J. Conrad Lavigne
Encyclopedia
J. Conrad Lavigne, CM
, O.Ont
(November 2, 1916 - April 16, 2003) was a pioneering Canadian
media proprietor
.
Born in Chénéville, Quebec, Lavigne was raised in Cochrane, Ontario
. He joined the Canadian Forces
in 1942 and fought in World War II
. When he returned to Canada following the war, he settled in Kirkland Lake, where he purchased the Prince George Hotel, working as joint owner from 1946 to 1948, then owner from 1948 to 1950 and then became a radio host for CJKL
. He subsequently moved to Timmins
and applied for a broadcasting license; CFCL
went to air in 1952 as the first French language
radio station in Ontario. (The first French language radio station in Canada outside of Quebec
was launched in 1946 in Saint-Boniface, Manitoba.)
In 1956, Lavigne also received a television license. CFCL-TV
went to air that year as a dual affiliate of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
's English and French television networks. Lavigne subsequently added rebroadcast transmitters in several other communities. By 1965, he owned the largest private microwave
transmission network in the world.
In 1971, Lavigne expanded into Sudbury and North Bay
. CKNC
in Sudbury and CHNB
in North Bay went to air that year as CBC affiliates. The former CBC affiliates in those cities, CKSO
and CKNY
, reaffiliated with CTV
, and their owner, Cambrian Broadcasting, established a new CTV station, CITO
, in Timmins. In 1974, Lavigne also acquired CHRO
in Pembroke
.
By 1980, Conrad divested himself of his broadcast holdings, primarily because he was refused permission to operate a cable service in the north, as authorities feared a monopoly. His communication companies were in a financial crisis, due to aggressive competition for advertising dollars in small markets. As a result, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission approved a merger into the MCTV
. In the end, his private network stretched from Moosonee
to Ottawa
, and from Hearst
and Chapleau
to Matagami, Quebec
. He was serving a population of 1.5 million.
In 1983, Lavigne received an honorary doctorate from Sudbury's Laurentian University
, and was named a member of the Order of Canada
, in recognition of his pioneering contributions to Canadian broadcasting. He was also named to the Order of Ontario
in 1994.
In his later years, Lavigne was a prominent residential real estate developer in Timmins. Lavigne died in Timmins on April 16, 2003.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, O.Ont
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
(November 2, 1916 - April 16, 2003) was a pioneering Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
media proprietor
Media proprietor
A media proprietor is a person who controls, either through personal ownership or a dominant position in any media enterprise. Those with significant control of a public company in the mass media may also be called "media moguls", "tycoons", "barons", or "bosses".The figure of the media proprietor...
.
Born in Chénéville, Quebec, Lavigne was raised in Cochrane, Ontario
Cochrane, Ontario
Cochrane is a town in northern Ontario, Canada. It is located east of Kapuskasing, northeast of Timmins, south of Moosonee, and north of Iroquois Falls. It is about a one-hour drive from Timmins, the major city of the region. It is the seat of Cochrane District...
. He joined the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
in 1942 and fought in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. When he returned to Canada following the war, he settled in Kirkland Lake, where he purchased the Prince George Hotel, working as joint owner from 1946 to 1948, then owner from 1948 to 1950 and then became a radio host for CJKL
CJKL-FM
CJKL-FM 101.5 is an FM radio station in Kirkland Lake, Ontario. The station is owned by Connelly Communications Corporation, which also owns CJTT-FM in Temiskaming Shores. Connelly Communications is owned by Rob Connelly of Kirkland Lake....
. He subsequently moved to Timmins
Timmins
Timmins is a city in northeastern Ontario, Canada on the Mattagami River. At the time of the Canada 2006 Census, Timmins' population was 42,997...
and applied for a broadcasting license; CFCL
CHYK-FM
CHYK-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at FM 104.1 in Timmins, Ontario. It broadcasts a francophone hot adult contemporary format for the city's Franco-Ontarian community. It is owned by Le5 Communications, and branded as Le Loup 104.1....
went to air in 1952 as the first French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
radio station in Ontario. (The first French language radio station in Canada outside of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
was launched in 1946 in Saint-Boniface, Manitoba.)
