operating as a co-operative. Most direct geographic peer to CiTR, sharing the community/membership-driven non-profit radio model and serving overlapping Vancouver audiences with locally-produced programming.
- CHUO 89.1 FM (University of Ottawa): University of Ottawa campus/community radio station. Direct peer operating with a similar volunteer-driven model, multilingual programming mandate, and combined broadcast/podcast distribution strategy.
- CJTR 91.3 FM (University of Regina): University of Regina campus/community radio station. Direct peer with analogous volunteer-driven, non-profit campus radio model and locally-focused programming.
- CJAM 99.1 FM (University of Windsor): University of Windsor campus/community radio station. Direct peer with analogous non-profit model, volunteer programming, and locally-focused music and talk programming — comparable in scale and mission to CiTR.
- CKUT 90.3 FM (McGill University): McGill University campus/community radio station in Montreal. One of Canada's most established campus stations with a similar non-profit, volunteer-driven mandate, multi-format programming in multiple languages, and active music scene coverage.
Regional players
- CJSF 90.1 FM (Simon Fraser University): Simon Fraser University campus/community radio station based in Burnaby, part of metro Vancouver. Closest geographic peer to CiTR, operating on a similar campus-community mission with overlapping Lower Mainland audience and UBC-area student population.
- CIVL 101.7 FM (University of the Fraser Valley): University of the Fraser Valley campus/community radio station serving the Fraser Valley region adjacent to Vancouver. Regional peer operating the same campus-community radio model with comparable programming mix and operational scale.
- KEXP 90.3 FM (Seattle): Seattle-based non-profit community radio station with strong focus on independent and local music, plus globally distributed streaming and podcasts. Closest US regional peer reflecting CiTR's community radio + music discovery mission across the Pacific Northwest.
Broad incumbents
- CBC Radio One: Canada's public broadcaster with extensive radio operations including local BC programming. Broad incumbent offering overlapping audio content distribution and news programming at national scale, but operating a different mandate and funding model than CiTR.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine social profiles
Digital presenceCiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles23 records
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine
What does CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine do?
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine operate as a unified non-profit campus and community media organization broadcasting at 101.9 FM with over 100 locally-focused programs in multiple languages, available via FM, online streaming, and podcasts. Discorder Magazine is a print and digital arts, culture, and music publication released six times per year and distributed across Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, with web-exclusive content and a digital archive of 400+ issues since 1983.
Is CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine a public or private company?
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine founded?
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine was founded in 1937. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine based?
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
How does CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are discorder Magazine Subscriptions and advertising and Sponsorship.
Who are CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CJLO 1690 AM (Concordia University), CFRO 100.5 FM Vancouver Co-op Radio, CHUO 89.1 FM (University of Ottawa), CJTR 91.3 FM (University of Regina), CJAM 99.1 FM (University of Windsor) and CKUT 90.3 FM (McGill University). Regional players are CJSF 90.1 FM (Simon Fraser University), CIVL 101.7 FM (University of the Fraser Valley) and KEXP 90.3 FM (Seattle). CBC Radio One is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine have an API?
No public API is recorded for CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine.
What industry is CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine in?
CiTR 101.9 FM and Discorder Magazine's product category is Community Radio Broadcasting and Arts Magazine. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABACAH, University/Educational Local Stations (College Radio, Campus TV), with a secondary code of MPAIAEAG, Talk/News/Sports Radio Networks & Syndication. Its NAICS code is 516110 and its SIC code is 4832.