Al MacKay, on Jan. 21. After graduating from McMaster University in 1969, where he was heavily involved with closed circuit student radio station Mac Radio, MacKay got a part-time job at CHML Hamilton that set him on a journalism path. From there, he joined CJOH-TV (CTV Ottawa) where he ascended to the role of Vice President and Station Manager over the next 25 years. After leaving CJOH, MacKay went on to serve as Interim General Manager at CPAC from 1998-2000. From there, he moved on to advisory firm, Canadian Policy Research Networks as VP of Operations, and additionally did a short stint as Interim Executive Director of the Vanier Institute. He also served as Chair of Canada’s Forum for Research and Policy in Communications (FRPC) and chaired the Travers Debates, raising funds for the R. James Travers Foreign Corresponding Fellowship. He also held seats on the boards of RTDNA Canada, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB), and the Ontario Association of Broadcasters (OAB), who named him Broadcaster of the Year in 1995. His consulting work included acting as the primary architect of the CAB Code for Violence in Television Programming, also serving as a senior consultant to the Action Group on Violence on Television (AGVOT). He was a member of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) from 1992 to 2000, charing the Ontario Regional Council for most of that time.
Fred C. May, 72, on Jan. 12, in Medicine Hat. May first studied audio engineering at the AlTech Lansing Institute, later graduating from the SAIT Broadcast Engineering program in 1978. He went on to a nearly two-decade career producing and working on various shows under the banner of his own production company, Mayford Productions, including “Stampede Wrestling,” “Pro Wrestling Plus,” “TSN Wrestling,” “Calgary Stampede Rodeo,” “It Figures,” “Screen Sports- England,” and “Stars in Your Eyes.” His work aired in Canada on CFCN, CFRN, CFAC, CTV, CBC, Global, CHBC, CKSA, CITI, CITL, TSN, and globally on the BBC and Shamrock TV in the UK. In 2002, May founded internet stations, RDTV Red Deer and later Central Alberta Television (CATV), syndicating programming including the Canadian National Wrestling Alliance (CNWA). He launched community station, CATV1 on O-Net fibre-optic Channel 55, in Olds, AB in 2013, continuing to produce local programming. May retired in 2022 and subsequently divested his equipment to Space Central TV.
