John Gilbert (broadcaster)

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John Gilbert (14 September 1930 - 14 September 1998)^[1]^[2] was a Canadian radio broadcaster.

Gilbert was a broadcaster with CJCH Halifax until Toronto's 1050 CHUM radio announced in February 1971 that he would succeed Larry Solway as host of the talk show Speak Your Mind.^[3] In 1973, he became the most successful radio talk show host in Canada with 120 000 measured listeners, more than Vancouver media legend Jack Webster.^[4] Gilbert's term with CHUM ended in 1977.^[2]

In 1980, Gilbert hosted Night Talk, a weekday late night program planned as a national talk show. However, the CRTC ordered that the network of stations broadcasting the programme be cut back to the six stations then owned by Maclean-Hunter: CFCN Calgary, CFCO Chatham, CHNS Halifax, CKGL-FM Kitchener, CKOY Ottawa and CKEY Toronto.^[5] However, this effort was short-lived.^[6]

[edit] Career

c. 1962: CHEX, Peterborough, Ontario
years unknown: CFBC, Saint John, New Brunswick
years unknown: CKSF, Cornwall, Ontario
???-1971: CJCH, Halifax
1971-1977: CHUM, Toronto
1978-1980: CKFH, Toronto
1984-1986: CKO, Toronto (national radio network)
1990s: CKTB, St. Catharines, Ontario

[edit] References

^ "Birth and Death notices", The Globe and Mail, 17 September 1998, p. A18. Indicated death on 68th birthday.
^ ^a ^b Pron, Nick. "John Gilbert was famous for on-air advice", Toronto Star, 16 September 1998. Rock Radio Heaven obituary page indicated a conflicting date of death, the previous day (13 September).
^ Kirby, Blaik. "Television: The Bruins' gay dog deflates athlete image (multi-topic article)", The Globe and Mail, 2 February 1971, p. 11.
^ Kirby, Blaik. "There's NOTHING women won't discuss on hotlines", The Globe and Mail, 12 May 1973, p. 27.
^ "Briefly: CRTC cuts off talk-show network", The Globe and Mail, 30 July 1980, p. 13.
^ McLean, Ross. "Killing the host the Canadian way", The Globe and Mail, 21 July 1984, p. 12.