Station VOGF, Grand Falls, 1933

Geraldine (Christian) Power

Geraldine Power is a spry senior citizen living in Grand Falls, Newfoundland. She was the first female radio announcer in Newfoundland. The radio station was located in the living room of her parents' house.

IN 1933, MY FATHER, Sandy Christian, built radio station VOGF (Voice Of Grand Falls.) It operated on an assigned frequency of 1030 kcs, with an output of 200 watts.

This station was built for my benefit, and being a teenager at the time, I had to take on a big responsibility. Just looking at the mike made me nervous. It was a tall mike and had to be lowered down to my height.

I was to operate the station while my father was at work. This was from morning until 6 p.m. My father would rush home from the office just before 6 p.m. to read the Postal Telegram news bulletin, which people looked forward to each evening.

The station was very popular with listeners, especially during the daytime hours, for one reason. It was the only reception they could pick up on their radios.

The people who advertised were E. V. Royal Stores, Co-Op, S. Cohen & Sons, and Ford Basha Insurance, along with many spot announcements during the day and night. Phil Ryan also had an evening broadcast of local news.

Sundays my father would take over the station and throughout the day hymns would be played.

The living room of our house was equipped with a piano, an organ, and of course, a gramophone. We would order our records from New York. If we had saved those records, they would be collectors' items. They were made from a cardboard film, shiny on one side, which was the playing surface.