Paul Morton (television executive)
Paul Gustav Morton (May 29, 1938 – January 17, 2024) was a Canadian entertainment executive who served as president of Odeon–Morton Theatres, Canwest, and the Global Television Network.
Early life[edit]
Morton was born on May 29, 1938, to Henry A. and Eva Rebecca (Ginsberg) Morton.[1] His father was president of the Odeon–Morton Theatres Company.[2] Morton was born and raised in Winnipeg and earned his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Manitoba.[1]
Career[edit]
After graduating, Morton became president of Odeon–Morton Theatres.[1] From 1974 to 1975, he was president of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.[3] At 35 years old, Morton was the youngest president in team history.[4]
Morton invested in and served as president of Canwest, a company formed by Izzy Asper to operate an independent television station in Winnipeg.[5] In 1975, Canwest agreed to purchase the assets of KCND-TV, a U.S. television station that targeted the Winnipeg market, if it received a licence from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. The acquisition gave Canwest the equipment and staff it needed to launch a station and eliminated a competitor.[6] Canwest beat out Craig Broadcasting for Winnipeg's new television licence and on August 31, 1975, the company launched CKND-TV.[5]
In 1974, Morton, Asper, and Seymour Epstein formed Global Ventures Western Ldt. to aid Allan Slaight's IWC Communications in its purchase of Global Television Network, a regional television station serving Southern Ontario.[7][8] In 1977, Global Ventures Western Ldt. purchased IWC's shares in Global and Morton became president of the network.[9] In 1979, Global acquired the Toronto Metros-Croatia of the North American Soccer League, which the company renamed the Toronto Blizzard.[10] In 1980, Morton sold Odeon–Morton Theatres to Canadian Odeon Theatres to focus on Global.[11] In 1986, Morton and Epstein sued Asper, alleging he had reneged on a deal to sell them control of Global Ventures Western Ldt.[12] The lawsuit was dismissed in 1989, but the court ordered that the company's shares be auctioned off.[13] Asper outbid Morton and Epstein to acquire the network.[14]
Morton died on January 17, 2024.[15]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Canadian Who's Who 1990. University of Toronto Press. 1990. p. 685.
- ^ "Memorable Manitobans: Henry Albert Morton (1892-1951)". Manitoba Historical Society Archives. Manitoba Historical Society. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ "Manitoba Organization: Winnipeg Football Club / Winnipeg Blue Bombers". Manitoba Historical Society Archives. Manitoba Historical Society. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ MacDonald, Ian (February 6, 1974). "Cahill, Rams draft Harvey but Larks' offer looks best". The Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ a b Edge, Marc (November 20, 2007). "CanWest Rising: How Izzy Asper got to be Canada's mega-media baron". TheTyee.ca. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ Hoeschen, Susan (February 22, 1975). "CKND-TV, Winnipeg, to bring you the news – Western style". The Financial Post. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ Partridge, John (April 20, 1974). "New axis takes whirl at running Global TV". The Financial Post. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ Phillips, Frances (April 27, 1985). "Global shareholders push for role in national network picture". The Financial Post. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ Mepham, Douglas (March 26, 1977). "Morton now punches control buttons at Global network". The Financial Post. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ Wayne, Jamie (February 17, 1979). "New thrust as Global changes soccer picture". The Financial Post. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ "Theatres, drive-ins sold by Company". The Phoenix. April 28, 1980. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ "Partners suing over shares". The Leader-Post. April 18, 1986. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ "Morton et al. v. Asper et al., (1989) 62 Man.R.(2d) 1 (QB)". vLex Canada. vLex. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ Love, Myron (March 10, 1993). "Asper becoming major player on international TV scene". The Jewish Post & News. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ Thiessen, Connie (January 18, 2024). "Former CanWest exec Paul Morton has died". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 6 April 2024.