In 1956, Lavigne also received a television license. CFCL-TV
CFCL-TV
CFCL-TV was a television station in Timmins, Ontario. In operation from 1956 to 2002 as a private affiliate of CBC Television, it now operates only as a rebroadcaster of Toronto's CBLT with the call sign CBLT-7.-History:...
went to air that year as a dual affiliate of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
's English and French television networks. Lavigne subsequently added rebroadcast transmitters in several other communities. By 1965, he owned the largest private microwave
Microwave
Microwaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
transmission network in the world.
In 1971, Lavigne expanded into Sudbury and North Bay
North Bay, Ontario
North Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing.-History:...
. CKNC
CKNC-TV
CKNC-TV was a television station in Sudbury, Ontario. In operation from 1971 to 2002 as a private affiliate of CBC Television, it is now a repeater of the network's station in Toronto, CBLT.-History:...
in Sudbury and CHNB
CHNB-TV
CHNB-TV was a television station in North Bay, Ontario. In operation from 1971 to 2002 as a private affiliate of CBC Television, it is now a repeater of the network's station in Toronto, CBLT.-History:...
in North Bay went to air that year as CBC affiliates. The former CBC affiliates in those cities, CKSO
CICI-TV
CICI-TV is a Canadian television station, broadcasting in Sudbury, Ontario. It is an owned-and-operated station of the CTV Television Network, and is the flagship station of that network's system in northern Ontario, CTV Northern Ontario....
and CKNY
CKNY-TV
CKNY is a Canadian television station, broadcasting in North Bay, Ontario. It is an owned-and-operated station of CTV.-History:...
, reaffiliated with CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
, and their owner, Cambrian Broadcasting, established a new CTV station, CITO
CITO-TV
CITO is a Canadian television station, broadcasting in Timmins, Ontario. It is an O&O of CTV. CITO also broadcasts on channel 10 in Kapuskasing, channel 11 in Kirkland Lake, channel 4 in Hearst and channel 9 in Chapleau.-History:CITO was established in 1971 as CKSO-TV-2, originally rebroadcasting...
, in Timmins. In 1974, Lavigne also acquired CHRO
CHRO-TV
CHRO-TV is a television station serving the National Capital and Ottawa Valley regions of Ontario, Canada. Owned by Bell Media, it is part of the CTV Two television system....
in Pembroke
Pembroke, Ontario
Pembroke is a city in the province of Ontario, Canada, at the confluence of the Muskrat River and the Ottawa River in the Ottawa Valley...
.
By 1980, Conrad divested himself of his broadcast holdings, primarily because he was refused permission to operate a cable service in the north, as authorities feared a monopoly. His communication companies were in a financial crisis, due to aggressive competition for advertising dollars in small markets. As a result, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission approved a merger into the MCTV
Mid-Canada Communications
Mid-Canada Communications was a Canadian media company, which operated from 1980 to 1990. The company, a division of Northern Cable, had television and radio holdings in Northeastern Ontario.-MCTV:...
. In the end, his private network stretched from Moosonee
Moosonee, Ontario
Moosonee is a town in northern Ontario, Canada, on the Moose River approximately south of James Bay. It is considered as "the Gateway to the Arctic" and has Ontario's only saltwater port...
to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, and from Hearst
Hearst, Ontario
Hearst is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located in Northern Ontario, approximately west of Kapuskasing, approximately north of Toronto and east of Thunder Bay on Highway 11...
and Chapleau
Chapleau, Ontario
Chapleau is a township in Sudbury District, Ontario, Canada. It is home to one of the world's largest wildlife preserves. Chapleau has a population of 2,354 according to the Canada 2006 Census....
to Matagami, Quebec
Matagami, Quebec
Matagami is a small town in Quebec, Canada. It is located north of Amos, on Matagami Lake, at the northern terminus of Route 109 and the start of the James Bay Road . The town had a population of 1,555 in the Canada 2006 Census.-History:Matagami was founded in 1963 with the development of mining...
. He was serving a population of 1.5 million.
In 1983, Lavigne received an honorary doctorate from Sudbury's Laurentian University
Laurentian University
Laurentian University , was incorporated on March 28, 1960, is a mid-sized bilingual university in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada....
, and was named a member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, in recognition of his pioneering contributions to Canadian broadcasting. He was also named to the Order of Ontario
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
in 1994.
In his later years, Lavigne was a prominent residential real estate developer in Timmins. Lavigne died in Timmins on April 16, 2003.