Chapter Seven

Expansion, Rifts and Competition

living room CFCY was going to have to be on the air more fre-

quently. In order to do this several things were needed: studio facil- ities, more power, more staff, and, of course, more money. Besides its inconvenient location, the transmitter at Upper Hillsborough Street was too small. For three years now, Walter Burke and Dad had been oper— ating out of their homes—the transmitter in one, and the studio in another more than half a mile away, contact and transmission having to be made by telephone. The afternoon broadcasts from the tiny Kent Street store were too crude. Everything was too makeshift. Although Tony was doing a good job, and his announcing and technical skills were really improving, the store was barely breaking even. Some months. Dad, had a hard time finding the rent after meeting salaries and costs.

In 1926, Dad had written for approval to expand to 100 watts. Permission was granted along with this issuance of the new licence. Under Dad’s tutelage, Tony, with his quick mind, was able to assemble a new lOO-watt transmitter throughout 1927. The new transmitter com- pleted, Dad logically concluded that if CFCY was to expand properly, transmitter, studio facilities, and store should be consolidated under one roof, which meant a larger location. In January, 1928, he moved to new quarters at 143 Great George Street—now University Avenue.

The new place was a shop with a large display window and long narrow store space inside. Attached to the back was a low shed area for storage which he partitioned to serve as a studio and control room.

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It soon became apparent that after a year of broadcasting from our