Cleaning up Canadian Broadcasting

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 22, 7 December 1934, Page 10

Cleaning up Canadian Broadcasting

Forty-One Stations Switch Over to Non-Commercial Services

LS [XN the story printed on this page and written for the "Radio Record" by Raymond M. Bell, of State College, Pennsylvania, USA, the growth of Canadian broadcasting is traced. It is interesting to note that, for the first ten years, Canada followed the United States, and its programmes were purely commercial. Since the formation of the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission, however, the commercial serviccs have been curtailed and non-com-mercial programmes are broadcast every day from 41 stations. The United States is watching Canadian broadcasting closely for it is obvious that Americans are not wholly satisfied with broadcasting as it stands im the United States at present. The Canadian "clean-up" has brought the Dominion many American listeners.

with that in the United ‘States. CFOA in Toronto and.CKAC, CFCF, CHYC in Montreal were among the pioneer stations in Canada. ‘The first Dominion stations were licensed for 400, 410, 420, 430, 440, and 450 metres. All early calls contained two C’s, such as OFAC or OFCA. The first ten years of Candian radio were marked by commercial programmes. with advertising, just is in the States. The formation of the Candian Radio Broadcasting Commission (C.R.C.) brought a change. While commercial programmes are still permitted, the Commission now provides nightly from 7.30 to midnight noncommercial programmes oyer a nation-wide network of 41 stations. : oe, _There are at present 70 stations in Canada operating on 33 channels from 540 to 1510 kilocycles. Of the 93 channels used in North American broadcasting, Canada has eight clear ones and 25 shared ones. Seven transmitters use 5 kilowatts or more: GKY, Winnipeg, 960 ke. (15kw.) ; CYON, Calgary, 1030 (10kw.) ; CFRB, Toronto, 690 (10kw.) ; and. -CIXAC, Montreal, 730; CROM, Montreal, 910; CKLW, Windsor, 1030; CRCT, Toronto, 840, all using five kilowatts. The 70 stations are divided as follows: Ontario 22, British Columbia 11, Quebec 10, Alberta and Saskatchewan, each 7, Nova Scotia 4, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Hdward a broadcasting has developed simultaneously.

Island, each 3. The National Broadcasting Company (America) has two outlets in Canada: CFCF and CROT. The Golumbia Broadcasting System has three: OCKLW, CFRB, and CKAC. One of the difficulties of a national network in Canada is the size of the country. Sydney, Nova Scotia, and Vancouver, British Columbia, are 3000 miles and four hours apart. The area, of the Dominion of Canada is the same as that of the United States, but the population is less than that of metropolitan New York. The headquarters | of the Broadcasting Commission are in the National Research Building at Ottawa, the capital of Canada. The O.R.C. network is divided into eastern and western divisions. The western division is made up of two groups, mid-west and British Columbia. Nineteen of the 41 stations are basic:. The C.R.C. exchanges programmes with the B.B.C., N.B.C:, C.B.S., and a state network

in Michigan. ‘The Commission owns six Stations: CROCK, Quebec; CRCM, Montreal; CRCO, Ottawa; CRCS, Chicoutimi, Quebec; CROT, Toronto; and CRCY. Vancouver. A special French network carries occasional programmes for Quebec listeners. Most programmes originate in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, but pick-ups . are made from 22 other cities in eight provinces and three States. A typical evening’s network programme is given: 7.80: News and songs from Toronto. 8.00: Dance music from Ottawa. 8.15: Rugby interview from London, Ontario, 8.30: Band concert from New York, via N.B.C. 9.00: Concert of string music from Edmonton, Alberta. 9.80: Dramatic presentation from Toronto. 10.00: Dance music from Lethbridge, Alberta. 10.30: Melodic strings from Toronto (given to C.R.0. and O.B.S.). 11.00: Male quartet and orchestra from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. . 11.80: News and orchestra from Detroit. The O.R.C. has made steady development. Its chain programmes compare favourably with those offered in the United States, and are watched with interest in the States because they are non-commercial. The C.R.C. needs at present higher-powered stations. A chain of 50 kilowatt transmitters across the Dominion is planned, ;

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The pioneer short-wave station in Canada was CJRX, Winnipeg, which Was opened in 1928. CJRX and its sister station, CJRO, are now basie stations of the O.R.C °° There are 12 licensed short-wave stations in Canada. Not, all of these are on the air at present, but the list is:-VH9CA-CFON, Calgary, Alta., Okw.. . 6080, 11,860ke, VESCG-CFAC, Calgary, Alta., 0.05kw.. 6110ke, . VESCS-CKFC., Vancouver, B.C., 0.007 kw., 6070ke: , ° YESBJ-CFBO, St. John, N.B., 0.05kw.. 6090ke. , . YEQHX-CHNS., Halifax, N.S., 0.5kw.. 6110, 11,835ke. VE9BA-CRCO, Ottawa, Ont., 0.1kw.. 6130, 11,705, 15,190k.c.. VEIGW-CRCT, Toronto, Ont., 0.2kw.. 6095, 11,810ke. YE9EH-CFCY,: Charlottetown, P.B.1.. 0.25kw., 6080ke, VE9DN-CFCF, Drummondville, Que.. 6kw., 6005, 9555, 11,780, 15,180ke. VE9DR-CFCF, -Montreal, Que., 2kw.. 6005, 9580, 11,895ke. CJRO, Winnipeg, Man., 2kw., 6150kc. CJRX, Winnipeg, Man., 2kw., 11,720ke. There are eight television’ stations licensed in Canada to operate on 2050 or 2800 kilocycles. VE9EOC, Montreal, has been one of the pioneers in this branch of radio. .