Music

Calgary radio station plans to literally burn $15,000

by Mark Teo

Well, this is stupid.

Now, we know that radio stations aren’t exactly known for uh, classy publicity stunts. But Calgary station AMP Radio are attempting to pull off one of the dumbest, thirstiest contests in history: They’re attempting to burn $15,000. And they’ve burned $5,000 of it already.

Let’s rewind, here: last week, AMP radio launched a contest called Bank It Or Burn It for $15,000. Listeners had a chance to vote whether to bank the cash—with the option of the cash going to one lucky listener—or to incinerate the guap. Ever the nihilists, listeners voted to get rid of the cash: As the National Post notes, on March 21, 54 per cent of voters voted to burn it.

Bound by their own legal terms and conditions—we assume, at least—the station went ahead and burned $5,000 of the cash. “If you want to know how it feels to be in a cartel,” says co-host Ryan Lindsay, “this is it right here.”

Then, they toss the money into a crematorium sponsored by Pet Heaven. (Way to advertise, guys.)

Naturally, there was a ton of blowback on social media. Many suggested—and rightfully—that the station was wasting the money, and that the funds could’ve gone to any number of Calgary-area charities. Others, meanwhile, believed that it violated the criminal code of Canada, which prohibits the destruction of coin currency. Paper money, Wikipedia notes, is fair game.

Co-host Katie Summers undoubtedly heard of lot of the criticism. She suggested that the stunt sparked a conversation—and that many should “get off their soapboxes” and donate to charities. It’s a faulty argument; actually donating money to charities far outweighs having a conversation on it.

And really, the station had an opportunity to do so. Instead, they burned the cash.

While $5,000 has already been burned, the station is holding yet another contest—to burn the remaining $10,000. The station, for their part, hasn’t swayed from their initial contest rules, meaning that they’re having listeners vote on the outcome of the cash.

Calgarians, for their part, aren’t happy about the process.

“Being in the public eye and representing our city; I believe you have social responsibility to present yourself and your company at the highest standards,” commenter Michelle Rae wrote on the radio station’s wall. “Burning money when so many in this city struggle is a slap in the face to ALL Calgarians. Then to add insult to injury, you essentially threaten Calgarians and place the responsibility of this idiotic act by telling us we must vote or $10,000 will be burned next.”

Others, meanwhile, noted that the act was disrespectful—especially after the city had to rebuild itself after last summer’s flood.

“Was never a listener and never will be after reading of this disgusting act. I thought it must have been a joke considering the people that could have benefited from the money,” Facebook user Jason Bates also wrote. “Flood victims, food bank, group homes etc. Very sad to see and then to hear Katie Summers defended it and tried to say, “Maybe this sparked a conversation we needed to have” it has been a conversation that has happened many times before.”

Both hosts, meanwhile, expressed that they couldn’t believe that people were voting to burn the money. But it didn’t stop them from going ahead with the money—and testing out how money burns in the video below.

So, what do you think: Is this sheer stupidity on the station’s part? Or does part of the blame fall on Calgary-area voters, who nominated that the cash prize be incinerated?