George Finstad, a former CBC announcer and the first co-host of CBC-TV’s Marketplace, has died. Finstad died Friday in hospital in Mississauga. He had been suffering from heart problems.

Finstad was the weekend anchor of CBC-TV’s The National News in the 1970s, based in Toronto.

He was the calm voice who in October 1970 told Canadians on national television about the murder by kidnappers of Quebec Labour Minister Pierre Laporte. Working without a script, he relayed reports as they came in from CBC reporters across the country. Later he said it was the most challenging day of his career.

He also reported on the secret wedding in 1971 of then prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau and Margaret Sinclair.

In 1972, when CBC created the groundbreaking consumer affairs show Marketplace, Finstad was co-host, along with consumer affairs reporter Joan Watson. He was nominated for an ACTRA award as best public affairs broadcaster for his work on the program.

More at cbc.ca

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	Email this	Posted at 11:52 am (02 Jun 2008)

Longtime CBC reporter, host and announcer Bob MacGregor has died.

MacGregor, who started his career at the public broadcaster in 1956, was a reporter, writer, host and producer in Toronto and Montreal during his 50-plus years in broadcasting.

Among his major assignments at the CBC was reporting from the 1973 Quebec election in which a pro-federalist Robert Bourassa faced off against the separatist René Levesque.

More at cbcnews.ca

(Photo: Joe Mahoney/CBC)

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	Email this	Posted at 11:39 am (02 Jun 2008)

Jack Duffy, celebrated actor and singer, died yesterday at 81 years of age in Toronto of natural causes.

Duffy was best known for his appearance on the 70’s CHCH Hamilton charade show “Party Game”, but he was also a studio singer with the CBC in Toronto in his youth.

He toured with Tommy Dorsey’s band in the late 1940’s and came back to Canada to continue his acting and singing career here.

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	Email this	Posted at 9:27 am (20 May 2008)

Long-time CBC Television reporter David Roegele died late last week.

Born in 1923 in Saskatoon, he served in the Navy aboard a minesweeper before beginning his varied careers in truck driving, sales and his favorite, broadcasting for both radio and television.

His media career began in 1948 when he joined CKOK Radio and CHBC-TV, Penticton. In 1950, while continuing his work with CKOK and CHBC, Dave took on additional responsibilities as a Stringer for the Vancouver Sun and at the same time was Sports Editor and Columnist for the Penticton Herald newspaper.

He held several jobs with TV stations throughout B.C. and Washington state until he joined CBC Vancouver staff as a teporter in the TV Newsroom in 1966. He became a Journalistic Editor there in 1975 and continued in that role until his retirement in January, 1984.

From the NW Broadcasters’ obit article:

Dave was a member in good standing of the TV Newsroom Old Guard and like all of them, delighted in telling stories of the good old days in their cramped but happy quarters at 1200 West Georgia…. His family remembers that Dave was never at a loss for words, or without a joke to share.

Dave is survived by his wife of 64 years, Beverly, and several children. Memorial Services will be held Friday, May 16, 2008, 10:00 a.m. at Victory Memorial Park Funeral Centre, 14831 28th Ave. Surrey, BC. In lieu of flowers, Memorial contributions in Dave’s name may be made to your favorite charity.

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	Email this	Posted at 5:35 am (12 May 2008)

More than 200 journalists, politicians and community leaders attended a lunch Saturday to mark World Press Freedom Day. They also spent some time remembering former CBC executive Spencer Moore, who, according to the Ottawa Citizen, “transformed the annual lunch from a small event into an occasion of consequence.”

After organizers learned he had died, they briefly considered cancelling the event out of respect, but decided that Mr. Moore would have wanted the event to go on.

A brief bio from the Citizen story:

After attending the University of Saskatchewan, he went to work at CKBI, a private radio station in Saskatoon, before joining CBC Radio in Ottawa as a broadcaster and producer.

In 1958, he was sent to London to oversee the CBC bureau, returning to Canada in 1966 to organize the network’s Expo 67 coverage. From 1968 until his retirement in 1985, he worked at CBC headquarters in Ottawa, for part of that time acquiring the rights to Olympics coverage.

For the next 10 years he represented the CBC on the North American Broadcasters Association, where he developed his passion for press freedom, according to his son, Maj. John Moore.

Moore had been fighting cancer for several years.

Some memories left on an online memorial:

I have many fond memories of my collaboration with Spenser at CBC. He was a very dedicated CBC officer and a wonderful friend. We traveled together often and shared a lot of important events in the life of the Corporation. I know he will be sorely missed. Helen and I extend our sincere sympathy to Julie and the whole family. — Gerry Flaherty

The world of International Affairs and Broadcasting has lost a major pillar with this sad passing. While I followed Spencer by a few years, his name was always held high amongst our international colleagues. Spencer set the mark for professionalism, integrity and dedication at a high level, and challenged all those so inclined to match it, or better it, which few did. Toni and I have fond memories of the trips where we encountered Spencer at some function, and we both extend our condolences to Julie and the rest of the family. — Bob O’Reilly

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	Email this	Posted at 11:41 am (05 May 2008)

Don Wittman, synonymous with CBC Sports for nearly a half-century, died early Saturday after a battle with cancer. He was 71.

Wittman passed away in a Winnipeg hospital surrounded by his family.

Don Wittman joined CBC Sports in 1961 and went on to call some of the most vicious, arresting and triumphant moments in Canadian sports history.

Don Wittman joined CBC Sports in 1961 and went on to call some of the most vicious, arresting and triumphant moments in Canadian sports history.

