WIC (Western International Communications Ltd)

WIC (Western International Communications Ltd)

WIC (Western International Communications Ltd), controlled by the families of the late Frank Griffiths and Charles Allard, is one of Western Canada's largest media companies. Its broadcasting holdings include 11 radio stations in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Hamilton, and Toronto. It owns British Columbia Television Co (BCTV), which owns CHAN-TV, Vancouver, and CHEK-TV, Victoria, stations which provide CTV television service for all of BC, the CBC affiliates in Kelowna (CHBC) and Red Deer (RDTV), and independent stations in Hamilton (CHCH), Calgary (CICT), Edmonton (ITV) and Lethbridge (CISA). Western, through BCTV, has a 53.7% interest in Canadian Satellite Communications Inc, which provides television services via satellite to rural and remote regions of Canada (see SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS).

WIC purchased Allarcom Pay Television in 1991 and now owns the pay services Superchannel, Movie Max and Home Theatre as well as a 50% interest in The Family Channel. Other interests include broadcast commercial production, sales and promotion operations. Total revenues in 1994 were $392 million.