ABOUT DON JAMIESON:

As a broadcaster and politician, Don Jamieson provided an invaluable public service to Canadians and notably to the people of his home province, Newfoundland and Labrador. A documentary, Just Himself: the story of Don Jamieson was written and directed by his grandson Joshua Jamieson, and was released in 2012.

Don’s involvement during Newfoundland’s confederation gave him a first hand taste of politics, campaigning for economic union with the United States – cast in the role of being the voice for Ches Crosbie. After connecting with Geoff Stirling, the two established CJON-TV and radio. Don continued to develop the Canadian broadcasting industry becoming the President of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) from 1961–64, during which he reached out with weekly ‘minute-torial’ nationally syndicated broadcasts.

He was elected as the MP for Burin-Burgeo (known today as Random- Burin-St. George’s) in a 1966 by-election and subsequently served as a member of Trudeau’s cabinet in the top portfolios of Defence, Transportation, Regional Economic Expansion and External Affairs. Through his various roles, Don brought infrastructure, signed the 200 mile limit protection at his home in Swift Current, NL and faced Russian spies in Ottawa. Don served federally until 1979, returning home to take on the Liberal leadership in a provincial election, squaring off against Brian Peckford.

After a short return to private life, Don was appointed to represent Canada as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, with “his fund of political anecdotes and Newfoundland stories [making] him a firm favourite with the Queen,” – published in the Daily Telegraph in 1986.

ABOUT BAS JAMIESON:

A household name to many in Newfoundland and Labrador, Bas Jamieson started his broadcast career on Canada’s west coast in 1958 in British Columbia before moving to Windsor, Ontario where he hosted a radio talk show that had a wide audience which extended into the United States, and he was subsequently named Citizen of the Year by the City of Windsor.

Jamieson retuned to Newfoundland and Labrador in the early 1970s to work at CJON Radio and Television where he hosted the daily OpenLine show and several TV programs.

CJON Radio became CJYQ radio (Q93) in the late 70’s and Bas was an icon of the station. Additionally to his duties hosting the daily OpenLine show he ran the news and current affairs area of the business.

Jamieson’s next move was to VOCM, where he was always on the other end of the phone for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians for OpenLine, Backtalk, and Nightline at various points during his tenure with the station. More often than not, when he answered, those callers would ask, “dat you Bas?” That phrase would become so entrenched in pop culture that subsequent hosts of the show were also met with it and it was parodied many times by the Newfoundland and Labrador comedy group CODCO.

Despite a number of attempts to retire, Jamieson returned to host VOCM’s daily talk shows at 71, answering the call of his fans to return to the airwaves.

Bas was a mentor to many over the course of his more than five decades as a broadcaster. He was recognized by the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) in 2006 with a Life Time Achievement award for his many years of work in the media business.

He was also involved in politics having been elected to St. John’s City Council in an At Large position in 1990.

His signature sign off, and the words he himself lived by, could not be more appropriate at this time. To give Bas the final word: “Do something nice for somebody today, you’ll feel better for it. Bye bye for now and god bless.”

ABOUT COLIN JAMIESON:

Colin Jamieson became a well known broadcaster, publisher and journalist in Newfoundland and Labrador and more widely in Canada. He began producing radio plays with the Canadian Broadcasting Company, but joined CJON Radio in 1951 to become a part-time announcer. By 1955, the Newfoundland Broadcasting Company introduced television and Colin took on broadcasting as a full-time career. He mainly worked behind the scenes producing many TV programs such as the nightly newscast News Cavalcade, hosted by his brother Don, The Holdin’ Ground, and specials featuring the CJON Glee Club. His production credits include many firsts such as the first live telecast of the St. John’s Regatta and the first live production of the First of July Memorial Service from the National War Memorial in St. John’s. He played a large role in the expansion of radio and television across Newfoundland as NBC grew, eventually becoming President in 1968. In 1975, after CJON radio and television were split, Colin led the founding of CJYQ 930 Limited and became its President and CEO. During this time, Colin also sat on the Board of Directors for CTV Television from 1969-1974, served as a Director of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters from 1970 to 1974, and was President of the Atlantic Association of Broadcasters.

In addition to broadcasting, Colin was interested in publishing which became his focus later in life. In the 1960s he was VP and General Manager of the Sunday Herald Limited which published the Newfoundland Herald. By 1988, he had started the Newfoundland and Labrador Business Journal. Colin recognized that there was an audience in the seniors’ community that was largely being ignored, so he founded 50 Plus: The New Age Senior in 1994. He continued to edit and publish the paper until 2009 when he retired from public life.