The Winners Are.... (1949 version)

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This is Dick Diespecker's column in the Province, Dec. 31, 1949. Family Theatre is a show that aired on Mutual for a number of years. I gather it was transcribed.

cArtie.

Comes now time for us to make a few selections from the local field in radio. Of the three parts of this Year End Review, this is the most difficult. Anyway, here go the selections and let the chips fall where they may.
Best Commercial Announcer . . . Ross Mortimer of CJOR. As this column has indicated before, we think he is one of the top ten in Canada.
Best Newcomer . . . Peter Barker, also of CJOR, formerly of CJVI, Victoria.
Best Woman Commentator . . . Hilda Browne of CKWX. It was a close race between Miss Browne and Nina Anthony of CKMO, but I think Hilda has the edge. Her programs are always smooth and she has a very easy-to-Iisten-to voice.
Best Male Commentator . . . Sam Ross of CKWX. Ex-Canadian Press man and organizer of CKWX's news he received a Beaver Award in 1945. Mr. Ross [,] with his five-minute weekly commentary, is good. He is neither sensational nor politically biased, something which spoils so many commentators.
Best M.C. . . . Laurie Irving of CKWX. His work on Treasure Trail is smooth, fast and slick.
Best Nightime Disc Jockey . . . Vic Waters of CJOR. This young man's first claim to fame was the ability to copy wireless press news at 40 words a minute some ten years ago. Since then he has been a studio operator, served a hitch in the army, announced [,] done news and finally fell upon the listeners of this area with an evening DJ show that rocked them back in their seats. Cullen notwithstanding (and Cullen is good) I still pick Waters.
Best Daytime Disc Jockey . . . Reo Thompson of CKWX. His Off The Record show is one of the best on the air anywhere.
Best Sports Commentator . . . Ray Perrault. Smart lad, now in the advertising agency business.
Best Play-by-play Broadcaster . . . Duke McLeod of CKWX. Fast coming up behind him is Jim Cox of CKNW.
Best Classical Singer (feminine) . . . Betty Phillips. A lovely voice.
Best Classical Singer (male) . . . None.
Best Popular Vocalist (feminine) . . . Suzanne. She has never been known to turn in a bad performance.
Best Popular Vocalist (male) . . . Bobby Hughes.
Best Popular Pianist . . . Bud Henderson. Second only to Oscar Peterson in Canada.
Best Dance Band . . . Dal Richards.
Most Unrecognized Genius . . . Lawrence Wilson. A fine musician, a clever arranger, a magnificent composer and an inspired conductor, he has been shamefully neglected by the CBC and local stations.
Most Unselfish Artist . . . John Emerson. Here is an accomplished radio actor, a pianist, violinist and conductor who has given more time to benefit shows than any other artist in Vancouver. They don't come any better.
Best Drama Series . . . Vancouver Theatre. While this, strictly speaking, is a network show, it is the only live drama in Vancouver of any stature.
Best Drama Producer . . . Peter MacDonald.
Best Western Group . . .The Rhythm Pals . . . Mike, Mark, Jack and Pat of CKNW and the Burns Chuckwagon.
Best Children's Show . . . Ross Mortimer's Kiddies' Karnival on CJOR. In a walk.
Best Quiz Show . . . Treasure Trail on CKWX. smooth, indeed.
Best Handled Commercials . . . Jack Cullen's on Owl Prowl on CKNW. Very easy to listen to.
Worst Commercials . . . The two-voiced effort of a certain music house.
Smoothest Operated Station . . . CKWX. Always smart whether it's early in the morning or late at night. They never go on the assum[p]tion that "good enough" is good enough. Everything has to be the best, and that is the way it should be.
Friendliest Sounding Station . . . CJOR . . . principally because of the accent on personalities. The listener gets the feeling that he or she is part of a family.
Best Public Service Program . . . Remette Davis' Stairway to Stardom on CKWX. This is a series and a work that Mr. and Mrs. Davis may well be proud of . . . they are providing fine entertainment and giving material encouragement to young musicians in this province.
Most Consistent Performer . . . Dorwin Baird of CJOR. He may not do everything well ... but he can jump in and do anything from operating, announcing, acting, reporting, news editing and special events announcing to writing and producing a drama. He is alone in the field.
Best Actor . . . James Johnston ... a finished performer at all times.
Best Actress . . . Cathy Graham. (In private life Mrs. James Johnston). This makes them the most distinguished radio acting family in Vancouver.
Best Mid-evening Recorded Show . . . CKMO's Open House.
Best Showman of the lot . . . Billy Browne.
NEW YEAR'S EVE AND DAY CJOR will carry a rebroadcast of Prime Minister St. Laurent's New Year's address at 7 o'clock Saturday Night. As usual, there are a thousand special programs for the holiday season. You will find most of them in the regular listings. KIRO will carry the Rose Bowl and Orange Bowl games of New Year's Day, and tonight KIRO will usher in New Year's across the continent with big name bands starting at New Orleans and winding up at Hollywood and Vine. CJOR will broadcast the Holy Rosary Bells as usual at midnight. Donald Gordon, new president of the CNR, will deliver his first official speech tomorrow night, CBR at 7:30. CKWX inaugurates a new one-hour drama period from Hollywood tomorrow night at 6:30. It is M-G-M Theatre of the Air. The play will be Stranger In Town, starring Edward Arnold. Family Theatre moves back to 4:30.
At 8 o'clock CBR is carrying on hour-long documentary on events of the past year called The Shadow of the Bomb.
Most stations will remain on the air beyond midnight tonight.
A Happy New Year to you all.