Did you listen to Steve Garrison on CJBK or the “Tall One” on CFPL? Did you meet Romper Room’s “Miss Dorothy?” Did you deliver a little fund of hard-earned pennies to Bill Brady for the “Bunny Bundle” or laugh at his antics on “Act Fast?” Did CFPL and CKSL help you cope with the blizzards of 1971and 1978? If you answered yes to any of these questions then you know that both radio and television broadcasting have helped shape the lives and experiences of those living in London and the wider region of southwestern Ontario.
Indeed, for almost 100 years, first radio and then television has kept the community abreast of local, national and international news and events, showcased local talent, and provided entertainment and companionship. And as if that was not enough, radio and television personalities have also devoted time and energy to better the community they serve.
Beginning in 1922 with the launch of CJGC (from 1933 CFPL), Londoners marveled at the ability of the new medium of radio to entertain and inform, to bridge enormous distances, and to connect people coast to coast and around the world. From the 1940s, new stations entered the scene, offering variety to growing audiences. In 1953, London became home to the second private television station in Canada with the launch of CFPL-TV. Like radio, the new medium of TV opened the city, the region, and the world to audiences through a wide variety of programmes geared to a wide variety of tastes and needs.
Air Waves: Radio and TV in London explores this history using a combination of artifacts, images and audiovisual components. You will see ephemera that will help you recall radio stations that once served London and the region. You will see the first television camera used at CFPL at its launch in November 1953. You will meet the puppet, “Tyrone Shoelaces,” of “Sunshine School” fame. And you will be introduced to some of the musicians and entertainers who once performed live on radio and television in the city. As well, you will have the opportunity to experience what it is like to be a news anchor in our reproduction television studio.