Dominion Network
Encyclopedia
The Dominion Network was the second English-language radio network of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
from January 1, 1944 to 1962.
It consisted of the CBC-owned CJBC
radio station in Toronto
and a series of 34 privately owned affiliates from coast-to-coast. The Dominion Network was set up as a complementary network to the CBC's main English service which became known as the Trans-Canada Network
. While the Trans-Canada Network focus was on public affairs, educational and cultural programs, the Dominion Network's broadcast schedule consisted of lighter programming fare than that of the Trans-Canada Network and carried more American programming.
As well, the Dominion Network operated mostly in the evenings freeing affiliates to air local programming during the day.
The network was managed by Spence Caldwell
, who later became a founder of CTV
. Shows carried by the network included Duffy's Tavern
, Amos & Andy and Fibber McGee and Molly
.
There is an urban legend
that a CBC announcer once gave a station identification as "the Dominion Network of the Canadian Broadcorping Castration
", which was popularized when US TV producer Kermit Schaefer
included a recreation of this incident on one of his best-selling Pardon My Blooper
record albums in the 1950s. Canadian political pundit Mark Steyn
often refers to the CBC as such in his columns.
The network was dissolved in 1962 and most of the private stations became independent. CJBC
gradually became a French-language station and is now the Southern Ontario owned-and-operated station
of Radio-Canada's Première Chaîne.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
from January 1, 1944 to 1962.
It consisted of the CBC-owned CJBC
CJBC (AM)
-External links:* * * at Canadian Communications Foundation...
radio station in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and a series of 34 privately owned affiliates from coast-to-coast. The Dominion Network was set up as a complementary network to the CBC's main English service which became known as the Trans-Canada Network
Trans-Canada Network
The Trans-Canada Network was the name assigned to the main English-language radio network of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to distinguish it from the CBC's second network, the Dominion Network. Today, it is known as CBC Radio One...
. While the Trans-Canada Network focus was on public affairs, educational and cultural programs, the Dominion Network's broadcast schedule consisted of lighter programming fare than that of the Trans-Canada Network and carried more American programming.
As well, the Dominion Network operated mostly in the evenings freeing affiliates to air local programming during the day.
History
The Dominion Network was launched on January 1, 1944 after a request by private affiliates asked to set up their own radio network in order to carry American programming was turned down. CBC became concerned that the private stations might succeed in pressuring the government to permit such a private radio network and so the CBC set up its own second network to appease demands by privately owned CBC affiliates for popular programming that would provide more commercial revenue.The network was managed by Spence Caldwell
Spence Caldwell
Spencer "Spence" Wood Caldwell is a pioneer in the history of Canadian broadcasting.Amongst his notable achievements are as manager of the Dominion Network, S.W. Caldwell Ltd...
, who later became a founder of CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
. Shows carried by the network included Duffy's Tavern
Duffy's Tavern
Duffy's Tavern was a popular American radio situation comedy which ran for a decade on several networks , concluding with the December 28, 1951 broadcast....
, Amos & Andy and Fibber McGee and Molly
Fibber McGee and Molly
Fibber McGee and Molly was an American radio comedy series which maintained its popularity over decades. It premiered on NBC in 1935 and continued until its demise in 1959, long after radio had ceased to be the dominant form of entertainment in American popular culture.-Husband and wife in real...
.
There is an urban legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
that a CBC announcer once gave a station identification as "the Dominion Network of the Canadian Broadcorping Castration
Castration
Castration is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which a male loses the functions of the testicles or a female loses the functions of the ovaries.-Humans:...
", which was popularized when US TV producer Kermit Schaefer
Kermit Schaefer
Kermit Schafer was an American writer and producer for radio and television in the 1950s and 1960s. He is best known for his collections of "bloopers" — the word Schafer coined for mistakes and gaffes of radio and TV announcers and personalities.-Early bloopers:Bloopers came into prominence in...
included a recreation of this incident on one of his best-selling Pardon My Blooper
Blooper
A blooper, also known as an outtake or boner is a short sequence of a film or video production, usually a deleted scene, containing a mistake made by a member of the cast or crew. It also refers to an error made during a live radio or TV broadcast or news report, usually in terms of misspoken words...
record albums in the 1950s. Canadian political pundit Mark Steyn
Mark Steyn
Mark Steyn is a Canadian-born writer, conservative-leaning political commentator, and cultural critic. He has written five books, including America Alone: The End of the World As We Know It, a New York Times bestseller...
often refers to the CBC as such in his columns.
