Listing
View the history of ownership groups in Canada
Acadia Broadcasting Ltd.
Acadia Broadcasting`s roots go back to this time when C.A. Munro launched CFBO Radio in Saint John, N.B.
Astral Media Inc.
In Montreal, four brothers founded a photo company, Angreen Photo Inc., which became the jumping off point for what was to become Astral Media, owner of the largest group of radio stations in Canada, with additional major ownerships in both conventional and specialty television channels. The brothers, Harold, Harvey, Sidney and Ian Greenberg, would each have significant contributions to make to the evolution of this exceptional company.
Bayshore Broadcasting Corporation
CFOS Radio in Owen Sound signed on the air on March 1 and operated on 1370 kHz with a power of 100 watts. Makeshift studios were in the basement of the Kilbourn Building at 2nd Avenue and 9th Street.
Bell Media Inc.
A history of the Bell media company from Alexander Graham Bell to now.
Blackburn Radio Inc.
When Josiah Blackburn purchased the Canadian Free Press newspaper in London, Ontario, and renamed it the London Free Press, it was the Blackburn family’s first step along the media road that would eventually find them as major players in the Ontario radio market.
CHUM Ltd. (1944-2008)
York Broadcasters Limited, owned by entrepreneur Jack Q’Part, was licensed to launch Toronto AM radio station CHUM 1050.
Cogeco Inc.
Henri Audet, who a decade later would found Cogeco Inc, first entered broadcasting when he joined the CBC, where he held increasingly responsible positions over the next ten years.
Corus Entertainment Inc.
On August 27th 1987, after many years of successful operation of its various cable systems, Shaw Cablesystems (which was later to become Corus Entertainment) made its first venture into over-the-air broadcast ownership with the acquisition of two Red Deer radio stations, CIZZ-FM and CKGY-FM. Further acquisitions by Shaw during this period included CISN-FM Edmonton (1988), CHAY-FM Barrie (1990), CKCK-FM Woodstock (1991), and CFOX-FM and CKLG-AM Vancouver (1992).
Durham Radio Inc.
On June 29, the CRTC approved the sale of CHOO Ajax by Golden West Media Consultants Ltd. (Elmer Hildebrand) to Durham Radio Inc. (Robert Marshall and Douglas Kirk). The commission also approved the conversion of CHOO to the FM band.
Evanov Communications
William (Bill) Evanov started in Radio as a salesman for a new radio station in Toronto, CHIN-FM, and quickly rose to Sales Manager. He stayed with the station for 13 years, during which time he learned all facets of the business, which gave him ambitions for the future.
Golden West Broadcasting Ltd.
Southern Manitoba Broadcasting (SMB) launched its first radio station CFAM-AM in Altona, Manitoba, on March 13th 1957, with eleven employees. One of those employees was a young copy chief, Elmer Hildebrand, who later would own the station and guide the company to being one of Canada’s most respected chains of small market stations.
Haliburton Broadcasting Group Inc.
On December 10, the CRTC granted approval of the sale of CFBG-AM radio in Bracebridge Ontario by Telemedia Communications Inc. to Christopher Grossman’s Haliburton Broadcasting Group Inc. This was Haliburton’s first broadcast acquisition.
Harvard Broadcasting Inc.
The Hill family’s business history started in 1903 with the sale of land on which the Saskatchewan Legislative Buildings are presently situated. The founding company, McCallum Hill Limited, was created in the same year by Walter H.A. Hill and E.A. McCallum. Over the ensuing 74 years The Hill Companies, headquartered in Regina, Saskatchewan, established a highly successful business in real estate and property management, while diversifying into a number of other businesses.
Pattison Media Ltd.
During the 1940s, a bright young student attending the University of British Columbia began buying used cars, driving them onto campus and selling them at a profit. He was so successful that he dropped out after three years to run a local Nash dealership – whose owner allowed him to complete his university studies on the side.
Maclean Hunter Limited (1887-1994)
In 1887, John Bayne Maclean acquired the publication, Canadian Grocer. The company was incorporated in 1891 as J.B. Maclean Publishing Co. Ltd. In 1905, he bought The Business Magazine, later changing the name to Busy Man’s Magazine and then to Maclean’s in 1911.
Maritime Broadcasting System Ltd.
The radio broadcasting station CHNS Halifax was founded in 1925 by Major William C. Borrett and fellow members of the Halifax Radio Listeners’ Club, Cecil Landry, Lionel Shatford and John Redmond. The group launched its first broadcast from the Carleton Hotel on 12 May 1926, with technical support from the Northern Electric Co. In the same year, the station came under the ownership of Halifax Herald Ltd.
Moffat Communications Ltd.
Lloyd Moffat and R.E. (Bob) Price purchased the failing 10-BI Prince Albert for $500. The station had been launched in 1925 by the P.A. Radio Club. Moffat became chief engineer while Price was business manager.
