Douglas “Darby” R. P. Coats (c1892-1973)

Radio pioneer.

Born in England, he came to Canada in 1911. He served for many years as a wireless operator and was on a ship that was torpedoed in World War One. He worked for Canadian Marconi in 1920-21, then became manager-announcer of the Manitoba Telephone System radio station, CKY, in 1923. He later managed other stations in Saskatchewan. Known to many children as “Uncle Peter” from his children’s radio shows, he was responsible for the supervision of Winnipeg’s first television transmissions in 1933. He later worked for the Manitoba Telephone System in public relations. In 1970, he was awarded a Manitoba Centennial Medal by the Manitoba Historical Society.

He died at Calgary, Alberta on 7 July 1973, aged 81 years.

More information:

CKY Winnipeg in the 1920s: Canada’s Only Experiment in Government Monopoly Broadcasting by Mary Vipond
Manitoba History, Number 12, Autumn 1986

Source:

Profile revised: 14 June 2009

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