The network was dissolved in 1962 and most of the private stations became independent. CJBC
CJBC (AM)
-External links:* * * at Canadian Communications Foundation...
gradually became a French-language station and is now the Southern Ontario owned-and-operated station
Owned-and-operated station
In the broadcasting industry , an owned-and-operated station usually refers to a television station or radio station that is owned by the network with which it is associated...
of Radio-Canada's Première Chaîne.
Alberta
- CalgaryCalgaryCalgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
- CFCNCKMX (AM)CKMX is a Canadian radio station in Calgary, Alberta with a classic country music format at AM 1060 kHz and is owned by Astral Media.The station dates back to 1921 when it was founded as CFCN. It was a phantom station affiliate of the Canadian National Railway radio network and later of the... - EdmontonEdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
- CFRNCFRN (AM)CFRN is a Canadian clear-channel radio station in Edmonton, Alberta. Owned by Astral Media and broadcasting at 1260 kHz on the AM radio dial, the station airs an all-sports format, branded as The Team 1260... - Medicine Hat - CHAT
British Columbia
- ChilliwackChilliwack, British ColumbiaChilliwack is a Canadian city in the Province of British Columbia. It is a predominantly agricultural community with an estimated population of 80,000 people. Chilliwack is the second largest city in the Fraser Valley Regional District after Abbotsford. The city is surrounded by mountains and...
- CHWKCKSR-FMCKSR-FM is a Canadian radio station located in Chilliwack, British Columbia. The station, operating at 98.3 FM with 5000 watts of power, is owned by Rogers Communications... - Penticton - CKOKCKOR (AM)CKOR is a Canadian radio station in Penticton, British Columbia. Astral Media owns the station, which operates at 800 AM with 10,000 watts of transmission power in the daytime and 500 watts at night, and airs an adult contemporary music format under the EZ Rock brand.-History:CKOR was first signed...
- VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
- CJOR - VernonVernon, British ColumbiaVernon is a city in the south-central region of British Columbia, Canada. Named after Forbes George Vernon, a former MLA of British Columbia who helped found the famed Coldstream Ranch, the City of Vernon was incorporated on December 30, 1892. The City of Vernon has a population of 35,944 , while...
- CJIBCKIZ-FMCKIZ-FM is a Canadian radio station in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada, airing an adult contemporary format at 107.5 FM branded as 107.5 Kiss FM.... - VictoriaVictoria, British ColumbiaVictoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
- CJVICHTT-FMCHTT-FM is a radio station in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, which airs at 103.1 FM. The station, owned by Rogers Communications, uses the Jack FM brand and format.-History:...
Manitoba
- BrandonBrandon, ManitobaBrandon is the second largest city in Manitoba, Canada, and is located in the southwestern area of the province. Brandon is the largest city in the Westman region of Manitoba. The city is located along the Assiniboine River. Spruce Woods Provincial Park and CFB Shilo are a relatively short distance...
, ManitobaManitobaManitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
- CKXCKXA-FMCKXA-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 101.1 FM in Brandon, Manitoba. The station broadcasts country music as 101.1 The Farm.-History:... - WinnipegWinnipegWinnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
- CKRCCFWM-FMCFWM-FM is a radio station based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The station, broadcasting at 99.9 FM, uses the on-air brand and format Bob FM. Its studios are located at 1445 Pembina Highway, along with sister stations, FAB 94.3 and TSN Radio 1290 in Winnipeg....
Nova Scotia
- HalifaxCity of HalifaxHalifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
- CHNSCHNS-FMCHNS-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting from Halifax, Nova Scotia at 89.9 MHz on the FM dial. It offers a classic rock format branded as 89.9 HAL FM. CHNS-FM is owned and operated by the Maritime Broadcasting System.... - SydneySydney, Nova ScotiaSydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
- CJCBCJCB (AM)CJCB is a Canadian radio station which broadcasts from Sydney, Nova Scotia on the AM dial at 1270 kHz with a power of 10,000 watts. The station is one of the oldest radio stations in the Atlantic Provinces, hitting the airwaves on February 14, 1929...
