105CJVR morning show host, Bill Wood celebrates 45th radio anniversary. (Angie Rolheiser/northeastNOW Staff)

By Angie Rolheiser

What 'Wood' Bill do?

Melfort program director celebrates 45 years and counting

Apr 15, 2019 | 1:43 PM

Doing anything for 45 years is a huge accomplishment and that is known all too well by Melfort radio personality Bill Wood.

105 CJVR’s program director and morning show host got started in broadcasting on April 15, 1974 and has never turned back on doing what he loves.

Wood not only hit the afternoon airwaves but also got involved with the community right away.

“When I started 45 years ago, Marv Chase who was my manager said, ‘There is a golf club meeting this weekend and you are going and you’re going to be a secretary,’ I still am,” Wood said.

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Wood continues to be no stranger to community involvement with being on the North East SPCA board.

He said he is very much looking forward to the grand opening of the Harry and Eve Vickar shelter set for this fall.

Wood also pointed to passion as being a key ingredient in a successful career in broadcasting.

“The rules that worked 15 years ago are still the rules that work today,” Wood said

“It’s stories, community involvement, playing good music, making sure you’ve got good people around you, and good support staff,” Wood said “The formulas don’t change that much. Technology does but the formula doesn’t change, ever.”

A typical day for Wood begins at around 3:45 a.m. each day and goes until around 1:30 p.m.

“In the summertime it’s a golf game or winter time it will be little lighter, and there is still a lot of naps,” Wood said with a laugh.

Wood said the obvious changing of technology has been a big change in his day-to-day over the years.

“It used to be that you’d come in and rip a bunch of paper, you’d find out what happened the night before but now you’ve got Twitter, social media, YouTube. You’ve got to find out what’s trending,” Wood said. “I don’t think it’s more time but I think you’ve got to be more specific with your time.”

Some of the radio veteran’s career highlights include the many SCMA awards he has been able to attend along with acts such as the Johner Brothers and most recently the Hunter Brothers.

105 CJVR brought home hardware from this past weekend’s SCMA’s for radio station of the year for secondary market.

Wood gave mention to longtime colleagues and music directors that remain in the Melfort radio station, Dave Baker and Cal Gratton as assisting with the radio station and its success over the years.

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser