NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, Ont. – Long-time head of the Canadian Cable Television Association, Michael Hind-Smith, died December 3rd from complications due to cancer. He was 80.
Hind-Smith was the longest-serving CCTA president and CEO and oversaw a period of massive growth and change in the cable business during his 15 years (1975-1990) heading the now defunct organization.
“He was such a good representative for the cable industry,” Rogers Communications vice-chairman Phil Lind told Cartt.ca in an interview. “He had some terrific battles with the CRTC (pay-TV, specialty channels, “6 and 5”, pole access) but he kept the association together for a long time. He was a great advocate.”
Born in England, Hind-Smith emigrated to Canada in the 40s and began working for CBC in 1952, rising to station manager at Toronto’s CBLT in 1960. He left the public broadcaster shortly thereafter for CTV and rose there from national director of programming to VP programming, overseeing the launch of CTV’s first national newscasts as well as W5, a newsmagazine which continues to this day.
After working for Power Corp and Maclean-Hunter, Hind-Smith was hired as president of the CCTA and began over a decade and a half of cajoling, conciliation, lobbying, negotiation, contracts and policy building both among – and on behalf of – his membership (whose board included the likes of Ted Rogers, JR Shaw and Andre Chagnon, among many other strong-willed entrepreneurs).
“The cable industry wasn’t even a teenager at that point. He presided over a very long period of industry growth,” added Lind, “and he kept us all together.”
“In those days there were literally hundreds of small cable operators, and they needed a strong industry association to take on the likes of Bell, BC Tel, AGT, SaskTel, Manitoba Tel and Maritime Tel, especially over issues of pole and duct access,” added renowned industry lawyer Bob Buchan. The CCTA was law firm Johnston & Buchan’s first client in 1980 (the practice built by J&B is now part of Fasken Martineau).
“Cable was the new kid on the block and the CRTC and the Department of Communications did not know whether cable was a potential force for good or evil,” added Buchan. “Michael helped to have the cable recognized as a legitimate dues-paying member of the club.”
And it was his bona fides as a broadcaster which helped cable in Ottawa. “He was a broadcaster from the programming side so it added great legitimacy,” added Lind. “He had credibility. They couldn’t dismiss us with the same sort of back of hand as they had been.”
Hind-Smith (pictured) is survived by his wife of over 40 years, Sandy, children Stephanie (Marcel Meyer), Jennifer (Randy Marks) and David (Larinda) Hind-Smith and eight grandchildren. Michael and Sandy, a former television host producer and news voice for CJOH, a CTV affiliate, have established the Sandra McKee and Michael Hind-Smith Scholarship Fund at Ryerson University to provide funding for the completion of the degree year of a woman in the Faculty of Radio – TV Arts. Donations in memory of Michael should be directed to the Michael Hind-Smith and Sandra McKee Award via the “Supporting Ryerson” web page.
Photo by Karsh courtesy the Canadian Communications Foundation.
