Can You Get 15 Correct Answers on This CBC Radio Quiz?


Ashley Linkletter

7 Min Quiz

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About This Quiz

CBC Radio is more than just a broadcasting network in Canada; it's truly a cultural touchstone for the entire country. Like the maple leaf, the CBC logo has become a symbol of our nation — including all of the regional differences, historical complexities and political voices that can be found from sea to shining sea (and as far north as you can go.) Radio programs such as "Ideas" and "Spark" challenge the way we view the world, while shows like "q" and "Writers and Company" provide new perspectives on the arts and the literary world. From the international arena to local communities, CBC Radio brings the world of politics to Canadians in a thoughtful, compelling and fact-based manner. 

Depending on your age and exposure to CBC Radio, your knowledge of this iconic network could be vast and all-encompassing. Or maybe you're a new fan who has been introduced to the network via their award-winning true crime podcasts. Wherever you are as a listener, there's always something new to be learned about CBC Radio and its role in Canadian history. You're almost guaranteed to find out something new — whether it's about a new host, a fact about the history of the CBC or the way certain shows are taped. 

Are you a rare CBC gem who knows everything about the network? Let's see what you really know about CBC Radio!

Which of the following game show hosts used to read the news on CBC Radio?

Before Alex Trebek became the host of the popular game show "Jeopardy!" he used to fill in as a newsreader on CBC Radio. He also made regular appearances on CBC television, including the quiz show "Reach for the Top" and the variety show "Music Hop."


What year was CBC Radio founded?

CBC Radio was founded in 1936 and kept that name until 1944 when it became the Trans-Canada Network. In 1962 the station relaunched as CBC Radio once again, holding onto the name until 1997 when it was officially renamed CBC Radio One (it has held onto this name ever since.)


CBC Radio has three English language networks. Which of the following is not one of them?

If you guessed CBC Jazz, you know your CBC Radio trivia! For a brief moment in time — between 1997 and 2007 — CBC Music was known as CBC Radio Two until it was changed to CBC Radio 2 in 2018 (an intentional design choice.) As of 2018, the station was renamed CBC Music.


What is the name of the "As It Happens" opening theme song?

Performed by Moe Koffman, "Curried Soul" is CBC Radio's most recognizable, not to mention jazziest, theme song. In 2013 a newly remixed version of the song was put into rotation to the chagrin of many lifelong fans. The original recording had been made in 1969 and used until then.


Who was the host of "Morningside"?

Peter Gzowski AKA "Mr. Canada" was the host of "Morningside" for 11 years. Between 1986 and 1997, Gzowski's show presented personal essays, topical news items and interviews. Gzowski's popularity was largely in part due to his friendly, informal interviewing style.


The French CBC Radio is more often referred to as what?

Radio-Canada (or la Société Radio-Canada as it's formally called) is the correct name for CBC Radio's French-language division. The CBC's French and English programming divisions are separate from one another and aren't governed over by a single ruling entity.


This CBC Radio podcast investigates cold cases. What is it called?

One of 14 CBC Radio original podcasts, "Someone Knows Something" takes a deep dive into a different cold case each season. Host David Ridgen helped crack a murder case in season three, leading to the conviction and sentencing of a killer from a 2007 double murder.


What kind of programming does CBC Radio 3 focus on?

CBC Radio 3 does things a little differently than its sister stations in terms of content and output. With a spotlight on Canada's hottest indie acts and the local art scene, CBC Radio 3 streams on Serius XM, the CBC music website and iTunes radio.

Advertisement the acronym for which beloved but now-defunct CBC Radio show?

"Definitely Not the Opera," which aired its last episode in 2016, was a CBC Radio One program that presented personal essays, quirky interviews and other forms of storytelling. Nora Young was the host from 1994 until 2002, at which point former MuchMusic V.J. Sook-Yin Lee took over.


What is the name of the CBC Radio show that pits comedians against one another using a debate format?

"The Debaters" is a half-hour long show on CBC Radio One. Its format consists of two debates between two professional stand-up comedians. The winners are chosen by the audience, who must applaud the side who was the funniest as well as the most fact-based.


"The Vinyl Cafe" was known for its stories about which fictitious couple?

