A Canadian Network? The CBC and Television, 1936–1939

Abstract

Through the early part of the 1930s, rumours of television’s arrival circulated in Canada. When the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) took control of broadcasting in November 1936, those eagerly awaiting television looked to the CBC for progress towards the establishment of a network. With the majority of Canadian private radio stations unwilling or unable to invest in television, the task was left to the public broadcaster. It was not until the lack of television threatened the CBC’s public relations efforts and international reputation, however, that the Corporation took action. These motivating factors highlight the CBC’s priorities in its early years as it tried to escape the shadow left by the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission, Canada’s first public broadcaster. While it did not establish a television station prior to the Second World War, the Corporation’s flirtation with the medium offers a unique opportunity to analyze its early years and its prioritization of positive public relations and continental integration. Through the CBC’s formative years of 1936–1939, television represented an opportunity to learn from Canada’s radio past and to situate the country as a world leader in broadcasting.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council under a Doctoral Fellowship; and the Ontario Graduate Scholarship program. A version of this paper was presented at the 2013 Canadian Historical Association Annual Meeting. Special thanks to Katherine Rollwagen for her invaluable help in expanding the analysis. This project could not have been completed without the guidance of Damien-Claude Bélanger. I am also indebted to Steven High and Stephen Kenny. This paper greatly benefitted from the assistance of Madeleine Kloske, Aaron Boyes, Emily Gann, and Ryan Stammers.

Notes

1. Robert Armstrong, Broadcasting Policy in Canada (Toronto, 2010), 32.

2. Frank Peers, The Public Eye: television and the politics of Canadian broadcasting, 1952–1968 (Toronto, 1979), 4–5.

3. Marc Raboy, Missed Opportunities: the story of Canada’s broadcasting policy (Montreal, 1990), 88.

4. Paul Rutherford, When Television Was Young: primetime Canada, 1952–1967 (Toronto, 1990), 10.

5. Sandy Stewart, Here’s Looking at Us: a personal history of television in Canada (Toronto, 1986), 21; David Ellis, Evolution of the Canadian Broadcasting System: objectives and realities, 1928–1968 (Ottawa, 1979), 33.

6. Richard Collins, Culture, Communication, and National Identity: the case of Canadian television (Toronto, 1990), 59.

7. Surveys such as Marc Raboy’s Missed Opportunities: the story of Canada’s broadcasting policy, E. Austin Weir’s The Struggle for National Broadcasting in Canada, and Frank Peers’ The Politics of Canadian Broadcasting, 1920–1951 devote minimal space to this period and are mostly focused on the political dealings through these years. Articles on specific programs include: Marcus Klee, Hand off labour forum: the making and unmaking of national working-class radio broadcasting in Canada, 1935–1941, Labour/Le Travail, 35 (1995), 107–132; Len Kuffert, Tempest in the tea leaves: broadcasting the esoteric arts and mystic sciences, 1937–1953, Canadian Historical Review, 91(1) (2010), 1–26; Paula Romanow, The picture of democracy we are seeking: CBC radio forums and the search for a Canadian identity, Journal of Radio Studies, 12(1) (2005), 104–119. Peter Neary, The CBC ‘Ventures in Citizenship’ broadcast of 9 November 1938, Canadian Jewish Studies 10 (2002), 109–122; Mary Vipond, ‘A living, moving pageant’: the CBC’s coverage of the royal tour of 1939, in: John Wills (ed.), More Than Words: readings in transport, communication and the history of postal communication (Gatineau, QC, 2007), 335–350; Mary Vipond, The mass media in Canadian history: the Empire Day broadcast of 1939, Journal of the Canadian Historical Association, 14 (2003), 1–21.

8. Robert E. Babe, Telecommunications in Canada: technology, industry, and government (Toronto, 1990), 4–5.

9. See Mary Vipond, One network or two? French-language programming on the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission, 1932–1936, Canadian Historical Review 89(3) (2008), 319–343. Mary Vipond, Cultural authority and Canadian public broadcasting in the 1930s: Hector Charlesworth and the CRBC, Journal of Canadian Studies 42(1) (2008), 59–82.

10. CBC Internal Memorandum No. 1, 18 November 1936. Library and Archives Canada (hereafter LAC) RG 41, Vol. 53, File 2-3-8-2.

