Oakville resident and Canadian broadcast pioneer Jean Caine has died at age 90. She passed away Jan. 9 at her Oakville home.
Caine co-founded Oakville radio stations, JOY 1250 and 1320 CJMR. Her grandson, Matt Caine, told the Oakville Beaver that she was someone who remained active and interested in the day to day operations of the broadcasting business until her final days despite being semi-retired.
According to the Canadian Communications Foundation, Caine’s experience with radio began in 1933 when Caine read a prayer on Hamilton’s CHML.
She landed a job as a writer and women’s editor at Hamilton’s CKOC. There she met her husband Howard who was a newscaster. The two dreamed of starting their own radio station together and did so in 1956 with the launch of 1250 CHWO.
When Howard passed away in 1967 Caine became the president and manager of the station.
In 1974, with the help of her son Michael, Caines secured a license for Mississauga radio station 1320 CJMR from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.
Caine’s grandson, Matt, is now the vice president and general manager of Whiteoaks Communications group, which runs the two radio stations.
Caine’s legacy includes being named Oakville’s Business Person of the Year (1987) and being inducted into the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame (1995).
Details of a planned memorial celebration for Caines’ many friends and colleagues from the broadcasting community will be announced in the coming weeks on www.joy1250.ca.
