William Crooks
(Left) Dan Beaumont of Quebec City, who spoke about his admiration for Ted Silver dating back to the early 1970s, with Silver (centre) and event host Daniel Coulombe (right) during the tribute evening at The Piggery Theatre

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

The Piggery Theatre was filled Saturday evening with voices and memories from across five decades of local broadcasting as friends, colleagues, and community members gathered for a tribute to English-language radio in the Eastern Townships. The main focus of the evening was the recognition of Ted Silver, who was honoured for his long career and impact on the region’s airwaves.

One absence was noted early on: David Teasdale, who helped launch CJMQ and was scheduled to speak about the station’s present and future, was unable to attend due to illness.

The evening began with cocktails and dinner before guests moved into the auditorium for a two-hour program hosted by CJMQ’s Daniel Coulombe. He opened with a reminder of radio’s enduring role: “Radio is the theatre of the mind. The images don’t come automatically to your eyes. You have to make the images up in your head.”

Remembering Silver’s influence

Speakers emphasized Silver’s role in shaping the sound and spirit of CKTS and later CJMQ. Coulombe recalled how Silver would hold “air check” sessions, reviewing announcers’ taped broadcasts: “With Ted, it was a totally different affair, where you knew that having to deal with a teddy bear, you would ultimately always be okay.”

Former Alexander Galt coordinator Bob Halsall was introduced for his long service to student life, and former Lennoxville mayor and MP David Price shared his memories of CKTS as a teenager. Price described calling in to request songs on Friday nights: “Yes, you called in to put in a request, but you had a pretty good idea that you were probably going to end up meeting a whole lot of new people.”

A career in context

Silver’s contribution to local broadcasting had been profiled previously in The Record. In 2011, he was described as having “passion for radio, his encyclopedic knowledge of music, and his ability to nurture young talent.” That feature traced how he came to the Townships after working in other markets and became a central figure at CKTS before later supporting CJMQ.

Celebrating 50 years of English-language radio

The tribute was organized around four chapters in Townships radio history: the pre-1975 CKTS era, the launch of CKTS Music Radio in 1975, the growth of the station in the 1980s, and the founding of CJMQ in the 1990s. Each section featured stories from those who had been behind the microphone or in the control room.

Coulombe tied the themes together by stressing that radio is more about people than technology: “While you can take people out of radio, there is no way you can take the radio out of people.”

The Piggery event underscored that point, with former announcers and community contributors attending to share stories and reconnect with listeners. The reserved front rows were for dinner guests, but by the time the program began the theatre held dozens of others.

Silver’s legacy

Those who spoke returned again and again to Silver’s influence as both broadcaster and mentor. From his early years helping establish CKTS Music Radio to his later role supporting CJMQ, he was consistently portrayed as a supportive leader who valued both the craft and the community around it. His career, as remembered Saturday night, reflected the idea that English-language radio in the Townships was never just about music — it was about connection.