Geoff Stirling facts for kids

Geoffrey William Stirling ONL (born March 22, 1921 – died December 21, 2013) was a Canadian-American businessman. He was famous for his work in media, especially in his hometown of St. John's, Newfoundland.

Early Life and Media Start

Geoffrey Stirling was born in St. John's. He went to the University of Tampa in the United States. He began his media career working for big magazines like Time and newspapers like the Chicago Tribune. He always kept strong connections to the United States. Later in life, he even had a winter home in Arizona.

After working in American media, he had a short and unusual job. He hunted alligators for their skins in Honduras. He didn't like this job much. However, he noticed that The Miami Herald newspaper was available there. This gave him an idea: if an American newspaper could be found in Honduras, then a newspaper in Newfoundland could definitely succeed!

Politics and Newspapers

In the late 1940s, Newfoundland was not yet part of Canada. Geoffrey Stirling helped start a group called the Economic Union Party. This group wanted Newfoundland to have closer ties with the United States. They were one of two groups that did not want Newfoundland to join Canada. In 1949, Newfoundland officially became part of Canada.

Joey Smallwood was the leader who wanted Newfoundland to join Canada. He was a rival of Stirling's. Smallwood doubted that Stirling's newspaper would work because Smallwood had tried and failed to start one himself. Stirling believed that Smallwood's newspapers were too focused on politics. He felt that a successful newspaper needed to appeal to many different people.

Stirling's Media Empire

Geoffrey Stirling and his family owned several media companies. These were all under the name Stirling Communications International. Their businesses were in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Television and Radio Innovations

Stirling owned the independent television station CJON-DT, also known as NTV. He also owned the radio station CHOZ-FM. And he published the Newfoundland Herald. This was a weekly magazine with news, gossip, and TV listings.

Stirling was a pioneer in television in North America. CJON-TV (NTV) was the first station in Newfoundland to show programs in color. In 1972, CJON-TV also became the first station to broadcast 24 hours a day.

Stirling also started CKGM, an English-language radio station in Montreal. He founded it in 1959 and owned it until 1985.

Unique Interests and Media Use

Geoffrey Stirling was known for his unique way of managing his businesses. He also used his media outlets to share many of his personal interests. These included topics like eastern spirituality and health.

Broadcasting Personal Ideas

For example, he would often dedicate many hours of broadcast time to conversations with spiritual teachers called gurus. Some of these included Ram Dass and Swami Shyam. He also talked about many unusual subjects. These ranged from pyramids to unidentified flying objects (UFOs).

This practice continues today, as his son G. Scott Stirling now runs the station. Geoff's grandson, Jesse, hosts a show called "Meetings with Remarkable People" on CJON. Many of Geoff's old interviews can still be seen on CJON on Saturday mornings. This show is called "Captain Atlantis Late Night." Sometimes, when Stirling watched his own TV station, he would call the control room. He might ask them to immediately play a favorite tape or add a special effect to the screen.

Documentary and Graphic Novels

In 1974, Stirling appeared in a documentary film called Waiting for Fidel. This film was about a trip he took to Cuba. He went with former Newfoundland premier Joey Smallwood and director Michael Rubbo. The three never actually met the Cuban leader. In the film, Smallwood and Stirling talk about what they would ask Castro if they met him. Some parts of the film show Stirling doing yoga and standing on his head while talking with Smallwood.

Stirling also oversaw the creation of a graphic novel called Atlantis. This comic featured superheroes named Captain Atlantis (also known as Captain Newfoundland) and Captain Canada. The story used elements of Canadian history. It also included ideas about ancient alien astronauts and New Age philosophy. Captain Canada has become a mascot for the NTV station. He has appeared in TV shows, commercials, and many public events.

Later Life and Legacy

In 2001, Geoffrey Stirling was honored. He was inducted into the CAB Broadcast Hall of Fame. In 2009, he received the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador. This is a special award from his home province.

In his later years, Stirling divided his time. He lived in Torbay, Newfoundland and Labrador, and on his ranch in Wickenburg, Arizona. He once owned a radio station there called KSWG. Geoffrey Stirling passed away on December 21, 2013, at the age of 92.