A group of senior sales executives left Stephens & Towndrow Broadcast Reps in late 1966 to set up shop as Major Market Broadcasters. The founding principals included Bob Munro, Emmery Richmond, Len Kennedy and Ed Ross.
The company was incorporated on April 10 1967 and opened offices in Montreal and Toronto. In the beginning the CHUM organization was their only client and the original concept was dedicated to the representation of radio stations larger markets only. This easily embraced the CHUM property in Ottawa CFRA, but was expanded to include CKPT Peterborough.
Over time additional staff included such people as John Rourke, Dick Sheppard, Ken Monroe, Justin McCarthy and Bob Harman. Also hired was President Denny Whittaker who had previously established a fine record in the Canadian military.
More stations were soon added such as London’s CFPL and all of the Moffat stations in Winnipeg, Moose Jaw, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. It was inevitable that the major broadcasters would seek and be granted equity in this growing very successful enterprise. As a result, CHUM, CFPL and Moffat became partners.
Denis Whittaker retired in the 70’s to be succeeded by Bob Munroe and later by Larry Lamb and then, Tim Steele. Offices were opened in Halifax, Winnipeg and Vancouver.
MMB was also responsible for providing the first focus on FM station sales with the creation of FM Canada. This separate division recognized the growing popularity of this technology and was forerunners in expanding advertising budgets to include it. Over the years this dynamic, innovative organization grew to represent 60 radio stations from every Province and Territory.
In time stations of the Rawlinson family (Rawlco) became clients as well. In the late 1990’s CHUM purchased all of the outstanding shares of this private organization and assimilated in to their corporate structure.
The successor company is now known as CHUM Radio Sales.
Among others who have been with MMB at one time or another are Stu Waldo, Vern Legault John Anderson and Yves Demontigny in Montreal – Halifax’s Eldon McKeegan – Claude Brooks in Winnipeg – John Newberry and Bart Gibb in Vancouver. Some of the more familiar grads of the Toronto office are Tim Steele, Peter Thompson, Dave Graham, Bill Brown, Jamie Clare, Doug Newell, Peter Viner, Kerry French, Tom Harlocker, Irv Skinner, and Tom Flaherty.
Larry Lamb – 2003