Early Victoria Radio

A look back at various radio stations

Postby Victoriaradio » Sun Aug 20, 2006 9:26 pm

Doug Taylor is in the front left, I think.
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Postby Victoriaradio » Thu Aug 31, 2006 3:56 pm

I remember Norm Bergquist as the Chief Engineer at CKDA in the basement of the Hotel Douglas.......a quiet effective person who would come quietly into the control room flip a switch and leave.
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Postby Victoriaradio » Wed Sep 13, 2006 5:24 pm

One of the great personalities and voices of early CKDA was Norm Pringle. He still has his own radio station at:


www.cybercloud.com

Norm has written songs; interviewed Elvis; discovered Tommy Hunter; worked at Warner Bros. He has not lost his basic humanity..........and his love for the microphone.
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Postby Victoriaradio » Wed Sep 27, 2006 9:05 am

Well, let's see if any early CKDA listeners out there remember Tom (Tippy O'Neil). Tippy came to CKDA in the mid to late 50's He was instantly a major ratings getter for the station. He was an Irishman who had a great gift of the Irish gab and a good radio voice. He hosted a daily show called Tippy's Scrapbook. He also hosted a Saturday night feature called ,"The Island Barn Dance" which was a simulated jigging and reeling gathering in a fictitious radio barn. Tippy O'Neil also co-hosted Housewives Holiday from the McDonalds furniture store every morning at 9:30 with Gordon Reid, the station's manager. Tom O' Neil was with CKDA for many years and filled various time slots, especially where a ratings boost was needed. I don't know what happened to him after he left CKDA....do you?
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Postby radiofan » Wed Sep 27, 2006 10:15 am

I'm not sure if it was his next stop, but there was a Tippy O'Neil at CJJC in Langley in the late 60's - early 70's. I think he may have gone into sales at CJJC.
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
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Postby Victoriaradio » Wed Sep 27, 2006 6:07 pm

Probably the same Tom (Tippy) O'Neil There is a picture of him in the Alan Newberry Collection at BC Radio History.
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Postby Jack Bennest » Thu Sep 28, 2006 12:46 am

Image


maybe you can see the writing on the original copy
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Postby Victoriaradio » Fri Sep 29, 2006 8:24 am

Ron Robinson a graduate of UBC's Radsoc, I believe, went from CKWX to management at CJVI in Victoria. There he pioneered some joint TV -radio ventures between CJVI and the local cablevision outlet, including simultaneous radio/tv broadcasts of local election results. He made the transition to the Hotel Douglas studios of Dave Armstrong's CKDA/CFMS. Later he was active in the country and western outgrowth of the "Q". During some of this time he was the owner of a florist shop near the booze store in downtown Victoria. Ron Robinson along with Joe Easingwood (CFAX)holds the record as the longest serving Victoria radio voice.
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Postby Victoriaradio » Thu Nov 02, 2006 9:53 am

Well, let's try another Victoria radio voice and see if it gets any reaction. Perhaps these stories I tell are so far in the distant past that nobody remembers! Bob Aylward. Bob was an announcer at CJVI when Joe Easingwood was hired as a junior announcer and I had just started working at the station. A distinctive voice that worked all the shifts over time and eventually left to host a teen party show at CHEK TV. Bob was the early voice of Dave Armstrong's CHEK. After his work at the Cedar Hill site of CHEK, Bob went on to manage the sight and sound of Victoria's first cablevision channel. That was the one with the clock and the camera that moved left to right 24 hours a day. Later when Victoria cable actually produced programs, Bob was the producer+, and along with Daphne Goode ran the community programming for years. . Bob left media to become a travel agent.
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Postby Jack Bennest » Thu Nov 02, 2006 6:39 pm

we are all getting older VR even the kids...

back to the 2nd last post on Ron Robinson - did you see the items I posted on him
getting education money from Bill Rea in the early 50's

Ron never replied to any of that info as I hoped.

It was published in the Top Dog Mag about 1954

me thinks he is too busy keeping jamie on a leash.
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Postby Victoriaradio » Sat Nov 04, 2006 10:17 am

Yes, I saw the picture and story of Ron Robinson on your site. Good stuff! Here's some minute trivia you might appreciate. When i was a Councillor for the Municipality of Saanich and Chair of the parks and Recreation Committee I worked with Ron Robinson, PM at CJVI to provide on air hourly water temperatures of Elk Beaver Lake during the summer. It was one of those crazy things of the time where "temperatures" at various sites around town were news.
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Postby radiofan » Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:45 pm

I got this email from a RadioWest.ca visitor. Can anyone answer her question?

I am trying to get information on Jock Dunbar. He use to host a Scottish music program and worked as a sales person at CKDA probable back in the 50's.
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
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Postby Jack Bennest » Sun Nov 12, 2006 2:56 pm

Jock Dunbar was a legend in his own time. He was very active in the Scottish entertainment world of Victoria, sang on the radio and at concerts all over the Island. He hosted a Scottish music program or 2 on the station.
He was a major sales person at CKDA and CFMS and stayed loyal to Dave Armstrong for many years. Every Victorian over the age of 65 would remember Jock Dunbar.

***

The highlight of the celebration was Jock Dunbar?s Jubilee Show presented on a portable stage set up at Finlayson Point, immediately below the Lookout. The show featured the Canadian Scottish regimental pipe band, the Adelines and the Duncan Scottish dancers. At the conclusion of the show the Fire Department staged a torchlight parade down Dallas Road, with five fire trucks, sirens blaring, and firefighters carrying flares. At l0 p.m. a fifteen minute fireworks display was set off from Finlayson Point over the water. Firemen had wet down the area before the fireworks and circulated through the crowd with water packs ready to quell any fires in the dry grass. (Colonist, August 12, 1977)


***

Andy Steven was News Director in the beginning ... then he focused on CHEK and Fraser McAlpine came over from CJVI. Others on the team were Bill Pike - News, Bob Gillingham - Sports, Blain Fairman, mornings, Chuck Mudrak, mid morning, Doug Taylor - mid day, Rob Malcolm - evening, Rolph Johansen - evenings, Carman Pascoe, evenings, me and then Jeanie Belcher and King Lee. Lee Halberg was the olde fisherman and Jock Dunbar did a Scottish show.


***

VR may have more
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Postby Victoriaradio » Sun Nov 12, 2006 3:56 pm

No, I think the quotes above have it! It was like Victoria was a small town and there were 2 or 5 local heroes. One was Jock Dunbar. He was a major force for Scottish entertainment in the city , as an organizer and performer. He was a natural for a radio station to bring in as a salesperson........he knew everybody, everybody loved him and he was a smart promoter. One of Victoria's icons! He often did his radio show in kilt and full regalia as he would be on his way to a live performance somewhere in town.
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Postby Victoriaradio » Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:20 pm

Here's another blast from the distant past..............CJVI announcer Al Collins.

Al Collins was all over the schedule at 900 kilocycles...........a very popular guy until he disappeared from Victoria radio. On the air he sounded like a mellow Michael Levy.
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