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Ontario Association of Broadcasters honour JR Shaw

TORONTO – The Ontario Association of Broadcasters (OAB) is honouring Shaw Communications founder and executive chair JR Shaw.

Shaw will receive the 2013 OAB Hall of Fame Award on Thursday at a gala dinner in Toronto in recognition of his contributions to Canadian television.

Whether sharing a laugh with an employee or planning his next big move, Shaw said he is proud of the company he built from scratch.

“My dad always says, once you start something, you’re going to finish it,” he said.

Video: JR Shaw receives Hall of Fame award from OAB and discusses the honour

Raised on a farm in the town of Brigden, a small community southeast of Sarnia, Ont., Shaw moved to Alberta in the 1960s to expand his family’s pipeline company.

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Once in Edmonton, Shaw found there were only two TV channels to watch. So, in 1966, he launched Capital Cable, which connected its first customer in 1971.

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Over the next three decades, the company evolved into Shaw Communications and earned its status as one of Canada’s largest media companies. He also founded Corus Entertainment, which became a separate entity in 1999.

Shaw and his wife Carol have lived in Calgary since 1995. In 2003, he was named an officer to the Order of Canada.

Video: JR Shaw recognizes Global News during OAB Hall of Fame Award speech

Shaw Media is the parent company of Global News.

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