CJAD sets up Wall of Fame to mark 70 years of English radio

CJAD marks 70th anniversary The English radio station at AM 800 has set up a Hall of Fame to honour legendary broadcasters.

70 years ago a man by the name of Joseph Arthur Dupont opened an English news radio station in Montreal.

On Tuesday CJAD celebrated its founding by inducting three well-known voices into its newly-established hall of fame.

George Balcan was the host a whole generation of Montrealers woke up with, his warm, welcoming voice was the one you listened to for school closures and household remedies.

Gord Sinclair was the booming newsman with authoritative facts and observant editorials.

Ted Blackman was the sports broadcaster who travelled with the teams, keeping tabs on the match and the men playing it,

Terry "Aislin" Mosher knew all three "characters" -- as he calls them.

"I thought of George as a sort of father after my own father, Gord was a nice uncle and Ted was the bad brother," laughed Mosher.

Aislin's depictions of those Montreal radio legends will hang on CJAD's wall of fame.

The ceremony was attended by many CJAD hosts and fans, including Michael Farber, Bill Brownstein, and current morning man Andrew Carter.

"The radio universe is so fragmented yet CJAD still remains this powerhouse," said Carter.

Brownstein said the station has been a link for the English community in Montreal since its founding.

"It's a magnet for a lot of Montrealers, a tradition that's gone on for 70 years. It's part of the community," he said.

Listeners like Anna Maria Notaro also came to share the anniversary.

"This feels like family. I have a small apartment and every room has the CJAD on," said Notaro.

CJAD plans to honour more iconic voices that have been on the airwaves with events like this every six months as the station counts toward its 75th anniversary.