Bill Matheson dead at age 80

Radio news from Alberta

Postby Mike Cleaver » Wed Sep 20, 2006 4:19 pm

One of my long time friends and associates in this crazy business called broadcasting died today in Lethbridge.
Bill Matheson had a long career in both radio and television.
I first met him in May of 1967 when I started at CJOC in Lethbridge.
Bill was a newscaster and talk show host.
He and Ed Robinson had a talk show from 9 until noon Monday thru Friday.
Bill also was the weatherman at CJLH-TV where I also worked as booth announcer and later news anchor.
He spent a year in New York City after being hired by ABC but never got on the air because of union problems.
He came back to Alberta, to Edmonton, where he worked at CJCA.
That's where we met up again in the late 70's.
I was doing news at CJCA while he did a talk show with Bill Jackson.
He was also doing weather at ITV.
Bill was one of the funniest and most talented people I've ever met.
Today's news was announced on Global in Lethbridge during the noon news, Global being the former CJLH-CJOC TV where Bill began his long and illustrious career.
My thoughts and those of all his colleagues are with his family today.
Mike Cleaver Broadcast Services
Engineering, News, Voice work and Consulting
Vancouver, BC, Canada

54 years experience at some of Canada's Premier Broadcasting Stations
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Postby radiofan » Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:41 pm

Sorry to hear about Bill's passing.

When I lived in Calgary, I enjoyed listening to Bill and Bill on CJCA from Edmonton.
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
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Postby jon » Thu Sep 21, 2006 5:25 pm

I only ever met Bill once, when I bumped into him after he retired, at The Gramophone here in Edmonton, in the late '90s. He was in the classical section of the CDs.

We both knew that he didn't know me, having never met me, but we exchanged greetings anyway.

Having never been a fan of Talk Radio, I only listened to him when others had his show on, but I did see him doing the Weather on TV a lot, and agree with the consensus of everyone I've ever spoken to here in Edmonton on the subject: he is, to date, the best Weatherman that Edmonton has ever had. No contest.

Shane Michaels clearly had a tremendous respect for Bill. He kept apologizing for slipping into Bill-isms this morning on Easy Rock. He just couldn't put Bill out of his mind.
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