John Bassett facts for kids

John White Hughes Bassett (born August 25, 1915, died April 27, 1998) was a very important Canadian businessman. He owned many media companies, like newspapers and TV stations. He was also involved in politics and sports.

John was born in Ottawa, Ontario. His father, John Bassett, was also a newspaper publisher. He ran the Montreal Gazette.

Learning and School Years

John Bassett went to Ashbury College and Bishop's College School. He then studied at Bishop's University. He earned his degree in 1936.

Politics and Public Service

After serving in the Army during World War II, John Bassett tried to become a politician. He ran for the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in the 1945 Canadian federal election. He tried again in the 1962 Canadian federal election. Even though he didn't win, he showed his interest in helping his country.

Later in 1989, he was chosen to lead the Security Intelligence Review Committee. This group checks on how Canada's spy agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, does its job. To do this, he became a member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada. This is a special group of people who advise the Queen or King.

Newspapers and Television

After university, John Bassett started as a reporter for The Globe and Mail newspaper in Toronto. After the war, he worked for the Toronto Telegram newspaper.

His first experience owning a newspaper was when he bought the Sherbrooke Daily Record from his father. In 1952, he bought part of the Toronto Telegram.

In 1960, he started a company called Telegram Corporation. This company launched CFTO-TV, which was Toronto's first commercial television station. A few months later, he won the rights to broadcast Canadian Football League games. To show these games, he needed a network. This led to the creation of the Canadian Television Network, which later became CTV. CFTO was the main station for this new network.

In the 1980s, John Bassett worked hard to take over CTV by buying many TV stations. He finally succeeded in 1997, just one year before he passed away.

Sports Team Ownership

John Bassett loved sports and owned several teams.

Toronto Argonauts

From 1957 to 1974, he owned the Toronto Argonauts. This is a famous team in the Canadian Football League.

Toronto Maple Leafs

In 1957, John Bassett joined a special group called the "Silver Seven." This group helped manage the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team.

In 1961, the longtime owner of the Maple Leafs, Conn Smythe, sold most of his shares in the company that owned the team and Maple Leaf Gardens. John Bassett, along with Smythe's son Stafford and Harold Ballard, bought these shares. John Bassett became the vice chairman of the Gardens' board. He became chairman after the Leafs won the Stanley Cup in 1962. John Bassett's name is on the Stanley Cup four times: in 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1967.

Later, there were problems with how money was being handled at Maple Leaf Gardens. John Bassett convinced the board to remove Stafford Smythe and Harold Ballard from their leadership roles. Bassett then became the new president. However, he didn't make them sell their shares. This allowed them to try and regain control later. Because of this difficult situation, John Bassett eventually resigned and sold his shares.

John Bassett's son, John F. Bassett, also became a sports team owner. He owned teams in hockey and football leagues, like the Toronto Toros and the Tampa Bay Bandits.

Family Life

John Bassett married Eleanor Moira Bradley in 1938. They had three children: John, Doug, and David. After their divorce, John married Isabel Bassett in 1967. They had three more children: Avery, Sarah, and Matthew. They stayed together until his death.

His granddaughter, Carling Bassett-Seguso, became a famous tennis player.

Awards and Recognition

John Bassett received many important awards for his work and contributions to Canada:

• 1985 - Became an Officer of the Order of Canada.
• 1988 - Appointed to the Order of Ontario.
• 1989 - Appointed to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada.
• 1992 - Promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada, which is a higher honor.
• 2000 - Inducted into the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame.
• 2003 - Inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.