"The Vinyl Cafe" radio program featured weekly shows containing humorous yet poignant stories about Dave, Morley, their children, pets and neighbours. Dave is the owner of the Vinyl Cafe, a record store in Toronto, Ontario, which also helped the show segue into live musical interludes.


Which Canadian artist was the first to garner 1 million on-demand plays in the network's entire history?

Halifax, Nova Scotia-native Joel Plaskett began his career in the East Coast hard-rocking indie band Thrush Hermit. He eventually formed the Joel Plaskett Emergency, whose debut album "Truthfully, Truthfully" gained the attention and praise of music critics and fans alike.


Until recently, this person hosted CBC Radio's hard-hitting topical news program "The Current." Who are they?

Anna Maria Tremonti was the host of "The Current" from 2002 until 2019. Tremonti has received numerous awards for her achievements as a senior reporter and host on CBC Television's "The National" and "The Fifth Estate." You'll still be able to listen to Tremonti in the near future as she has two new podcasts in the works.


Which CBC Radio network used to play classical and jazz music 98% of the time?

CBC Music (formerly CBC Radio 2) used to be the go-to FM destination for all your classical, jazz and opera needs (and independent music if you were a late-night listener.) In 2007, the network changed its overall sound (much to the disappointment of devoted listeners) to include more adult-friendly classic rock and singer/songwriters.


With a strong focus on independent music, culture and means of expressing oneself artistically, what was the name of the show airing overnight on CBC Music from 1984 until 2007?

Youth culture at its finest, "Brave New Waves" showcased avant-garde artists, musicians, film directors and comic book artists. Creator Augusta La Paix produced the show at the Montreal CBC Radio studios, where she hosted the show until 1985, at which point Brent Bambury replaced her.


CBC Radio is what kind of corporation?

CBC Radio is an offshoot of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, which is a Crown corporation. Crown corporations are owned by Canada's presiding Sovereign (Queen Elizabeth II) and are founded as an Act of Parliament of the provincial legislature, although they are protected from overzealous government interference.


Nahlah Ayed recently took over as host of which long-running CBC Radio program?

Episode titles on "Ideas" run the gamut from "Just don't say his name: the modern left on Karl Marx's place in politics" to "A legacy of first: How mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani transcended boundaries" — always a treat for the brain. New host Ayed uses her strong background in journalism to create intelligent and thought-provoking stories for each show.


Who is Michael Enright?

As the host of "The Sunday Edition," senior broadcaster Michael Enright's voice is familiar to any CBC Radio-loving Canadian — he's also hosted "As it Happens" and "This Country in the Morning." He is the go-to presenter when it comes to special topics such as 9/11, the Gulf War and the Quebec Referendum.


Which CBC Radio podcasts is centred around a sleepover with three strangers?

Another win from Sook-Yin Lee, former host of D.N.T.O., the podcast "Sleepover" records the antics of three strangers attending a sleepover hosted by Lee. The show focuses on one of the participants who reveals a problem while the remaining two sleepover guests offer guidance and support throughout their sleepover.


If you're interested in the world of science you should definitely be listening to which CBC Radio program?

Whether you're interested in medicine, climate change, organic chemistry or astronomy, "Quirks & Quarks" has been the authority on science-based journalism for the past 40 years and counting. Despite the complex nature of many of the topics covered, the show always presents its programming in an accessible and highly informative manner.


The show "Out in the Open" aims to do what?

"Out in the Open" is a CBC Radio show about bringing personal stories and different perspectives into the open. Jack-of-all-trades CBC host Piya Chattopadhyay — you may have caught her on other CBC shows such as "q" and "The World at Six" — has recently brought issues such as microaggressions, provincial testing and indigenous experiences into the open.


The first season of this show pitted books by Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatje and others against one another. What is the name of this yearly literary competition?

In 2002, CBC Radio kicked off the "Canada Reads" competition with the previously mentioned authors (as well as George Elliott Clarke and Rohinton Mistry.) The competition has become an annual event, with major Canadian cultural icons defending the book of their choice — past participants have included Justin Trudeau and Samantha Bee.


Need to get an opinion off your chest? What is the name of the CBC Radio show you should definitely call?

