The man who first introduced television to Prince Edward Island in 1956 died Thursday at his home in Charlottetown. Robert F. Large was 90.
He was station manager and part of the family that introduced TV to the province in 1956 when CFCY-TV first went on air.
While most of his contemporaries in the radio field warned of the high risks involved with the unproven form of new media which had no established track record in generating revenue, Large, his wife Betty, along with family support forged ahead and built the Island's first TV station at a time when television sets did not even exist in Island homes.
The initial dream of bringing TV to P.E.I. had begun with Betty's father, Col. Keith Rogers, the owner of CFCY, who had introduced radio to the Island decades before.
Large's career began at the age of 18 as an announcer and operator in 1936 when he joined the staff of CFCY.
At the station he became close friends with Betty Rogers, a fellow broadcaster known as The Storyteller, and, in 1939, they married and settled in Sackville, N.B., where he held a staff position with CBC.
Their love of the Island soon brought them back to CFCY where Large would eventually become station manager.
Large was the last surviving member of the "Early Birds'', a five-member radio hosting team that was widely popular throughout the Maritimes.
Based on a format now known as "talk radio," the five men kept Islanders entertained and informed. Their signature theme on CFCY, "Keep on smiling . . . cause when you're smiling the whole world smiles with you,'' captured the youthful enthusiasm of the lively team.
After CFCY was sold to Maritime Broadcasting and CFCY-TV to the CBC, Bob and Betty Large enjoyed an active retirement, with travel being a regular part of their annual cycle until Betty's death in 1990.
A family spanning three generations of broadcasters, Bob and Betty Large saw two of their daughters follow in their footsteps with successful media careers.
Large's fascination with all forms of broadcast media continued in retirement with a special interest in international radio stations.
His remains are resting at the Belvedere Funeral Home. There will be no visitation by family request. A memorial service will be held on Saturday at 2 p.m. from the Kirk of St. James.
