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The Beginning
history |
In The
Beginning:
Edward S. “Ted” Rogers, Sr.
Any history of the Rogers group of companies today must begin with a
salute to Edward S. Rogers, Sr. Every
 time
a radio is turned on in Canada, the dream of Edward S. Rogers, Sr.
continues to be realized. He envisioned radio as an electric pipeline,
reaching into people’s homes to entertain, inform and educate.
In 1925, Mr. Rogers, Sr. invented the world’s first alternating current
(AC) radio tube, which enabled radios to be powered by ordinary household
current. This was a dramatic breakthrough in technology and it became the
key factor in popularizing radio reception. After this invention radios
became far more commonplace.
In 1931, Mr. Rogers, Sr. was awarded an experimental TV license. He was
working on radar when on May 6, 1939 he died at the young age of 38. He
left a widow, Velma, and a 5-year-old son, Edward. His business interests
were sold. However, his son Edward (Ted Rogers) was determined to carry on
the important legacy.
02
From Father to Son:
Edward S. “Ted” Rogers
Ted Rogers earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto
in 1956. He was awarded an LL.B. in
 1961
from Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the bar of Ontario on April
13, 1962.
In business, Mr. Rogers has always emphasized customer service and
pioneering engineering and has been involved at the start-up stage with a
number of ventures in broadcasting, cable television and communications.
Mr. Rogers specializes in identifying technologies that he can develop and
popularize through technological innovation and marketing techniques.
While Mr. Rogers was an articling student with Tory, Tory, DesLauriers
& Binnington, he started Rogers Radio Broadcasting Limited, which acquired
the nation’s pioneer FM station, CHFI-FM.
In 1962 he pioneered stereo broadcasting in FM with CHFI and also
founded CFTR-AM in Toronto.
By making available FM radios to boost FM penetration (then at 3%), Mr.
Rogers was able to make more people aware of FM transmitters. CHFI-FM
quickly became one of Canada’s most listened to FM radio stations,
becoming the most popular and profitable FM radio station in Canada.
Mr. Rogers’ interests in radio led him to cable television.
In the mid-1960’s Mr. Rogers wanted Canada’s fledgling cable
operators to carry CHFI on a spare cable channel.
The more he studied cable, the more he became attracted to the
potential for programming choices on cable, and decided to enter the cable
business.
In 1967 he was awarded licenses for areas
in and around Toronto, Brampton and Leamington.
Date
in the:
1970
During the 1970’s, Rogers Cable TV became
Canada’s most innovative cable company.
1974, it became the first cable company to
expand past 12 channels, and the cable company specialized in adding more
programming choice, in particular with multi-cultural television.
1977
1979 Through a reverse-takeover in 1979, Mr.
Rogers’ company, Rogers Cable TV Limited, acquired control of Canadian
Cablesystems Limited.
During the years 1979 to 1982, Rogers
Communications acquired and built a number of cable television systems in
the United States.
1980
In 1980, Rogers purchased Premier
Communications Limited, which almost doubled Rogers’ cable subscribers and
made Rogers the largest cable television company in Canada.
The legacies of Canadian Cablesystems and
Premier Cablevision added enormously to those already in the company.
1985 Mr. Rogers then became a founding
shareholder of Rogers Cantel Inc., which commenced service in 1985, to
operate a national cellular telephone network in Canada in competition
with the established telephone companies.
Rogers Cantel Mobile Communications Inc.,
(the Canadian twin private crow corporation
partner like Videotron for the Quebec) (now
called Rogers AT&T Wireless) is a public
company, 51% of which is owned by Rogers Communications.
1988
In March 1989, Rogers
Communications completed the sale of its U.S. cable television interests
for CDN $1.581 billion.
In September 1989, Rogers Communications Inc. acquired 40% of Unitel
Communications, formerly CNCP Telecommunications.
1992
In June 1992, Unitel was granted permission by the
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to compete
with the Canadian telephone monopolies in the long-distance market.
1993
In January 1993, 20% of Unitel
Communications was sold to AT&T.
As a result of this transaction, Rogers Communications
Inc.’s interest in Unitel was reduced to 32%.
1994
On March 31, 1994, Rogers
Communications Inc. successfully completed its offer for the shares of Maclean Hunter Limited and on December 19, 1994, the CRTC approved the
transaction.
04
In September 1995, Unitel Communications reached an
agreement in principle with AT&T and certain of its bankers to restructure Unitel.
Rogers Publishing is newest
Seven Generations Patron
At the close of this transaction, Rogers
Communication no longer held an equity investment in Unitel.
The publishing assets of Maclean Hunter were subsequently combined with
its existing radio and television operations to form Rogers Media Inc.
Rogers Publishing has become CCAB’s ninth
Seven Generations Patron company.
Rogers Publishing is Canada's largest magazine and periodicals publisher.
The publications are leaders in their categories. Maclean's is Canada's
largest-circulation newsmagazine. Canadian Business, Chatelaine, Flare,
Today's Parent and MoneySense all lead in their markets - as do most of
the vertical trade publications and information products such as Marketing
Magazine, Medical Post, Advisor's Edge and Canadian Grocer. We also have a
strong presence on the Web with Chatelaine.com, MoneySense.ca, Macleans.ca,
Bizlink.com, Profitguide.ca and many other sites which are integrated with
our print franchises. Rogers Publishing also includes a variety of trade
shows and the Medical Education Network, a medical database company
headquartered in New York. View the complete list of Rogers Publications.
Rogers Publishing is part of Rogers Media, which in turn is part of Rogers
Communications Inc. Rogers Communications is Canada's national
communications company engaged in cellular, Digital PCS, paging and data
communications through Rogers AT&T Wireless; in cable television,
high-speed Internet access and video retailing through Rogers Cable Inc.,
and in radio and television broadcasting, tele-shopping, publishing and
new media businesses through Rogers Media Inc.
The following is a corporate history of Rogers Communications Inc., taken
from the company website
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