# Northern Cable

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'''Northern Cable''' was a Canadian [cable television](/source/cable_television) provider, which operated from 1975 to 1998.

The company, based in [Sudbury](/source/Greater_Sudbury), [Ontario](/source/Ontario), served most of the [Northeastern Ontario](/source/Northeastern_Ontario) region. Although [CUC Broadcasting](/source/CUC_Broadcasting) was the largest single shareholder,<ref name=cuc>"Struggle under way to control CUC Broadcasting, sources say". ''[The Globe and Mail](/source/The_Globe_and_Mail)'', March 2, 1989.</ref> the company was structured to maintain corporate control within the region. [F. Baxter Ricard](/source/F._Baxter_Ricard), the largest local shareholder, was the company's chairman,<ref>[http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/index3.html Canadian Communications Foundation - Biographies: F. Baxter Ricard] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050724000825/http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/index3.html |date=2005-07-24 }}</ref> with his wife [Alma Ricard](/source/Alma_Ricard)<ref name=globe>"Philanthropist extraordinaire". ''[The Globe and Mail](/source/The_Globe_and_Mail)'', July 4, 2003.</ref> and cofounder Norman Bradley as the other primary shareholders.<ref name=cf>"CFCF about to join cable giants: Planned purchase of Sudbury company will make Montreal firm fifth largest". ''[The Globe and Mail](/source/The_Globe_and_Mail)'', September 30, 1993.</ref>

The company was one of ten bidders for the original cable license to serve Sudbury, alongside competitors such as [Maclean-Hunter](/source/Maclean-Hunter), [Bushnell Communications](/source/CJOH-TV), Jarmain Teleservices, Trans-Video, Malo-Hosken, Cambrian Broadcasting, City Cablecasting and Huneault Cablecasting.<ref>"Risky game before CRTC: 10 bid for Sudbury cable licence". ''[The Globe and Mail](/source/The_Globe_and_Mail)'', November 27, 1969.</ref>

The company was also the primary shareholder in the region's [MCTV](/source/Mid-Canada_Communications) and [Mid-Canada Radio](/source/Mid-Canada_Radio) systems.<ref name=cuc />

By 1989, the company was sending signals that due to Baxter Ricard's age and declining health and a developing ownership challenge at CUC, it was opening itself up to acquisition by larger companies,<ref name=cuc /> hiring business consultancy Thorne Ernst & Whinney to solicit bids.<ref name=cuc /> Bradley tentatively bought out CUC's shares in the company in 1989,<ref name=chro>"Firm that owns CHRO sold; Deal for Northern Cable may halt bid for Ottawa licence". ''[Ottawa Citizen](/source/Ottawa_Citizen)'', May 27, 1989.</ref> with the deal to be financed by selling off the company's broadcast holdings.<ref name=chro /> The deal also halted a pending application by the company to expand [CHRO-TV](/source/CHRO-TV), its station in [Pembroke](/source/Pembroke%2C_Ontario), into the larger [Ottawa](/source/Ottawa) market.<ref name=chro />

In 1990, Northern sold MCTV to [Baton Broadcasting](/source/Baton_Broadcasting), and Mid-Canada Radio to [Pelmorex](/source/Pelmorex_Radio_Network). In 1993, shortly after Baxter Ricard's death, Northern was acquired by [CF Cable](/source/CF_Cable),<ref name=cf /> although Northern remained a separate division of the company. The deal made CF Cable the fifth-largest cable operator in Canada.<ref name=cf />

In 1997, CF Cable sold its cable operations to [Vidéotron](/source/Vid%C3%A9otron). Northern Cable was sold the following year to Regional Cablesystems,<ref>[https://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/1998/DB98-452.HTM CRTC Decision 98-452]</ref> which folded the company into its own operations and branding. Regional subsequently became [Persona Communications](/source/Persona_Communications) in 2001, and Persona in turn was sold to [EastLink](/source/EastLink_(company)) in 2007. EastLink has, however, kept Northern Cable's former head office in Sudbury open as its divisional office for operations in [Ontario](/source/Ontario).

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{CATV Canada}}

Category:Defunct cable and DBS companies of Canada
Category:Companies based in Greater Sudbury
Category:Mass media companies established in 1975
Category:Telecommunications companies established in 1975
Category:Companies disestablished in 1998
Category:1975 establishments in Ontario
Category:1998 disestablishments in Ontario

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Northern Cable](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Cable) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Cable?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.