Year Born: 1933
Year Died: 1999
Year of Induction: 1999
Pioneer – Member of CAB Hall of Fame
Craig, Stuart (1933-1999)
Stuart Craig was born to a broadcasting family. His father, John and a group of Brandon businessmen, had bought radio station CKX Brandon in the mid-40s from the Manitoba Government Telephone System when it relinquished its two licences for CKX and CKY.
In 1955, CKX-TV brought television to Brandon and Stuart was the station’s first cameraman. CKX-FM followed in 1963. Succeeding his father as President and General Manager, Stuart Craig nurtured and expanded these operations, and in the early 70s officially launched Craig Broadcast Systems Inc.
In the early 80s, Stuart foresaw the potential of digital cable services and started Skycable in Southern Manitoba. In 1986, he entered the Portage LaPrairie/Winnipeg market with the establishment of CHMI-TV. In the last decade of the century, Craig Broadcasting Systems purchased four venerable radio stations – CIRK-FM Edmonton (1993), CKCK-AM and CKIT-FM Regina (1996) and CKMM-FM Winnipeg (1997).
In 1997, the CRTC awarded Craig Broadcast Systems television broadcasting undertaking licenses to serve the Province of Alberta.
Craig Broadcast Systems Inc, with Stuart as Chairman and CEO, continued as a family operation, with his three sons – Drew, Myles and Boyd – holding key positions in the company.
Stuart Craig died October 30, 1999 – just two days before he was officially inducted into the CAB Broadcast Hall of Fame.
Written by J. Lyman Potts – October, 2000