Reproduced with permission from The Beacon Supplement July 31, 1991

Contributed by Carol  (Mercer) Walsh - Class 1954

VORG Gander:  570 on your Dial

 The birth of the New Year 1944 brought with it the birth of a new venture for the Royal Canadian Air Force at Gander.  Gander’s very first radio station – VORG, Voice of Radio Gander was introduced officially to a large audience on January 1.

 The first voice over the air waves of Gander was that of Command Officer Group Captain C.L. Anis, O.B.E.  It was appropriate that he should officiate at the opening ceremonies for the radio station was his own idea. 

In his opening remarks, he said, “I have always been anxious to have a broadcast system on this station because it is so large physically.  I have felt that if we are to maintain and exploit the Happy Gander Family principle, we must do something to make the station smaller so far as intercommunication, exchange of ideas and singleness of purpose among family members is concerned by providing a means less stilted in style than the D.R.O.’s and more flexible and all embracing than the telephone system.” 

 VORG provided recorded programs of both classical, jive, newscasts and sports roundup in addition to a few special features including the popular Sunday evening spot, “The C.O. Plays Host.”

 The new radio station provided special events and feature spots building up their schedule and expanding their daily broadcasting hours to the utmost.  Everyone that owned a radio could tune in for Canadian news, the latest in Canadian sports and many other types of programs designed for the enjoyment of the listening audience. 

 The original service worked under a slight handicap.  The first studio was set up in the basement of the Commanding Officer’s home and, while this arrangement proved adequate, it was soon moved to a larger home which included a large and small studio, a control room, a record library, a transmitter room and an office.

 Remote broadcasts from the RCAF Theater, church services from the chapel, sports events from the drill hall and Eugene Hill’s recorded classical hour were all featured. 

…..END…

Note:  After the war the station become inoperative for a brief period but the Broadcasting Corporation of Newfoundland acquired and reactivated the station in 1948.  When the province joined Canada, the station was taken over by the Canadian Broadcasting  Corporation and was subsequently renamed CBG as of April 1, 1949.

webster note: The building that housed VORG was later occupied by Goodyear's Cash & Carry on Foss Avenue.