“On the Saturday mornings of every telecast I worked with Don, I recall him spending a couple of hours talking to players, coaches, writers and broadcasters, gathering as much information as possible, far more than he could ever use on the air,” Scott Oake of CBC Sports said. “But, in Don’s mind, better that than being unprepared.”

His voice appears on perhaps the most replayed sports clip in Canadian history, Ben Johnson’s apparent win in the 100-metre sprint at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, a result overturned days later after Johnson tested positive for a steroid. More recently, he expressed the shock so many viewers felt when favourite Perdita Felicien crashed into the first hurdle at the 2004 Athens Games.

Covering a calamity more sobering than any sporting event could ever be, Wittman was near the scene in Munich in 1972 after gunmen attacked and held hostage members of Israel’s Olympic team, with 11 eventually killed.

During the standoff, Wittman and producer Bob Moir crawled under a fence to get into the Olympic Village and the evacuated Canadian quarters. They were positioned directly across a courtyard from the Israeli dormitory.

More at CBC.ca

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	Email this	Posted at 10:26 am (22 Jan 2008)

Former CBC Vancouver transmitter technician Sam Greenwood died in his sleep in North Vancouver yesterday morning at age 78.  He was with the Corporation from 1960 to 1974 and then again with the CBC’s helicopter/ground car setup at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. There will be no service at his request. Obituary here.

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	Email this	Posted at 1:21 pm (11 Jan 2008)

Beth worked as a radio reporter with CBC News in Vancouver in the early 90’s. She later worked as a communications officer with the BC government and BC Ferries, and then started up her own communications company. Beth died Dec 9th at the Victoria Hospice and left behind her husband and two young boys, eight and ten.

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	Email this	Posted at 2:55 pm (19 Dec 2007)

Don Chevrier, a popular sports announcer best known as the original television voice of the Toronto Blue Jays, died on Monday. He was 69.

Chevrier, who was born in Toronto but lived in Palm Harbor, Fla., suffered from a blood disorder and was recently admitted to hospital before being released a few days later.

A legendary figure in Canadian broadcasting circles, Chevrier amazed colleagues and television viewers alike with his unique voice and encyclopaedic knowledge of sports.

“I first met him when I began my career in the early 1970s and the thing that immediately struck me about Chevy was his voice. That voice of his was just incredible,” current CBC Sports broadcaster Steve Armitage told CBCSports.ca.

In a memo to staff issued this afternoon, CBC Sports head Steve Moore said “I worked with Don on the 1991 Canada Cup of Hockey for CTV. He was a consummate pro, and one of the great storytellers in our industry.”

More at cbc.ca
Photo: Steve Nesius/Canadian Press

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	Email this	Posted at 3:40 pm (18 Dec 2007)

Retired CBC producer Kevin O’Connell died in hospital in St. John’s on Tuesday. He was 80 years of age. The Cornerbrook Western Star newspaper calls him “The man that many credit for putting Newfoundland musicians on the map in this province and country.” He was 80 years of age.

O’Connell started his career in radio in Corner Brook before Newfoundland joined confederation, working as an announcer with the Broadcasting Corporation of Newfoundland (BCN). Once CBC came onboard it took over the BCN and its employees.

In his early years with CBC, O’Connell ran a popular radio show called Woodland Echoes dedicated to the men working in the logging camps.

He also worked for CBC television in Corner Brook before transferring to St. John’s in 1963 where he worked as a producer with CBNT.

O’Connell’s 30+ years working with CBC saw him producing, in addition to All Around the Circle, other much loved shows including Up At Ours. He introduced Newfoundlanders to entertainers such as Carol Brothers, Ray Walsh, Don Randell and the Wonderful Grand Band.

If you have any memories of Kevin that you’d like to share, feel free to do so here in the comments.

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	Email this	Posted at 12:01 pm (14 Dec 2007)

On this day on 1997, CBC broadcaster and film critic Clyde Gilmour died at the age of 85.  His Sunday music show on CBC Radio, Gilmour’s Albums, ran for more than 40 years.

Much of the longevity of Gilmour’s Albums, besides its low cost, can be attributed to Gilmour’s quiet demeanour, knowledge of his subject and respect for his audience. “I always think of my audience as just one person,” he told the CBC’s Knowlton Nash. “Radio after all is just one person talking to another. I don’t talk down. I don’t talk up to the listener. I just say ‘hello’ and have a conversation.”

More at the CBC Archives web site.

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	Email this	Posted at 9:53 am (08 Nov 2007)

Dan Zeidler passed away suddenly Tuesday. He was only 56.

Zeidler began working at CBC as a teenager in 1968 doing summer relief, becoming staff in National Television News in 1971.

He left Toronto in the mid-1970s to work in Thunder Bay, moved to Edmonton as Senior Editor, and then to Vancouver. He took a leave from the CBC in 1989 to join The Newspaper Guild’s International staff and later moved to CWA/SCA Canada and was based in Winnipeg, where he worked until his death.

He was active in unions and was among the group of 12 CMG members who were locked out in 1972 for supporting a NABET strike. This group became known within Union circles as “the Dirty Dozen.”

Zeidler leaves his wife, Hortense, and his sister. The funeral will take place on Saturday November 3 at 2 pm at the Thomson “in the park” Funeral Home, 1291 McGillivray Blvd, Winnipeg. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made to the Winnipeg Humane Society or to a charity of your choice.

You’re welcome to share your messages of condolence and your memories of Dan here in the comments, or email drichmond@cwa-scacanada.ca and the messages will be posted on the CWA/SCA Canada website.

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	Email this	Posted at 6:03 pm (31 Oct 2007)