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The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is Canada's national public radio and TV system.
On the radio side, they have a national English network, that covers about 90 percent of our population, with regional transmitters, and sat links. They are on both AM and FM , and the radio system has no commercials. It is somewhat like PBR in the US, but with more widely divergent programing. CBC radio has a number of long running specialty programs that are about specific interests, such as astronomy, music discussions, and cuisine. There are four main CBC radio streams to choose from.
CBC TV is more commercial, with programs that many Americans would recognise. One of the main differences is the focus on "small town " affairs and local news . CBC TV has stations in all the major cities, from Newfoundland to British Columbia. The national new program, oddly called "the National " is broadcast at 10 pm in each time zone( Canada has six time zones) and the anchor, Peter Mansbridge is the most recognised face in our country. CBC TV broadcasts in both official languages, with a parallel network structure. This shows up when a political event, like a party convention occurs. Both CBC English and French networks sends a crew to cover it, along with CBC English radio and CBC French radio reporters.
In order to be a TV reporter in Canada, it is just about mandatory that the person be bi-lingual, and well educated. Radio, not so much, at least at the local level. CBC also has a number of Aboriginal language radio networks, that broadcast in native languages like Cree, Mohawk, Blood, Salish, and Ojibwah, and Innuit. In Parliament, we have the live TV coverage, of the debates, and instant translation into either English or French, and some native languages, to our cable TV stations.
It is possible to drive right across Canada, and listen to CBC radio all the way, and not on sat, either. The national transmitter system is that good.
Canadians love hockey, and now we have play by play coverage in a number of languages, besides English or French. CBC TV has "Hockey Night in Canada, in Punjabi, Hindi and Cantonese ". On Saturday, the CBC TV hockey coverage begins with a afternoon game, a 7pm game ( usually the Leafs from Toronto ) a 10 pm game , and a midnight game ( west coast time zone ). Local radio in Canada also covers hockey, with live coverage for the local AM listeners. Its a cheap show to produce, and the local ad buyers know that it sells their products, too.
Jim B.
Toronto.
This is a good post but the part I highlighted is not true at all. Obviously you don't have to be bilingual to cover car crashes in Calgary or city council in Halifax for the local TV news.
Most TV reporters in Canada are NOT bilingual outside of places like Ottawa, Montreal and the federal parliamentary scene. And even in these areas there would still be a good number of TV reporters who only speak one language.
Station call signs must be given at least every hour, usually at the top of the hour.
Q 107, in Toronto is actually CLIQ FM on it's license. Most listeners wouldn't know that.
When I mentioned bi=lingual reporters, I was thinking of those who speak a language besides English, such as Mandarin, Polish, Ukrainian, Hindi or many others. Being bi lingual doesn't mean that the person knows how to speak French. You will admit that many TV stations in Canada have on air staff that are from a ethnic minority group, wouldn't you ? Same thing for radio announcers.
Station call signs must be given at least every hour, usually at the top of the hour.
Q 107, in Toronto is actually CLIQ FM on it's license. Most listeners wouldn't know that.
When I mentioned bi=lingual reporters, I was thinking of those who speak a language besides English, such as Mandarin, Polish, Ukrainian, Hindi or many others. Being bi lingual doesn't mean that the person knows how to speak French. You will admit that many TV stations in Canada have on air staff that are from a ethnic minority group, wouldn't you ? Same thing for radio announcers.
Jim B.
Toronto.
It's somewhat of an absurd deflection, but sure there would be some who happen to be bilingual in an official language plus an immigrant language. But that's not a job requirement by any stretch. The vast majority of reporters in Canada still speak only one language. The language they report in.
A few famous top 40 stations, primarily dominant in the late 50's 60's or early 70's. Many of these inner-city matchups where legendary for their radio wars. Huge 50,000 watt signals like KOMA, WLS, WABC and CFUN brought top 40 hits to thousands of smaller cities across the continent who didn't have their own local station playing the hits. My list is far from complete, but sure to bring up a few memories to some of you:
Vancouver-CFUN
Seattle-KJR, KOL
Spokane-KJRB, KREM
Portland-KGW, KISN
San Francisco-KFRC, KYA
Los Angeles-KHJ, KRLA, KFWB
San Diego-KGB, KCBQ
Denver-KIMN, KTLK, KBTR
Oklahoma City-WKY, KOMA
Dallas-KLIF, KBOX
Houston-KILT
Kansas City-WHB, KUDL
Omaha-KOIL
Des Moines- KIOA
St. Louis- KXOK
Little Rock- KAAY
Minneapolis- WDGY
Chicago- WLS, WCFL
Milwaukee- WOKY
Detroit- CKLW, WKNR
Cleveland- WHK, WIXY, WGAR
Cincinnati- WSAI
Nashville- WKDA
Memphis- WHBQ
Louisville- WAKY
Buffalo- WKBW
Toronto- CHUM
Boston-WMEX
Pittsburgh- KQV
New York- WABC, WMCA, WINS
Washington- WRC
Philadelphia- WIBG, WFIL
Miami- WQAM, WFUN
New Orleans- WTIX, WNOE
Atlanta- WQXI
The Groovy Q-Vie. Live from the Corner of Walk and Don't Walk.
My sister's late father-in-law was a jock there at one time.
Rush Limbaugh and Rod Roddy (announcer from The Price is Right)
were amongst the other jocks who worked there over the years.
Sad that I am old enough to remember when this AM radio station
was the way most Pittsburghers consumed their music. They went
all-news in 1975. Still are. So many holes in their signal as you drive
around it's hard to believe they were once the top music source.
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