Year Born: 1925
Year Died: 2009
Pioneer
Hutton, Wiliam (Bill) Malcolm (1925-2009)
Bill Hutton was born in Moncton, NB, On Mach 6, 1926. He attended school in Moncton and Saint John, N.B. and served in the Canadian Army, Carlton & York regiment in World War 11, at the end of which he was a Sergeant.
After the war, he hung around Radio station CKCW Moncton, and finally got a job gathering and writing news items for the station. This evolved into Radio Press Ltd., a provincial service serving CKCW, CFNB Fredericton and CFBC Saint John, affiliated with British United Press.
In 1956 he moved to Toronto with Broadcast News as a reporter-editor.
He joined CFRB Toronto in 1969 as its first News Director. News had always played an important part of the station, with such notables as Gordon Sinclair and Jack Dennett on its staff.
In 1967 Bill decided to accept a posting with CKWX in Vancouver as News Director, and a year later moved to Selkirk’s Ottawa News Bureau, replacing the retired Sam Ross.
When Selkirk became involved (via a 49% ownership) in the start-up of London England’s All-News Radio Station in 1973, Bill Hutton was the logical choice to head up the new enterprise. He spent the next ten years as Chief Executive Officer of the London Broadcasting Company (LBC).
When Bill returned to Canada in 1983, Selkirk had just purchased CFNY in Toronto, and Bill became General Manager of CFNY, which became one of the top stations in the city.
Bill Hutton retired in 1989, when Selkirk was purchased by Maclean-Hunter.
During his time in Canada, he was a member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery, president of the National Press Club, the B. C. Newsman’s Club, and the Moncton Press Club. He was founder and first President of the Radio and Television News Directors’ Association (RTNDA) of Canada. He received their President’s Award in 1983, and the distinguished Service Award in 1990. In 2008, the RTNDA introduced the Bill Hutton Award of Excellence.
Bill was a good listener, and obviously gave good advice, which left behind him a trail of friends from coast to coast and overseas.
Bill Hutton died after a short illness on May 13th 2009 in Halifax.
Written by Ross McCreath – August, 2009