| Type | Radio networkPublic broadcasting |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Availability | National through owned and operated stations and affiliates |
| Owner | Government of Canada |
Key people | Hector Charlesworth (Chairman), Thomas Maher (Commissioner), W. Arthur Steel (Commissioner), Ernie Bushnell (Program Director) |
Launch date | 1932; 93 years ago (1932) |
| Dissolved | 1936; 89 years ago (1936), assets transferred toCanadian Broadcasting Corporation |
TheCanadian Radio Broadcasting Commission (CRBC/CCR;French:Commission canadienne de radiodiffusion), also referred to as theCanadian Radio Commission (CRC),[1] was Canada's firstpublic broadcaster and the immediate precursor to theCanadian Broadcasting Corporation.
The CRBC was established in 1932 by the government ofR.B. Bennett based on the recommendations of the 1929Royal Commission on Radio Broadcasting and as a result of the lobbying efforts of theCanadian Radio League. The network was created on May 26, 1932 and existed until November 2, 1936 when it was reorganized as aCrown corporation becoming theCanadian Broadcasting Corporation.[2] Daily national broadcasting began in May 1933 with an hour's programming a day which was increased over time.[3]
At its creation,Prime Minister Bennett spoke of the need for public control of radio saying:
The three-man commission had a mandate to regulate, control all broadcasting in Canada as well as to create and transmit its own programming and to lease, purchase or construct stations for its dissemination.[5] Its ability to carry out its mandate was severely restricted by the financial constraints of theGreat Depression and it was forced to rely on private stations to carry its programs to much of the country.[6]
Bennett namedHector Charlesworth, editor ofSaturday Night magazine, as chairman of the CRBC. The other members of the Commission were Thomas Maher, an unsuccessful Quebec Conservative candidate in1930 federal election[7] and director of a private radio station inQuebec City andLieutenant ColonelWilliam Arthur Steel (1890–1968)[2] former Chief Radio Officer with theCanadian Corps duringWorld War I.
In addition to being a creator of programming and a broadcaster, the CRBC was responsible under theCanadian Radio Broadcasting Act for regulating and controlling all broadcasting in Canada, including privately owned radio stations that did not carry CRBC programming. The CRBC's regulatory responsibilities included determining the number, location and transmitting power of radio stations as well as the amount of time spent carrying local and national programming.[8]
The CRBC acquired radio stations inOttawa,Vancouver andMoncton from theCNR Radio network for $50,000 as well as CNR Radio studios in various other cities and leased or established additional stations inMontreal,Chicoutimi,Quebec City,Toronto andWindsor. The stations had been created in the 1920s byCanadian National Railways to provide broadcasting for railway passengers but were also heard by the general public and functioned, along with up two dozen stations across the country on which CNR Radio leased time, as an early national radio network. The CRBC also hired private stations across the country to carry at least three hours a day of CRBC programming. These affiliates were known as "basic stations".[2] CRBC-owned or leased stations had the prefix "CRC" in their call-letters.
E. Austin Weir, formerly of the CNR radio network, became the CRBC's program director. He was terminated, however, for not providing enough programming. Weir was replaced byErnie Bushnell who became director of CRBC programming in Ontario and Western Canada andArthur Dupont who was responsible for Quebec and the Maritimes.[2]
Network programming included orchestral music, liveMetropolitan Opera radio broadcasts fromNBC andNew York Philharmonic Orchestra broadcasts fromCBS, dramatized informational programs such asThe Youngbloods of Beaver Bend which serialized life on a western Canadian farm.[2] One of the best known national drama series wasRadio Theatre Guild produced in Montreal by Rupert Caplan.[9] Under program directorErnie Bushnell, CRBC increased the number of weekly English language series being broadcast over the network to 17 by the time of the network's demise.[9]
Another CRBC program, one which originated on the CNR's network in 1931, wasHockey Night in Canada under the namesSaturday Night Hockey,General Motors Hockey Broadcast and then, starting in 1934,The Imperial Oil Hockey Broadcast.[10] Other programming including fare such asBible Dramas from CRCM Montreal,Canadian Press News - a 15-minute nightly newscast from CRCT Toronto presented byCharles Jennings (the father ofPeter Jennings),Western Radio Players a weekly dramatic half-hour from CKY. Winnipeg[11]
The Northern Messenger, a weekly program originating from Toronto late Saturday nights but aimed at Canadians living in thefar north including personal messages to RCMP officers, missionaries, trappers and others from family and friends,[2] began in December 1933. The show was made up of listener letters, important messages from family and friends in other parts of the country, news and recorded music, and would run from November to May on CRBC's stations as well as several Canadian shortwave stations. During its first season, the program relayed 1,745 messages; a figure that increased sixfold within four years. The program would be continued by the CBC into the 1970s.[12][13][14][15]
CRBC's national radio coverage of the1935 federal election was the first time Canadian election results were broadcast nationwide.[2]
All programs were live as there were no recording facilities. The network had six stations of its own and relied largely on private affiliates to provide studios, equipment and staff.[11]
In April 1936, CRBC provided round the clock coverage of theMoose River Mine Disaster inNova Scotia with announcerJ. Frank Willis broadcasting live reports from the mine head every half hour for five days as rescue crews attempted to recover the lost miners. The reports were broadcast throughout Canada as well as to 650 stations in the United States and theBBC.[2]
In July 1936, the network broadcast live coverage from France of the unveiling by KingEdward VIII of theCanadian National Vimy Memorial, which was relayed across the ocean byshortwave radio.[16]
The CRBC turned to radio advertising in order to make up a shortfall between government grants and the amount of money needed to run the network.[2]
The network was criticized by theCanadian Radio League for having poor programming while theLiberal Party opposition accused the network of being biased towards the governing Conservatives.[2]
During the election campaign, the CRBC broadcast a series of 15 minutes soap operas calledMr. Sage which were critical ofOpposition leaderWilliam Lyon Mackenzie King and the Liberal Party. Decried as political propaganda, the incident was one factor in King's decision to replace the CRBC with a new entity when the Liberals took office following the election.[2]
New legislation was introduced creating the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as acrown corporation with anarm's length relationship with the government. The management of the CRBC, including Charlesworth, were dismissed and the new CBC was launched on November 2, 1936 with a new management team.[2]
At its demise, the CRBC was made up of eight networkowned-and-operated stations and 14 privately ownednetwork affiliates.[8]
The CRBC's regulatory powers were largely transferred to the CBC while the role of licensing stations and allocatingwavelengths was assumed by the newly createdDepartment of Transport.[2] In 1958, theBoard of Broadcast Governors assumed responsibilities for regulating public and private broadcasters from the CBC and the Department of Transport and in 1968, with the adoption of theBroadcasting Act, regulation became the responsibility of theCanadian Radio-television Commission (CRTC).[8]
All but the Moncton station later becameCBC Radio orRadio Canada stations.
The CRBC also leased and operatedshortwave radio stationCRCX (formerly VE9GW) inBowmanville, Ontario, broadcasting on 6095 kHz.[20] The station was leased fromGooderham & Worts with Toronto station CRCT (formerly CKGW), which transmitted from the same Bowmanville site. CBC bought CRCX and CRCT from Gooderham & Worts in 1937, after leasing them for a year, but would close the shortwave station in 1938.[21][22][23][24][25]
With the exception of CKY (nowCBW, unrelated to today'sCKY-FM), the remaining affiliates are no longer connected the CBC.
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