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overview
This page considers the Standard Broadcasting group of
Canada.
It covers -
introduction
Standard Broadcasting encompasses a commercial radio
network across Canada, along with minor multimedia interests.
As of February 2007 it is controlled by Allan Slaight
(1931- ). At that time competitor Astral
announced an agreement to acquire the group.
Standard
Standard dates from establishment of Toronto radio station
CFRB in 1927 by Ted Rogers Sr.
as a showcase for his rectified AC-power supply (CFRB
denotes 'Rogers Batteryless').
It went through several corporate changes during its decades,
with control passing from the Rogers family to E. P. Taylor
and then to J. A. McDougall of the Argus conglomerate,
which encompassed major stakes in retailing, paper manufacture,
mining and other interests. In 1968 Standard Radio was
rebadged as Standard Broadcasting.
Desmarais' Power gained over 50% of the equity in an attempted
takeover of Argus in the mid-1970s but failed to acquire
sufficient voting shares, ultimately acquired by Conrad
Black and associates. Black increased
Argus' stake in Standard before selling the network to
Allan Slaight.
Slaight
Slaight initially worked as a travelling magician in Western
Canada. His father was publisher of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald
and in 1948 acquired CHAB Moose Jaw. After positions at
that station Slaight became an executive of the CHUM
network.
The current group dates from Slaight's acquisition of
radio stations CFGM, Toronto and CFOX Montreal in 1970.
In 1973 Slaight and investment partners merged their radio
interests with IWC Communications Ltd (IWC). In the following
year IWC and associates rescued the bankrupt Global Television
Network: Slaight served as Chair and CEO until IWC exited
in 1977. CILQ-FM (Q107) in Toronto was launched in 1977.
Two years later Slaight Communications bought out other
investors in IWC, becoming sole owner of CFGM-AM and Q107.
In 1982 Slaight acquired Urban Outdoors Corporation, following
the same trajectory as Clear and other networks that expanded
into billboards. In 1985 Slaight acquired Standard Broadcasting
Corporation (inc CFRB and CKFM-FM Toronto, CJAD and CJFM-FM
Montreal, CKQB Ottawa, and CKTB and CHTZ-FM in St Catharines)
for C$180 million from Conrad Black.
To comply with CRTC caps on station ownership Slaight
sold CFGM and Q1O7.
In 1988 Standard sold CJOH-TV Ottawa to Baton Broadcasting.
Sale funded an expansion of the group's expanding radio
interests, which reached twelve stations in 2000. In 2001
Standard bought 60 radio stations from Telemedia
for C$400 million, retaining the most profitable and shedding
25 'underperformers'. It paid Craig Music & Entertainment
C$20 million for several radio stations: four stations
in London, three in Hamilton and three in St Catharines.
By mid-2003 the group included 51 radio stations, along
with television stations in Terrace and Dawson Creek,
British Columbia.
Prior to the Astral announcement Standard had recently
expanded into DVD distribution and post production, along
with operation of the online Iceberg Radio portal and
a 40% stake in Sirius Canada, a satellite radio provider.
holdings
As of 2003 Standard and Slaight family interests encompassed
- 51
radio stations
- two
television stations in Terrace and Dawson Creek, BC
- Urban
Outdoors Corporation - billboards
- a
30% equity interest in Milestone Radio Inc. (Toronto)
- a
30% equity interest in the Haliburton Broadcasting Group
Inc. (9 Ontario stations)
- a
30% interest in 19 rural Alberta stations and a Calgary
jazz station
- imsradio
- national sales representation company
-
Sound Source Networks - provider of programming
-
Iceberg Media - online broadcaster
-
Video One - distributor of prerecorded video cassettes
-
Instore Focus Inc. - instore sampling company
-
Professional Warehouse Demonstrators - onsite product
demonstration services
-
Canada Post Transfer Corporation - post-production facilities
and motion picture laboratories in Toronto and Vancouver,
and recording studios in Toronto.
Studies
There are no major studies of Standard or the Slaights.
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