Québec around 1980

Radio and television

Simone, who is 10 years old, is watching television with her grandfather.

Grandpa asks, “What are you watching, Simone?”

It’s my favourite show called Pop-citrouille. I watch it every day when I get home from school. My little sister watches Bobino or Passe-Partout on the other TV in the kitchen. After my show, I look at the other stations like Radio-Québec and Télé-Métropole to see if there’s anything good on.

Simone asks, “Grandpa, did you watch TV when you were young?”

Simone, when I was your age just listening to the radio was a big event! I remember the day we got our first radio. It was in the 1930s. All of our neighbours came over to listen to The Symphony Hour, a classical music show. Radio quickly became the main attraction at home. My parents listened to radio plays like Un homme et son péché (Heart of Stone). On Saturday nights, my uncles would come over to listen to the Montreal Canadiens hockey games.

See video in French at http://primaire.recitus.qc.ca/sujets/13/transport-et-communication/3999

When did you get a television, Grandfather?

When your father was about your age at the beginning of the 1950s. It was a black and white television with only one station: CBC. Television changed all of our family habits. First, we changed around the furniture in the living room so it could face the TV. Then, watching TV became the main family activity. Everyone came to sit in the living room to watch shows like Les Plouffe. Your father liked other shows like Pépinot et Capucine.

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