Adventures in the Radio Trade
A Memoir
“Amusing and highly informative” ~ Kirkus Reviews
Adventures in the Radio Trade documents a life in radio, largely at Canada's public broadcaster, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
It's for people who love CBC Radio, those interested in the history of Canadian Broadcasting, and for those who want to hear about close encounters with numerous luminaries such as Margaret Atwood, J. Michael Straczynski, Stuart McLean, Joni Mitchell, Peter Gzowski and more. And it's for people who want to know how to make radio.
Crafted with gentle humour and thoughtfulness, this is more than just a glimpse into the internal workings of CBC Radio. It's also a prose ode to the people and shows that make CBC Radio great.
Step inside the CBC’s legendary halls with Adventures in the Radio Trade. Joe Mahoney’s memoir is a witty, heartfelt backstage pass to the golden age of Canadian radio, where technical mishaps, creative triumphs, and quirky colleagues shape a career—and a life—in sound. For anyone who’s ever wondered what really happens behind the studio glass, Adventures in the Radio Trade delivers a candid, often hilarious journey from rookie mistakes to audio mastery.
Discover how a simple job hunt became a lifelong passion for storytelling and sound. From botched broadcasts to star-studded dramas, Adventures in the Radio Trade captures the chaos, camaraderie, and creativity of CBC Radio’s analog era. Mahoney’s story is a love letter to the lost art of radio and the people who made it unforgettable. If you love stories about finding your calling in unexpected places, Adventures in the Radio Trade is for you. Follow Joe Mahoney’s transformation from terrified novice to creative force, all set against the backdrop of Canada’s most iconic radio programs.
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About the Author:
Joe Mahoney is an author/publisher/broadcaster, recently retired from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, where, for over more than three decades, he worked in several roles including recording engineer, producer, and several operational management roles.
He currently runs Donovan Street Press Inc., an indie press based in Riverview, New Brunswick.
Joe is the author of the SF novel A Time and a Place, the memoir Adventures in the Radio Trade, and the short story collection Other Times and Places, all available from Donovan Street Press Inc.
He's written and produced several radio shows on science fiction for CBC Radio, and has worked as a story editor on multiple radio, television and film projects including CBC Radio's Steve the First and Steve the Second, both seasons of Canadia: 2056, Canadian author and filmmaker Susan Rodger's feature film Still the Water, and more (see complete bibliography below).
Joe is co-host of the podcast Re-Creative with Mark A. Rayner, a podcast about art and creativity.
METADATA
Adventures in the Radio Trade
ISBN:
Print: 978-1-9994311-4-3
Hardcover: 978-1-9994311-6-7
ePUB: 978-1-9994311-5-0
ASIN: B0CH3TBSL6
Publication Date 2023
Book Length 289 pages
Word Count 87,722 words
Publisher/Distributor Donovan Street Press Inc.
Themes and Story Elements:
The intersection of technical mastery and creative expression
Adaptation and resilience amid institutional change
The search for meaning and identity in work
Accidental Career
Mentor and Apprentice
Trial by Fire
Behind the Scenes
Bittersweet Success