1925
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.

1927
In January, Rogers obtained an experimental licence for 9RB, which would become the world’s first broadcasting station operating solely from alternating current power lines, without batteries. On February 19th, 9RB became CFRB (RB standing for Rogers Batteryless), operated by the Rogers Radio Broadcasting Company.

1928
Rogers Vacuum Tube Company became Rogers Majestic Corporation Ltd., when Rogers merged his company with Majestic Corporation of Chicago. The new company controlled Rogers Radio Tube Company and Rogers Batteryless Radio Company.

1932
Harry Sedgwick was appointed President of CFRB.

1938
Rogers Radio Broadcasting was granted an experimental licence to simulcast CFRB-AM’s programs on the original FM band as VE9AK with 50 watts of power.

1939
Edward Samuel (Ted) Rogers died at the age of 38.

1941
The manufacturing assets of Rogers Majestic Corporation Limited (Rogers Radio Tubes Ltd. and Rogers Batteryless Radio Co. Ltd.) were sold to Small Electric Motors Limited. Rogers Majestic Corporation Limited changed its name to Standard Radio Limited, and retained control through Rogers Radio Broadcasting Company Limited.

1945
Control of Standard Radio (and CFRB) was acquired by Argus Corporation with the purchase of shares of Rogers Radio Broadcasting Company Limited.

1959
W.C. Thornton Cran was appointed President of Standard Radio, following the death of Harry Sedgwick.

1961
Standard Radio purchased radio station CJAD-AM Montreal from its founder, J. Arthur Dupont.

1962
On February 8, CJAD Ltd. applied to the Board of Broadcast Governors for a new FM station in Montreal to operate alongside CJAD-AM at its studios at 1407 Mountain Street, Montreal. On October 1, CJFM-FM was officially launched.

Standard Radio created Standard Broadcast Sales Ltd. to represent CFRB AM/FM, CJAD and CJFM, and other stations across Canada.

1963
Standard Radio set up a company known as Standard Sound Systems Ltd. to provide background music for stores and offices, and to install equipment for the purpose.

1966
The name of Standard Radio was changed to Standard Broadcasting Corporation Limited.

Standard Productions Limited was set up to administer the newly-created Standard Broadcast News Service, The Canadian Talent Library, two music publishing firms and the production and sale of syndicated Canadian radio programs.

1970
Standard Broadcasting Corporation (UK) Limited was established in London England as a consultancy service for applicants for licenses of commercial radio stations, and to be a sales representative for the emerging stations.

1974
H.T. (Mac) McCurdy, manager of CJAD Limited, Montreal, was appointed President of Standard Broadcasting Corporation Limited, succeeding retiring president, W.C Thornton Cran.

The CRTC approved the purchase by Standard of the controlling shares of Bushnell Communications, the licensee of CJOH-TV Ottawa.

1975
Standard Broadcasting Corporation (UK) Limited acquired a 27% share of the ownership of Capital Radio in London.

1978
Conrad Black and Montague Black acquired control of Argus Corporation. Argus Corporation controlled Standard Broadcasting Corporation, now consisting of 5 radio stations and one television station.

1979
Standard purchased the Eastern Sound Recording studio in Toronto.

1980
The CRTC approved the purchase by Standard Broadcasting Corporation Limited of CKTB-AM and CJQR-FM, St. Catharines, Ontario.

1981
The CRTC approved an application by Standard for a new radio station in Ottawa. CJSB-AM began broadcasting on August 31, 1982. (It was replaced in 1994 by CKQB-FM)

1985
Broadcasting entrepreneur Allan Slaight’s company, Slaight Communications, bought Standard Broadcasting from Argus. After having been President and General Manager of CHUM-AM and FM in 1965, and in 1974 becoming President and CEO of the Global Television Network (which he sold in 1977), Slaight had been owner of Toronto radio stations Q 107 and CFGM-AM, but sold these to clear the way for the acquisition of Standard.

1987
Allan Slaight brought his son Gary over from Toronto radio station Q107 FM to become President and CEO of Standard Radio Inc.