(from 1948, previously a TCN affiliate)
Ontario
- Fort FrancesFort Frances, OntarioFort Frances is a town in, and the seat of, Rainy River District in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. The population as of the 2006 census was 8,103 and Fort Frances' population peaked in 1971 at 9,947...
- CKFICFOB-FMCFOB-FM, branded as B93, is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 93.1 FM in Fort Frances, Ontario. The station airs a hot adult contemporary format.... - HamiltonHamilton, OntarioHamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
- CHML - KingstonKingston, OntarioKingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
- CKLCCKLC-FMCKLC-FM is a Canadian radio station, which airs at 98.9 FM in Kingston, Ontario. Owned by Bell Media, the station airs a modern rock music format.-History:...
/CKLC-FMCFLY-FMCFLY-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 98.3 FM in Kingston, Ontario. The station broadcasts a hot adult contemporary radio format branded as 98.3 FLY FM. The station broadcasts with 95,500 watts of power from its trasmitter located in Harrowsmith.-History:The station was launched...
(shared affiliation 1953-1964) - LondonLondon, OntarioLondon is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
- CFPLCFPL (AM)CFPL, or AM980, is a radio station owned by Corus Entertainment and based in London, Ontario, Canada that transmits at 10,000 watts at 980 kHz on the AM dial. The station primarily airs news, talk and sports programming.-History:... - Orillia - CFORCICX-FMCICX-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 105.9 FM in Orillia, Ontario. The station airs a country format under the KICX-FM brand.-History:...
(from 1945) - OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
- CKCOCIWW (AM)CIWW is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 1310 kHz on the AM dial in Ottawa, Ontario. Owned by Rogers Communications, CIWW is one of several Rogers-owned stations with an all-news format, in this case branded as 1310News...
(became CKOY in 1949) - PeterboroughPeterborough, OntarioPeterborough is a city on the Otonabee River in southern Ontario, Canada, 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. The population of the City of Peterborough was 74,898 as of the 2006 census, while the census metropolitan area has a population of 121,428 as of a 2009 estimate. It presently ranks...
- CHEX - StratfordStratford, OntarioStratford is a city on the Avon River in Perth County in southwestern Ontario, Canada with a population of 32,000.When the area was first settled by Europeans in 1832, the townsite and the river were named after Stratford-upon-Avon, England. It is the seat of Perth County. Stratford was...
- CJCS - Sudbury - CHNOCHNO-FMCHNO-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 103.9 on the FM dial in Sudbury, Ontario. Airing a classic hits format, the station is branded as Rewind 103.9.-History of CHNO:The station began broadcasting on June 24, 1947 on AM 1440...
- Thunder BayThunder Bay-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
- CFPACKTG-FMCKTG-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 105.3 FM in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The station is owned by Northwoods Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Acadia Broadcasting, and broadcasts adult hits using the brand name 105.3 The New Giant FM... - TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
- CJBCCJBC (AM)-External links:* * * at Canadian Communications Foundation...
(flagship) - WindsorWindsor, OntarioWindsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
- CKLWCKLWCKLW is a 50,000 watt AM radio station broadcasting on 800 kHz and located in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and serving Windsor and Detroit. Additionally, its signal can be heard as far west as Belding, Michigan; as far east as Batavia, New York; as far south as Edgewood, Kentucky; and as far...
(1948-1950)
Saskatchewan
- Moose Jaw - CHABCHAB (AM)CHAB is a radio station broadcasting an Oldies format. Licensed to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, it serves south-central Saskatchewan. It first began broadcasting in 1922 at 1200 kHz as 10AB , before moving to 1220 kHz in 1941 and to its current dial position in 1946. The station is currently...
- ReginaRegina, SaskatchewanRegina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
- CKRM - SaskatoonSaskatoonSaskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
- CFQCCKBL-FMCKBL-FM, branded as 92.9 The Bull, is a country radio station located in the city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The station is part of the Saskatoon Media Group, and has studios with sister stations CJWW and CJMK-FM. They are at 366 3rd Avenue South, downtown on the river.-History:The station...