11. The CBC’s emphasis on continentalism can be seen in most aspects of its operations and is a major theme of my PhD dissertation, As Canadian as possible: the birth of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 1936–1939.

12. Donald G. Godfrey and David R. Spencer, Canadian Marconi: CFCF television from Signal Hill to the Canadian Television Network, Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 44(3) (2000), 440.

13. Stewart, 13.

14. Michael Sinclair, Television now operating in Montreal, Radio Week, 20 May 1932.

15. The Canadian Radio Broadcasting Act, Assented 26 May 1932. Section 8. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 33, File 2-2-2.

16. Hector Charlesworth, I’m Telling You: being the further candid chronicles of Hector Charlesworth (Toronto, 1937), 43.

17. Maher was director of a private station in Quebec City and had unsuccessfully run as a Conservative in the 1930 federal election. Steel was a technical consultant to the 1932 Parliamentary Radio Committee.

18. Ellis, 19.

19. C. D. Howe, Dominion of Canada Official Report of Debates House of Commons, First Session—Eighteenth Parliament, 19 March 1936, 1234.

20. W. E. Powell to A. L. Beaubien, 11 May 1936. LAC, RG 42, Vol. 1075, File Parliamentary Committee on Radio.

21. R. W. Ashcroft, “The Ashcroft Plan,” March 1936. LAC, RG 42, Vol. 1075, File Parliamentary Committee on Radio.

22. The Act did not specifically mention radio, either. Broadcasting was defined as ‘the dissemination of any form of radioelectric communication, including radiotelegraph, radiotelephone, the wireless transmission of writing, signs, signals, pictures and sounds of all kinds means of Hertzian waves, intended to be received by the public either directly or through the medium of relay stations.’ The Canadian Broadcasting Act, 1936 assented 23 June 1936.

23. Minutes of the Second Meeting of the Technical Committee on Broadcasting, 29 December 1936. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 82, File 3-11-11.

24. Report of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, for the period 2 November 1936 to 31 March 1937.

25. J. A. Ouimet, Memorandum on television: the Importance of its early consideration by the CBC, 29 December 1936. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 403, File 23-1-4-1.

26. Ibid.

27. Ibid.

28. Asa Briggs, The Collected Essays of Asa Briggs, Vol. III, Serious Pursuits: communications and education (London, 1985), 216.

29. Bruce Norman, Here’s Looking at You: the story of British television, 1908–1939 (London, 1984), 13.

30. Asa Briggs, The History of Broadcasting in the United Kingdom, Volume II, The Golden Age of Wireless (London, 1965), 595.

31. Ernest Bushnell, Report on Operations of BBC, November 1938. LAC, MG 30 E250, Vol. 14.

32. Ibid.

33. Ibid.

34. Ibid.

35. A. H. Wells, Along the Air Waves, Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, 28 September 1937.

36. Godfrey and Spencer, 443.

37. Canadian Association of Broadcasters Summary of its meeting with the CBC Board of Governors, 19 March 1939. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 341, File 15-3.

38. The applications came from H. T. MacLelland of Montreal in November 1937; CKAC Montreal and CFKB Toronto in December 1938; Canadian Marconi Company in March 1939; Canadian Electronics Institute and General Electric Company in July 1939.

39. Godfrey and Spencer, 444.

40. T. J. Allard, Straight Up: private broadcasting in Canada: 1918–1958 (Ottawa, 1979), 203.

41. CBC’s New Maritime Station, Sydney Post-Record, 23 March 1939. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 349, File 17-1-2.

42. Minutes of the Tenth Meeting of the CBC Board of Governors, 20–22 March 1939. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 615, Microfilm Reel T3040.

43. William Lyon Mackenzie King, Diary, 12 May 1937. LAC, MG 26-J13 (Online).

44. William Lyon Mackenzie King, Diary, 25 December 1937. LAC, MG 26-J13 (Online).

45. Gordon Isnor (Question) and Robert Winters (Response), 2 June 1948. Dominion of Canada, Official Report of Debates House of Commons, Fourth Session Twentieth Parliament, 4654.

