MARKHAM, ON – Canadian Broadcast Sales president Patrick Grierson will receive the 2015 Hall of Fame Award from the Ontario Association of Broadcasters at the organization’s fall conference in November.
A Board nominated honour, the OAB Hall of Fame is presented to individuals who have spent most of their careers working for private broadcasters and demonstrated a commitment to the highest standards of broadcast excellence.
Grierson was born in Cape Town, South Africa and completed his education in Great Britain. In London, England, he joined Rediffusion Television and worked in a number of areas in television production, including camera operating and as a host of live TV productions such as Arthur Miller's View from the Bridge, Dial M for Murder and successful television shows such as Ready Steady Go!. He later returned to South Africa and joined the largest cinema chain in charge of ad sales for South Africa's only audio-visual medium, at a time when there was no domestic television. Shortly thereafter, he moved to Central Advertising in Cape Town in the role of account supervisor on various Rothman's brands.
In the mid 1970's, Grierson came to Canada and joined Standard Broadcasting in the role of FM sales representative. Following a three-year stint in this role, he was transferred to Britain to successfully investigate opportunities for Standard Broadcasting in newly launched commercial radio. Two years later, he returned to Standard Broadcast Sales, and in 1985 was appointed president of Standard Broadcast Sales, a division of Slaight's Standard Broadcasting. This morphed into UBS and subsequently in 1993 to its current incarnation as Canadian Broadcast Sales (CBS).
Jointly owned by Rogers Broadcasting and Corus Entertainment, CBS is Canada's largest radio representation company, representing 46 broadcasters and more than 400 radio stations in 250 Canadian markets. Grierson has been president and CEO of CBS since 1993.
Grierson will be presented with the 2015 Hall of Fame Award at the Ontario Association of Broadcasters' Connection 2015 Conference and Gala Awards Dinner on November 10 at the Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel in Toronto.
