Rick Howe

Howe was born Eric Fred Howe on 14 May 1954 in Oakville, Ontario, to parents Fred and Norma Howe (née Silliker). He had two younger brothers.^[1] His father served in the Canadian Armed Forces as a helicopter mechanic, and Howe spent several years living in Germany where his father was posted. While in Germany, he volunteered at a military radio station.^[1]

Howe began his career in radio in December 1972 at CKNB in New Brunswick,^[2] doing hockey play-by-play announcing. He joined CFBC in 1976 as the only news reporter at the station.^[3] He then became employed at CJCH-FM in Halifax in 1978, where he was the host of the radio program Hotline, one of the longest-running radio programs in Atlantic Canada until 2008.^[4]

Following the end of Hotline, Howe joined News 95.7 in Halifax where he hosted The Rick Howe Show.^[1] In 2012, he was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award at the RTDNA Atlantic Awards.^[2] After an extended leave from the station due to an illness,^[5] Howe retired from News 95.7 in 2021^[6] and moved to an oceanfront cottage with his wife, CBC journalist Yvonne Colbert.^[5]

Howe wrote a column for The Halifax Daily News,^[1] and was the author of three books across his career:^[7] Radio Talk (2010), Behind the Mic (2022),^[8] and Eyewitness (2023).^[9]

Howe died of cancer on 31 January 2024, at the age of 69.^[10] He was remembered by the Premier of Nova Scotia Tim Houston as "one of the most recognizable voices on radio in our region".^[7] Halifax MP Andy Fillmore issued a statement following Howe's death, writing that "his unmistakable voice kept us engaged and informed. He asked tough questions of decision makers — always with respect and his usual vigour".^[7]

Following his death, the CityNews broadcast studio in Halifax was renamed the Rick Howe Studio in honour of his contributions to radio in the Maritimes.^[1]

• Howe, Rick (2010). Radio Talk: Four Decades Covering the News in Atlantic Canada. Lawrencetown Beach, NS: Pottersfield Press. ISBN 978-1-8974-2619-7. OCLC 612718920.
• — (2022). Behind the Mic: Five Decades of Covering the News in the Maritimes. Lawrencetown Beach, NS: Pottersfield Press. ISBN 978-1-9897-2597-9. OCLC 1303565604.^[8]
• — (2023). Eyewitness: Atlantic Canadians Experience History in Their Own Words. Lawrencetown Beach, NS: Pottersfield Press. ISBN 978-1-9907-7025-8. OCLC 1381795955.^[9]

• Robert J. Thacker, co-host of The Science Files on The Rick Howe Show