Whiteoaks Communications Group

Whiteoaks Communications Group
Company typePrivate
IndustryRadio broadcasting
Founded1956 as CHWO Radio Limited
HeadquartersOakville, Ontario
Area served
Golden Horseshoe
Key people
Caine family
WebsiteWhiteoaks Communications Group

Whiteoaks Communications Group is a media company based in Oakville, Ontario that owns several radio stations in Ontario as well as Christian podcasting platform, Faith Strong Today Media. The company was founded in 1956 as CHWO Radio Limited by Howard and Jean Caine with the launch of CHWO radio in Oakville.[1] After Howard Caine died in 1967, the company was run by his widow, Jean. Their son, Michael Caine (1949-2024)[2] subsequently became company president. The current president is Michael Caine's son, Matthew Caine.[3][4]

In 1974, the company was granted a license to found CJMR to serve Mississauga operating the stations as the "Golden Horseshoe Radio Network". CJYE was founded in 2001 and took over the 1250 AM frequency formerly held by CHWO when that station moved to 740 AM and rebranded as "Prime Time Radio", which also became the name the company operated under until 2008 when CHWO 740 was sold to Moses Znaimer who relaunched it as Zoomer Radio.[5][6]

In 2024, Whiteoaks purchased four stations from Bell Media, CKLH-FM in Hamilton, Ontario and three St. Catharines, Ontario-based stations: CHRE-FM, CHTZ-FM, and CKTB, pending approval by the CRTC.[7]

  1. ^ "CFZM-AM". History of Canadian Broadcasting. Canadian Communications Foundation. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  2. ^ https://www.koprivataylor.com/obituary/michael-caine
  3. ^ "Bell media cuts mean ownership change looms at Hamilton's Bounce 102.9 (the old K-Lite FM) radio station". Hamilton Spectator. February 9, 2024. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  4. ^ Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (2019). ""Ownership charts – Broadcasting – 2019"" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  5. ^ "Oakville family marks 60 years in radio broadcasting". Oakville Beaver. November 25, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  6. ^ Robyn Burnett and Christopher Giardino, Prime Time Radio: How Jean and Howard Caine Built a Radio Dynasty (ISBN 1-55022-749-1). ECW Press, 2006.
  7. ^ Hudes, Sammy (8 February 2024). "'Not a viable business anymore': Bell Media selling 45 radio stations amid layoffs". Toronto Star. The Canadian Press. Retrieved 8 February 2024.