Year Born: 1908
Year Died: 1983
Pioneer
McDermott, Arthur Andrew “Andy” (1908-1983)
Moonlighting from his newspaper job in 1928, Andy McDermott did the 8:00 am to 8:15 am news broadcast on 500 watt CHWC Regina. In his first full-time job as a reporter on the Regina Star, he wrote the first column on radio in Canada. Subsequently he worked on the Sudbury Star and the Toronto Star, laying the basis for his claim to be “always a star reporter”. In1939, McDermott joined Hershey McGillvray Radio Station Representatives of New York in their Montreal office, leaving to take a position with Horace N. Stovin & Co., Montreal.
In 1942, he enlisted in the RCAF to become their first radio liaison officer. He was also the first to use a tape recorder in war reportage from the European theatre. At the end of the war, he left with the rank of Squadron Leader to rejoin Horace Stovin in Toronto as Sales Manager.
In 1946, he struck off in his own radio and television representative business, Andy McDermott Broadcast Sales Ltd., His firm was the first to represent American stations in Canada. At its peak, Andy McDermott Sales represented over 20 Canadian stations and was the largest in Canada repping several hundred U. S. radio and television stations.
During these years, among his many activities Andy helped to found the Broadcast Executives Society in Toronto, was among the first members of the Toronto Press Club, served as President of the Toronto Ad & Sales Club in 1954 – 55, and was one of the first to receive a 50-year badge from the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Quarter Century Club.
He became an active member of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society, was the recipient of the Ruth Hancock award of the Central Canada Broadcasters Association for his contribution to the development of Canadian Broadcasting, and provided help and encouragement to a long string of young people seeking entry to the business. Upon his death in 1983, the Canadian Association of Broadcast Representatives devised a suitable memorial in their endowment of the Andy McDermott award for outstanding students of Ryerson’s new Radio and Television Sales course, instituted in 1984.
Written by Pat McDermott / J. Lyman Potts – July, 1997