Huron Broadcasting

Huron Broadcasting was a Canadian broadcasting company active in northern Ontario between 1976 and 1990. Its business combined local radio and television operations, with Sault Ste. Marie serving as the principal centre of activity. The company entered the market in 1976 by acquiring the broadcasting assets of the city's former Hyland Broadcasting and Algonquin Broadcasting companies. That transaction brought a substantial group of radio and television properties under Huron's control, including CJIC-TV, the radio stations CJIC, CJIC-FM, CKCY and CKCY-FM, and stations serving communities elsewhere in the region: CJWA in Wawa, CKNR in Elliot Lake, CJNR in Blind River and CKNS in Espanola. Huron's initial portfolio was affected almost immediately by Canadian media-ownership concentration rules. Shortly after completing the merger, the company sold the CJIC radio stations to Gilder Broadcasting, a newly established company. Gilder subsequently changed the stations' call signs, with CJIC becoming CFYN and CJIC-FM becoming CHAS. This early divestiture illustrates the regulatory constraints that shaped Canadian broadcasting ownership and prevented Huron from retaining every property obtained through the 1976 transaction. The company also expanded its television presence. In 1977, Huron opened CKCY-TV in Sault Ste. Marie, adding a second local television operation to the market alongside CJIC-TV. Its television assets connected the company to the development of locally oriented broadcasting in northern Ontario, while its radio holdings provided services across several smaller communities in the Algoma region. Huron later began dismantling its radio portfolio through a series of sales. In 1985, Telemedia acquired Sault Ste. Marie's CJIC and CJIC-FM properties, which by then operated under the names CFYN and CHAS-FM. The other radio assets changed hands in two transactions involving Mid-Canada Radio. In 1986, Mid-Canada acquired the stations in Blind River, Elliot Lake and Espanola. In 1988, it acquired Huron's remaining radio stations in Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa. These transactions progressively removed radio from Huron's business and concentrated the former Huron properties among larger broadcasting groups. Huron's television operations remained until 1990, when Baton Broadcasting acquired them. Baton rebranded the stations as part of MCTV, aligning them with the Mid-Canada Television stations in Sudbury, Timmins and North Bay, which Baton also acquired in 1990. The same broader restructuring saw Mid-Canada sell its radio stations to Pelmorex; those properties subsequently formed part of the Pelmorex Radio Network until 1998. Following the 1990 sale of its television assets, Huron Broadcasting ceased to operate as an independent broadcasting company. Its legacy therefore rests not on a continuing consumer brand, but on the radio and television stations it assembled, developed and transferred during a period of consolidation in Canadian regional media.

Huron Broadcasting emerged in 1976 through the acquisition of the assets of Hyland Broadcasting and Algonquin Broadcasting in Sault Ste. Marie. The combined portfolio included CJIC-TV and several radio stations in Sault Ste. Marie, along with stations in Wawa, Elliot Lake, Blind River and Espanola. The acquisition gave Huron a broad regional footprint at a time when broadcasting companies were expanding their control of local and regional stations. Regulatory ownership limits quickly affected the composition of the new company. Huron sold the CJIC radio stations to Gilder Broadcasting shortly after the merger. Gilder later changed their call signs to CFYN and CHAS. Huron nevertheless continued to operate television and radio assets in the region and expanded its television presence by opening CKCY-TV in 1977. During the mid-1980s, Huron began selling its radio holdings. Telemedia purchased the Sault Ste. Marie stations formerly identified with CJIC in 1985, by then known as CFYN and CHAS-FM. Mid-Canada Radio acquired the stations in Blind River, Elliot Lake and Espanola in 1986, followed by the remaining Huron radio stations in Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa in 1988. The sequence of disposals left Huron primarily associated with television. In 1990, Baton Broadcasting acquired Huron's television stations. Baton incorporated them into its MCTV branding, which was also used for television stations in Sudbury, Timmins and North Bay acquired during the same period. Huron consequently ceased to function as an independent broadcaster. The related radio assets underwent further ownership changes: Mid-Canada sold its radio stations to Pelmorex, and those properties became part of the Pelmorex Radio Network until 1998. Huron's history is therefore chiefly a history of regional station assembly, regulatory-driven divestiture and eventual absorption into larger Canadian broadcasting networks.

