Shaw Media history

Canwest bought controlling interest in 1985, thus becoming the first western-based owner of a major Canadian broadcaster.

In 1991, Canwest issued a successful initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

In June 1996, Canwest was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Eventually, his station group became known as the "Canwest Global System." In 1997, Canwest bought controlling interest in CKMI-TV, the privately owned CBC affiliate in Quebec City.

In 1999, seeking to change this, the company announced a deal to buy out the Canadian partners of NetStar Communications, owner of TSN, but was stymied by United States partner ESPN, which had veto power over such a sale.

Later that year, Canwest announced its acquisition of the Southam newspaper chain from Conrad Black, in order to pursue a media convergence strategy. It eventually bought that company's broadcasting assets in 2000.

As early as 2002, most of Canwest's operating income was going to pay interest on its high-interest rate debt.

In October 2005, CanWest's Canadian newspapers were sold into an IPO trust.

By 2007, the company's bonds were downgraded to junk status.

CanWest bought back the 25.8% Newspaper Trust IPO (and debt) in November 2008, for cash considerations of $495 million.

On August 31, 2009, Canwest shut down its secondary system E! (the former CH). Three of the former E! owned-and-operated stations – CHCH Hamilton, CHEK Victoria, and CJNT Montreal – were sold to third parties, while a fourth, CHBC Kelowna, was converted to a Global station.

On February 25, 2010, it was announced that Shaw Communications had won a court battle to continue their plans to purchase assets & voting shares from Canwest.

On May 12, 2011, Shaw Media sold BBC Kids to the government of British Columbia via the provincial public broadcaster Knowledge Network.

On September 2, 2014, Paul W. Robertson, the president of Shaw Media since its creation, died from cancer at age 59.