Duncan McCue hosts "Cross Country Checkup," a radio program that invites Canadians to call the show and share their opinion on the topic of the week. Want to listen to the show live or call in? "Cross Country Checkup" is taped and broadcast across all six of Canada's time zones every Sunday afternoon.


You may recognize this CBC Music host as being a member of "The Guess Who" and "Bachman-Turner Overdrive." Who is this person?

Randy Bachman has hosted the CBC Music program "Vinyl Tap" since 2005. The ultimate radio version of a mixtape, "Vinyl Tap," features classic rock, jazz and pop with Bachman choosing a theme for the week and then offering cultural, personal and historical context for the songs he picks.


A former VJ on MuchMusic, George Stroumboulopoulos is the host of which show on CBC Music?

"The Strombo" show is about as freeform as it gets — Stroumboulopoulos actually records the show in his own living room. He doesn't just play his favourite music, he also hosts live performances in his home and records them for his show.


This CBC Radio One show has one goal — to demystify medicine for Canadians. What is it called?

Dr. Brian Goldman is the host of "White Coat, Black Art," where he explores some of the most pressing and interesting issues facing the medical profession (and their patients) today. With an unflinching eye, Goldman takes a deep dive into topics such as diversity and representation in medical school and the use of alternative therapies in palliative care.


Who designed the CBC logo?

Burton Kramer is a Toronto-based graphic artist who designed the CBC logo in 1974. The famous design is known as "the gem," and has undergone some minor changes over the years. Still, its core imagery stays the same: a C in the centre, which represents Canada and the radiating Cs moving outwards, which illustrate the broadcasting aspect.


The CBC Radio show "Spark" covers what kinds of topics?

Since its debut broadcast in 2007, "Spark" has taken a fascinating look at the way technology affects culture, politics and human behaviour. Host Nora Young has covered topics as wide-ranging as "Rethinking 'craft' in the age of digital reproduction" to "Scientists play 'Fortnite' to teach us about climate change."


Where can you find the central Canadian Broadcasting Centre headquarters?

If you're looking for the Canadian Broadcasting Centre headquarters, you'll have to travel to 250 Front Street West in Toronto, Ontario. To keep outside noise and vibrations to a minimum, the building sits directly on top of the rubber pads to keep recording conditions as pristine as possible.


Known for their in-depth interviews with esteemed writers from all over the world, what is the name of this literary CBC Radio host?

Eleanor Wachtel is the host of "Writers & Company," a long-running show that features compelling interviews with iconic writers such as P.D. James, John le Carré and Alice Munro. Wachtel's skills as an interviewer have earned her nine honourary degrees from universities and colleges across Canada.


CBC Radio and Radio-Canada won two major awards for their coverage of which Olympic games?

The CBC Radio/Radio-Canada team was awarded two Golden Rings awards for their coverage of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Russia. Both the French and English crews were given the silver medals for Best Digital Service and Best Olympic Program.


Which CBC Radio network includes programming in English, French and Inuktitut (amongst many others)?

CBC North provides broadcasting for Nunavut, Nunavik, Yukon and the Northwest Territories. In addition to the above languages, CBC North offers news, weather and pop culture programming in many indigenous languages, including North and South Slavey, Dene Suline, Tlicho, Inuvialuktun and Gwich'in.


Who was Stuart McLean?

Stuart McLean was a well-known Canadian humorist, author and host of CBC Radio One's "The Vinyl Cafe." McLean released the first episodes of "The Vinyl Cafe" in 1994 and officially started touring with the show in 1998, continuing his spoken-word tours until shortly before his death in 2017.


The name of this CBC Radio One show is a single letter. What is the title of the program?

Host Tom Powers explores everything pop culture in the weekday show "q." From thought-provoking interviews with celebrities, writers, musicians and other iconic figures, live musical guests and political commentary, "q" is a show that asks the big questions Canadians are curious about.


Which book won CBC Radio One's 2019 "Canada Reads" competition?

Defended by Ziya Tong, journalist and former host of the Discovery Channel's "Daily Planet," "By Chance Alone: A Remarkable True Story of Courage and Survival at Auschwitz" is a memoir about Eisen's experience as a prisoner at Auschwitz. In 2017, the book as shortlisted for the prestigious RBC Taylor Prize.


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