1992
On June 19th, the CFTC approved Standard’s applications to acquire, from CFCN Communications, Alberta radio stations CFCN-AM and CJAY-FM Calgary (the latter with retransmitters in Banff, Alberta, and Invermere B.C.). In the same decision, Standard was granted approval to purchase radio stations CFRN-AM and CJKE-FM Edmonton from Electrohome. Electrohome retained ownership of CTV Network affiliates CFCN-TV Calgary and CFRN-TV Edmonton.

1996
On May 8th the CRTC announced approval of the application by Standard, which had been filed in 1995, to acquire the assets of radio stations CKZZ-FM Vancouver and CISL Richmond BC from South Fraser Broadcasting.

On September 29th, the CRTC approved an application by Standard Radio Inc. (Standard), on behalf of a limited partnership to be established (SR Limited Partnership), to implement an intra-corporate reorganization involving the broadcasting undertakings of Standard. The Commission would issue new broadcasting licences to Standard Radio.

GP Inc., the general partner, as well as to Standard Radio Holdings Inc. and Standard Radio Inc., the limited partners, to carry on business as SR Limited Partnership.

2000
Gary Slaight replaced his father Allan as President and CEO of Standard Broadcasting Corporation Ltd., while continuing to head Standard Radio.

2001
On March 12th, Standard received a CRTC licence for a new FM radio station in Calgary. The station, which would have the call letters CIBK-FM, would broadcast on the FM band, on 98.5 MHz, channel 253C, with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts.

On December 20, Standard Radio Inc. (CJAD and CJFM) was given approval to purchase CHOM-FM Montreal from CHUM Limited.

In 2001, with the approval of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Allan Slaight was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada.

2002
Standard took ownership of CHOM on February 1, 2002.

On the same date, Standard received CRTC approval to acquire CKMM-FM Winnipeg, CFQX-FM Selkirk, and CKXA-FM and CKX-FM Brandon, from Craig Wireless International.

In April, Telemedia Radio sold off its broadcasting assets in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia to Standard Radio. In turn, Standard sold all of the15 Alberta stations to Newcap. Standard retained a 24% interest in these stations. In addition, Standard sold thirteen Ontario radio stations to Rogers Broadcasting Limited.

On December 20, the CRTC approved an application by Standard Radio Inc. for authority to acquire the assets of CILK-FM Kelowna and its transmitters CILC-FM Magna Bay and VF2329 Big White Mountain, from Silk FM Broadcasting Ltd.

2003
On January 1, Standard Broadcasting Corporation Limited stood as the largest privately-owned multi-media company in Canada with annual revenues exceeding $500,000,000, and the employer of almost 1,500 people full-time and some 6,000 part-time.

2004
In November 2004, a partnership between Standard Broadcasting, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and the U.S. Sirius Satellite Radio System filed an application with the CRTC to introduce Sirius in Canada. The application was approved on June 16, 2005. Sirius Canada was officially launched December 1, 2005.

2006
Standard announced plans for an initial public offering via an income trust. The market was however unreceptive to the offering, and it was cancelled.

On October 30th, the CRTC heard an application by Standard Radio and several competing applications for a new FM radio station in Regina. A decision was expected in the new year.

2007
On April 12th, Astral Media Inc. announced the signing of an agreement to purchase “substantially all of Standard Radio Inc’s assets”, subject to CRTC approval. This would make Astral the largest radio broadcasting group in Canada. Two television stations, CFTK-TV Terrace and CJDC-TV Dawson were also part of the deal. The Sirius Satellite service would remain with Standard.

CRTC approval was given on September 28th; the deal was completed on October 27th, and the following day the name Standard disappeared when the company’s name was changed to Slaight Communications.

The 24% interest that Standard had retained in the former Telemedia Radio stations acquired in 2002 and sold to Newcap was not part of the Astral deal; Newcap picked up the remaining 24% thereby assuming 100% ownership of those stations.

Subsequent to the conclusion of the Astral/Standard deal in April, on May 28th Standard was awarded the licence for a new FM station in Regina, to broadcast on 92.7 MHz and this station was folded into the application for approval of Astral’s acquisition of the majority of Standard’s assets. Astral put the station on the air as CHBD-FM on February 20th 2008.

Written by J. Lyman Potts - 2010

Standard Radio stations owned at sale of company to Astral Media on September 28th, 2007
(click on call letters for individual station histories)

Standard Television stations owned at sale of company to Astral Media on September 28th, 2007
(click on call letters for individual station histories)