MUSIC – Radio & Television
Radio & Television
Commercial radio in Canada emerged in 1918, with the first licensed station beginning operations in December 1919. Regular broadcasts commenced a year later, initiating a twelve-year period that would transform mass communication. The industry expanded rapidly, growing from 39 stations in 1922 to 77 by 1932, while radio set sales reached 52,500 units in 1928, enabling national programming possibilities by the decade’s end.
The 1920s witnessed significant changes in musical preferences, as audiences shifted from vocal to instrumental performances. Urban concerts became more specialized, separating into distinct categories: choral, orchestral, chamber, and solo recitals. The CPR Festivals (1927-31), sponsored by the Canadian Pacific Railway, provided a notable exception to this trend, combining singers and chamber ensembles in presentations of folk-song arrangements and diverse musical styles to showcase Canada’s cultural heritage.
This period saw radio evolve from a hobbyist pursuit into a major commercial medium, bringing live music, social discourse, political debate, sports, and theatrical productions to Canadian audiences nationwide.
Broadcast transmissions brought major ensemble performances to remote communities, while Canadian artists gained recognition among potential concertgoers through their on-air appearances. The financial hardships of the Great Depression during the early 1930s created obstacles, yet by 1931, the audience had expanded to 173,200 listeners. Despite these challenging times, the radio sector continued to expand. The establishment of a public system called the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission in 1932 ignited nationwide enthusiasm, creating a new mass communication medium that would transform how citizens accessed news, entertainment, and musical content. This development concluded the era of solely private broadcasting, while establishing the framework for Canadian broadcasting services throughout the 20th century. Within just over a decade, this technology had evolved from an enthusiast’s pursuit into a significant cultural force. The Canadian National Railway (CNR) demonstrated this advancement by constructing a nationwide network, combining its own facilities with ‘phantom’ stations to deliver entertainment to train passengers.
The 1950's - 1970's
The 1950s and 1960s witnessed a remarkable convergence of live and broadcast music in Canada. Summer festivals in Stratford, Montreal, and Vancouver exemplified this trend, bringing together diverse musical styles under single venues. While some critics prophesied the demise of live concerts, believing they couldn’t compete with electronic media, these predictions proved unfounded. Instead, the concert season expanded, with summer festivals helping to establish year-round programming.
The 1950s marked a pivotal shift in communications technology, as television sets became increasingly common in Canadian households. This new medium transformed how audiences experienced music, particularly in the case of artists like Elvis Presley and the Beatles. Television broadcasts revolutionized audience perception, shifting from showing crowds as indistinguishable masses to capturing individual faces, whose reactions conveyed the excitement generated by performers. Simultaneously, as technological advances made electrical goods cheaper to produce, a boom in transistor radio production emerged. From the 1950s onward, radio broadcasting played an instrumental role in bringing popular music to ever-expanding audiences, significantly influencing listeners’ musical tastes.
The 1970s saw a significant evolution in Canadian broadcasting and live performance. After two decades of experimentation, FM radio’s potential was finally realized in earnest. A crucial development came in 1975 with the launch of a stereo FM network and the elimination of commercials on both AM and FM frequencies. This led to the emergence of two distinct networks with specialized programming: AM focused on news, information, light entertainment, and local affairs, while FM dedicated itself to serious music, drama, documentaries, and arts and culture.
During this period, orchestras became Canada’s most consistent providers of musical experiences, offering concerts, broadcasts, festivals, and tours. Chamber groups experienced a new wave of popularity as Canadians increasingly embraced their national performers. The watershed moment for live performances came during the 1967 centennial celebrations, when the federal government invested approximately $91 million in cultural activities across the country. However, in the years following this cultural boom, arts funding became increasingly scarce, creating persistent financial challenges for both performing groups and creative artists.
The 1980's
The 1980s ushered in revolutionary changes in how music was consumed and experienced. In 1981, two landmark developments transformed the musical landscape: the launch of MTV and the introduction of the Sony Walkman. MTV, as the first television channel dedicated exclusively to music, revolutionized music broadcasting by showcasing rock and pop artists through the newly available video format. What began as a simple promotional tool for pop songs evolved into increasingly ambitious productions with substantial budgets.
The Sony Walkman fundamentally altered how people experienced music in public spaces. This compact device allowed listeners to carry their personal musical selections wherever they went, radically transforming their experience of everyday environments. Shopping centres, crowded city streets, and subway stations took on new dimensions as listeners’ perceptions became shaped by their chosen soundtracks.
Despite significant economic challenges during the 1980s, including recessions and high unemployment rates, concert life demonstrated remarkable resilience. While some orchestras and organizations faced near-collapse or temporary closure due to financial pressures, the decade paradoxically witnessed growth in both the quantity and quality of public concerts. The continued demand for live performances persisted, even with the vast array of music available through recordings, demonstrating the enduring appeal of live musical experiences.