CBC’s Kate Aitken in post-war Paris

The CBC’s online archive has put online three of the eight still existing shows by Kate Aitken, longtime voice of women’s programmes in Canada.

One of these in particular is interesting from WREN’s point of view – the show from March 31, 1950, where “Mrs. A.” visits Paris, talking about everything from city planning and education to fashion.  She also answers listener’s mail in a very personable fashion, with her trademark (and to present-day ears striking) singson delivery.   It also shows the combination of public service and commercial concerns that worked through women’s programmes.  (Aitken’s stationery in the 1950s billed her as ‘the broadcaster for Good Luck Margarine’).

http://www.cbc.ca/video/swf/UberPlayer.swf?state=shareaudio&clipId=1811377852&width=512&height=126

Kate Aitken, besides being a fixture in women’s programming in Canada, was also an active member in the early years of the International Association of Women in Radio and Television, although this particular broadcast comes from before she joined the group.

As can also be seen in Kristin’s Skoog’s post about online materials in Sweden, features about life, and in particular women’s lives, in other countries appeared frequently in women’s programmes in the postwar era.