A new era in Canadian broadcasting began 83 years ago, when the CBC came into existence on Nov. 2, 1936.

Leonard Brockington, the chairman, welcomed listeners in this broadcast recorded two days later.

Speaking of the "ideas and ideals" discussed at the first meeting of the corporation's governors, Brockington laid out the two main tasks of the CBC as "to afford as many citizens of Canada as possible ... the opportunity to listen," and "to see that they can listen ... to the most acceptable programs."

Here, from CBC Archives, is a glimpse of some of the programming from the early days.

Royals on the radio

Fewer than three years after the CBC's birth, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth toured Canada by train for six weeks beginning May 17, 1939.

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on the platform of the Royal Train that took them across Canada in May and June 1939. ( Library and Archives Canada / PA-203283)

The CBC was there, bringing listeners a daily account of their activities, with rebroadcasts every evening.

On May 20, for listeners at home, it was almost like being there after the King and Queen unveiled the National War Memorial in Ottawa.

A nearby CBC commentator surveyed the reaction and captured the sounds as the smiling royal couple unexpectedly plunged into the crowd of First World War veterans, shaking hands and chatting with the soldiers.

After unveiling the National War Memorial in Ottawa during the 1939 Royal Tour, the King and Queen unexpectedly venture into the surrounding crowd of veterans. 9:04

War and a need for news

September 1939 brought the start of the Second World War, and with that, the news programming of the CBC expanded considerably.

This article in the CBC program schedule for the week of December 28, 1941, celebrates the first year of the National News Service, which began Jan. 1, 1941. (CBC Archives/CBC Programme Schedule)

An overseas program unit accompanied the first troops overseas in December 1939, and on Jan. 1, 1941, the CBC News Service was established.

An article in the program schedule for January 1942 justified the dedication of 20 per cent of broadcasting hours to news, due to "the most tremendous drama in the world's history" unfolding "in the daily chronicling of the news."

Bringing the story home

Matthew Halton was one of the overseas correspondents who brought the news of the war to Canadians at home.

Matthew Halton, CBC senior war correspondent, describing artillery barrage being laid down in the vicinity of Ortona, Italy. (CBC Still Photo Collection)

His description of the Allied battle for Carpiquet, in July 1944 is characteristic of his style, with vivid descriptions of his surroundings as well as of the attack.

"This is the morning we waited for," Halton told Canadian listeners back home. "A morning in France, a morning in which the fair fields in Normandy are torn and ripped and split apart."

It's two minutes to five in Normandy and CBC Radio's Matthew Halton is counting down the seconds to the Allied attack on Carpiquet. 8:11

It is also an illustration of the many recording feats of the engineers who were part of the overseas unit.

The 1944 edition of the CBC staff magazine called Radio has a description by recording engineer Alex McDonald of the recording he made with Halton.

Unit No. 4 somewhere in Italy. Shown in the photo, from left to right, are Matthew H. Halton, Capt. John Howard (public relations officer and conducting officer to the CBC in the field), Marcel Ouimet, engineer Alex McDonald (seated on fender), engineer Paul F. Johnson, Peter Stursberg. (CBC Still Photo Collection)

In the magazine, McDonald — shown in the photo above — recounts choosing a stone hen coop as an observation post, and the sound of chickens and ducks that squawked at their intrusion. He ran wires out to the battery of the jeep, his source of power. He recorded the barrage of Canadian guns, and that recording was quickly short-waved to Canada and played over CBC News Roundup.

The 1941 annual report of the CBC detailed the establishment of the news service, the achievements of the overseas unit, as well as the host of "talks" and music programs broadcast by the CBC.

Not just news — there was tap dancing, too

But there was also attention paid to the area of "Variety and Light Entertainment," because "the lighter and more humorous side of entertainment has not been forgotten."

Fireside Fun is a perfect example of such programming.

In the Friday night program, the announcer summed up as bringing listeners "a wide variety of suggestions for things to do at home ... and to thus help you in the saving of gasoline, tires and money."

In this brief excerpt, Toronto dance instructor Cecil D'Costa spelled out the importance of having "a parlour stunt that will keep the party humming" because "every member of the party likes to experiment with tap dancing."

Other episodes in the series promised to teach soap carving and how to start a glee club.