CKCD-AM

Records of early broadcasting in Vancouver are not clear.  The race between the three newspapers to be first on the air, the shortage of transmitting equipment and delays in the issuing of licenses, led to short-cuts and confusion.

On March 13th, 1922 The Daily Province went on the air with music and news programming.  The location and designation and unusually low frequency used suggest that station “FB” was actually someone else’s transmitter pressed into service to be the first of the Newspapers on the air.

When those first year “experiments” proved successful, the station was licensed as CKCD.  The programming consisted of an hour-long live musical show followed by gramophone music and news.

CKCD switched to 730 kHz.

Late in the 1920s, a phantom station CHLS, took over the entertainment portion of the programming while The Province provided the news on shared CKCD. 

The phantom stations were discontinued by the Government.   The CHLS programming became part of CKCDs schedule.

The Pacific Broadcasting Co. took over the operation of CKCDs schedule with W. G. Hassell as manager. The Province still supplied the News.

Throughout almost 20 years, the news voice of The Province was Earle Kelly, known as “Mr. Good evening”, whose great voice and delivery was very popular with listeners.

Hassell was known on the air as “Uncle Billy” and he broadcast “doggy stories” on the air to promote his dog breeding and dog food business.

The Calangis family, George and his sisters playing many instruments such as violins, mandolins and a vibraphone, and along with John Avison on the piano were great favorites with listeners.

When the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation took over regulatory duties they decided to reduce the number of radio stations in Vancouver.  CKCD was asked to relinquish its license.

CKCD was scheduled to go off the air as of April 1 as its licence was to expire March 31. Station owner, the Vancouver Province, announced it would cooperate with CJOR, but would not have any financial interest in the station.