By Charles Lefebvre

Jim Duce celebrates 45 years on radio in Medicine Hat

Jul 17, 2018 | 4:25 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — In 1973, Pierre Trudeau was Canada’s Prime Minister, Richard Nixon was U.S President, the Montreal Canadiens won their 18th Stanley Cup, the Ottawa Rough Riders hoisted the Grey Cup and the Miami Dolphins capped off a perfect season with their victory in Super Bowl VII.

It was also the year when Jim Duce, one-half of the CHAT 94.5 FM morning show, signed on for the first time. Now, 45 years later, he says he still enjoys getting into the booth and going on the air.

“It’s still fun,” he said. “It’s fun when you get up, go to work in the morning, and you don’t look like it like it’s a job.

“You’re going to go have some fun, and that’s what radio is all about. You get on the radio and you talk about stuff in the community, stuff that’s making news that is fun, and you talk about things that are important to you. How can that be a job?”

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A large crowd came out to the 13th Avenue Co-op Tuesday morning to celebrate Duce’s anniversary on the air. The anniversary was marked with a barbecue, and donations were collected for the SPCA.

Duce moved to Medicine Hat in 1973, when CHAT 94.5 was known as 1270 CHAT AM and owned by Monarch Broadcasting (CHAT 94.5 is currently owned by the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group, which also owns MY96, CHAT Television and CHAT News Today in Medicine Hat). He says he originally only intended to stay in Medicine Hat for a year or two, but fell in love with the city.

“Medicine Hat is perfect, not too big and not too small,” he said. “So many of the amenities I really liked, and I’m a small-town boy. To look back and say that was 45 years ago is a little unreal.”

Duce has been on the morning show since 1974, and is also the public address announcer at Medicine Hat Tigers games. He says it’s the people in the community have contributed to his favourite memories in his career.

“That’s always been my favourite thing, the people who make up Medicine Hat and the surrounding area,” he said. “So many friendships have grown over the years.”

Duce says he plans to stay on the air for the foreseeable future.