• 1998

  Pelmorex Radio Network period ends

  [1]Huron Broadcastingen.wikipedia.org

  The former Huron radio properties that had passed through Mid-Canada and Pelmorex were part of the Pelmorex Radio Network until 1998.

• 1990

  Baton acquires Huron television stations

  [1]Huron Broadcastingen.wikipedia.org

  Baton Broadcasting acquired Huron's television stations and converted them to the MCTV branding.

• 1988

  Remaining Huron radio stations sold

  [1]Huron Broadcastingen.wikipedia.org

  Mid-Canada Radio acquired Huron's remaining radio stations in Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa.

• 1986

  Mid-Canada acquires three regional radio stations

  [1]Huron Broadcastingen.wikipedia.org

  Mid-Canada Radio acquired Huron stations serving Blind River, Elliot Lake and Espanola.

• 1985

  Telemedia acquires former CJIC radio properties

  [1]Huron Broadcastingen.wikipedia.org

  Telemedia acquired Sault Ste. Marie's CJIC and CJIC-FM properties, then operating as CFYN and CHAS-FM.

• 1977

  CKCY-TV opens

  [1]Huron Broadcastingen.wikipedia.org

  Huron expanded its television operations in Sault Ste. Marie by opening CKCY-TV.

• 1976

  Huron enters Canadian broadcasting

  [1]Huron Broadcastingen.wikipedia.org

  Huron Broadcasting acquired the assets of Hyland Broadcasting and Algonquin Broadcasting, taking control of television and radio stations in Sault Ste. Marie and several surrounding northern Ontario communities.

• 1976

  CJIC radio stations divested

  [1]Huron Broadcastingen.wikipedia.org

  Because of Canadian media-ownership concentration rules, Huron sold the CJIC radio stations to Gilder Broadcasting shortly after completing its initial acquisition.

A regional Canadian broadcaster focused on local radio and television services in Sault Ste. Marie and surrounding northern Ontario communities.

• Television station

  CJIC-TV

  A Sault Ste. Marie television station acquired by Huron in 1976 as part of the former Hyland and Algonquin Broadcasting assets. It remained among Huron's television properties until the 1990 acquisition by Baton Broadcasting.

• Television station · 1977

  CKCY-TV

  A Sault Ste. Marie television station opened by Huron Broadcasting in 1977. Baton Broadcasting later acquired the station and incorporated it into the MCTV television branding in 1990.

• Radio broadcasting

  Huron regional radio stations

  Huron's radio portfolio included CJIC, CJIC-FM, CKCY and CKCY-FM in Sault Ste. Marie, plus CJWA in Wawa, CKNR in Elliot Lake, CJNR in Blind River and CKNS in Espanola. The stations were sold in stages to Gilder Broadcasting, Telemedia and Mid-Canada Radio.

• 1990

  Sale of television stations to Baton BroadcastingM&A

  Background

  After divesting its radio stations, Huron's remaining principal assets were its television operations.

  Action taken

  Baton Broadcasting acquired the television stations and placed them under the MCTV branding.

  Aftermath

  Huron ceased operating as an independent broadcasting company.

  Source

• 1985

  Sale of Sault Ste. Marie radio properties to TelemediaM&A

  Background

  Huron began reducing its radio holdings after operating a multi-community regional portfolio.

  Action taken

  Telemedia acquired the Sault Ste. Marie stations then known as CFYN and CHAS-FM, formerly CJIC and CJIC-FM.

  Aftermath

  The transaction further narrowed Huron's business toward television operations.

  Source

• 1977

  Launch of CKCY-TVProduct launch

  Background

  After establishing its initial television and radio portfolio, Huron expanded its presence in the Sault Ste. Marie television market.

  Action taken

  Huron opened CKCY-TV.

  Aftermath

  The station remained part of Huron's television assets until Baton Broadcasting acquired and rebranded it in 1990.

  Source

• 1976

  Acquisition of Hyland and Algonquin Broadcasting assetsM&A

  Background

  Huron entered broadcasting by acquiring the assets of two predecessor broadcasting companies in Sault Ste. Marie and surrounding communities.

  Action taken

  The company took control of CJIC-TV and a group of radio stations across northern Ontario.

  Aftermath

  Canadian media-ownership concentration rules required Huron to divest the CJIC radio stations shortly after the transaction.

  Source

1. 1Huron Broadcastingen.wikipedia.org