46. E. C. Gannon, Canadian Radio Fans Soon to be Treated to Vision, Montreal Standard, 15 October 1938.

47. Television is Developing Rapidly Under Increased Research Facilities, Fredericton Mail, 27 October 1938.

48. On the Air, Moose Jaw Times-Herald, 2 November 1938.

49. Television Seen as a Definite Means Home Entertainment, Newcastle Union Advocate, 2 November 1938.

50. The first of these went on the air in British Columbia during the spring of 1938.

51. Ray Barfield, A Word From Our Viewers: reflections from early television audiences (Westport, CT, 2008), 3.

52. Gladstone Murray to Alan Plaunt, 17 October 1938. UBC Archives and Special Collections Fonds of Alan Butterworth Plaunt, Box 3 File 23.

53. Alan Plaunt to Gladstone Murray, 8 December 1938. UBC Archives and Special Collections Fonds of Alan Butterworth Plaunt Box 8 File 10.

54. K. A. Mackinnon to Donald Manson, 13 December 1938. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 403, File 23-1-4-1.

55. Gladstone Murray, National Radio in Canada—Report by Major Gladstone Murray, Director of Public Relations, British Broadcasting Corporation, 25 July 1933. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 33, File 2-2-3.

56. Technological Suppression, Toronto Star, 1 February 1939.

57. Radio News and Notes, The Equity, 6 July 1939.

58. Peers, 6.

59. E. A. Weir, Press and Information Report, 30 June 1939. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 46, File 2-3-2-2.

60. Another high profile event took place in January 1939 when Catholic Hour host Charles Lanphier was prohibited from broadcasting because he violated the regulation preventing political programming within 48 hours of an election. In addition, Alberta Premier William Aberhart was frequently accused violating the regulations by using his religious program for political purposes. George E. Herron to Gladstone Murray, 14 January 1939. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 393, File 21-2.

61. The Lanphier and McCullagh scandals, coupled with discontent in Alberta over Premier William Aberhart’s program, led to an increase in the number the CBC received in early 1939

62. J. B. McGeachy, CBC Heads to Study Television, Winnipeg Free Press, 18 July 1939.

63. Gladstone Murray to Sir Henry Greer, 15 February 1939. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 403, File 23-1-4-1.

64. Peers, 440.

65. K. A. MacKinnon, Canada’s Needs for the Havana Conference, November 1937: A Summary of the Immediate Needs of Canada as Regards Broadcast Channels in the Medium Wave Band, 4 October 1937. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 355, File 19-5.

66. The CBC’s first two high power regional transmitters, CBM and CBL, opened in December 1937 and there were plans for transmitters in the Maritimes and Prairies. Canada received seven channels on which they could use unlimited power, four channels up to 50 kilowatts, and four channels for second-class stations between 5 and 15 kilowatts with the right to increase to 50 kilowatts using directional antennae. North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement, Signed at Havana, Cuba, 13 December 1937. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 355, File 19-5.

67. Gladstone Murray, Chatting with the Listener, CBC broadcast, 17 August 1938. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 399, File 23-1-2.

68. RCA Victor’s quoted $100,000. Summary of Quotations from Manufacturers of Television Equipment, c. February 1939. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 403, File 23-1-4-1. Reginald Brophy to Gladstone Murray, 22 February 1939. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 403, File 23-1-4-1.

69. Baird recommended seven cameras, four direct pick-ups, and one film projector, which was significantly more than the one camera proposed by RCA or the three cameras, two direct pick-ups, and one film projector suggested by Dumont Laboratories. Summary of Quotations from Manufacturers of Television Equipment, c. February 1939. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 403, File 23-1-4-1.

70. The stations were more powerful in part because the CBC had instituted regulations preventing private stations from increasing their power to that level.

71. Minutes of Special Meeting of the CBC Board of Governors, 20–21 February 1939. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 615, Microfilm Reel T3040.

72. W. R. G. Baker, A Miracle Begins: Straight Facts About Television, c. 1938. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 401, File 23-1-4.

73. Reginald Brophy to Gladstone Murray, 22 February 1939. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 403, File 23-1-4-1.

74. For the year, the CBC reported expenditures of $1,393,017.76 for programming and aired 18,810 programs over 7,020 hours. CBC Annual Report 1938–1939. LAC, MG 30 E481, Vol. 45; Summary of Quotations from Manufacturers of Television Equipment, c. February 1939. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 403, File 23-1-4-1.

75. CBC Information Memorandum, February 1940. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 45, File 2-3.

76. Rene Morin Statement to the 1942 Parliamentary Committee on Radio. LAC, RG 41, Vol. 287, File 14-1-1.