My Broadcasting Corporation
Jon Pole and Andrew Dickson had been family friends for years. After following parallel careers in broadcasting in Ontario for some time, they eventually decided that they should start a company together, to apply for a radio station licence, and in the fall of 2003 they jointly applied for an FM radio licence for Renfrew, Ontario.
Newcap Inc.
Harry Steele, President and CEO and controlling shareholder of Eastern Provincial Airways, formed the Newfoundland Capital Corporation Limited (NCCL). In addition to EPA, the company’s interests included Clarke Transport Canada Inc. and Atlantic Inns Ltd. NCCL would later form a wholly-owned subsidiary, Newcap, which by 2008 would own over 70 radio stations.
Power Broadcasting Inc.
Power Corporation of Canada was founded as an electrical utility company in 1925 by Arthur J. Nesbitt and Peter A. Thompson. Over the years it branched out and became a diversified and multinational management and holding company that concentrated mostly on financial services, but also had interests in asset management, energy and other sectors.
Radio Nord (RNC Media Inc.)
With the acquisition from Roy (later Lord) Thomson of Abitibi Témiscamingue AM radio stations CKRN Rouyn, CHAD Amos and CKVD Val d’Or, brothers Jean-Joffre and David Armand Gourd, together with Roger Charbonneau, became owners of what was to become a major Quebec radio and television station group, Radio Nord (which would later become RNC Media). The stations were supplementary affiliates of CBC Quebec.
Rawlco Radio Inc.
What was eventually to become Rawlco Radio Inc. began when a group of residents who called themselves the Prince Albert Radio Club applied for a licence for a radio station in 1925.
Rogers Media
In August, the first appearance of the name Rogers on the Canadian broadcasting scene came with the introduction of the Rogers Batteryless Radio at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. The break-through invention was powered by alternating current (A.C.), thanks to the new tubes that Edward S. (Ted) Rogers had invented, which did not need batteries, and which eliminated the severe hum that had previously been triggered by the use of alternating current. The development of the new receiver had been financed by Edward’s father Albert’s holding company, Standard Radio Manufacturing Corporation Ltd. (Standard).
Selkirk Communications Ltd. (1920’s-1989)
In the 1920s, when radio began, it was logical that the first people to start selling radio receivers were the local mechanical shops, since this new “gadget” was battery powered – by larger batteries than the size of a car battery. In Edmonton, Hugh Pearson’s auto shop started CJCA, and Harold Carson in Lethbridge bought CJOC (some say he won it in a poker game!). They started talking about their problems with this new thing called radio.
Shaw Media
The Edmonton-based Shaw family took its first steps into the world of broadcasting on December 9th. JR Shaw, in partnership with R.K. Banister and Lyle Roper, incorporated Capital Cable Television Co. Ltd.
Standard Broadcasting
Edward S. Rogers and his brother Elsworth, with funding from their father Albert, formed the Standard Radio Manufacturing Corporation Ltd. This company would make and market unique radio receivers that incorporated the revolutionary receiving tubes and rectified A.C. power supply that Edward had invented – the first batteryless radios. Standard was renamed the Rogers Vacuum Tube Company, but the name Standard was not to disappear for too long.
Stingray Group Inc.
Stingray Digital was founded by a partnership of Eric Boyko, Alexandre Taillefer and Telesystem. This followed the group’s purchase Soundchoice for $6 million.
Telemedia Communications (1968-2002)
Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien founded Telemedia (Quebec) Ltd. He had been director of operations for Expo 67. Power Corporation was the largest shareholder in Telemedia, which administered CHLT-AM-FM-TV and CKTS Sherbrooke. The French-language CHLT stations operated under the name Radio-Television Sherbrooke (1967) Inc. with Jean-Louis Gauthier as president. CKTS (English) was operated by subsidiary company, Telegram Printing & Publishing Co. Ltd. with Lt. Col. John J. Dunn, president.
Vista Broadcast Group Inc.
In late July, it was announced that they had purchased CFCP Radio Ltd., owners of CFCP-FM Courtenay, CFWB-AM Campbell River, CFNI-AM Port Hardy, CFPW-FM Powell River and CJSU Duncan, owned by Dick Drew, all on Vancouver Island and an application had been sent to the CRTC. In early August it was announced that an application for 9 more stations in Northern BC had also been sent to the CRTC – they were Cariboo Central Interior Radio Inc., owners of CKBX 100 Mile House, CFLD Burns Lake, CJCI-FM and CIRX-FM Prince George, CKCQ-FM Quesnel, CFBV Smithers, CIVH Vanderhoof, CKWL and CFFM-FM Williams Lake and numerous re-broadcast stations in northern B.C.
Western Broadcasting Co. (WIC/Westcom)
Western Broadcasting Co. purchased CKNW-AM New Westminster in February. WBC was controlled by accountant Frank Griffiths and the Ballard family. The station was acquired from Bill Rea who founded the station in 1944.