Thomas Ide
Encyclopedia
Thomas Ranald "Ran" Ide, OC
(February 20, 1919 – October 23, 1996) was a Canadian
educator and the founding Chairman of TVOntario
.
, he received a degree in economics
and served in the Royal Canadian Air Force
during World War II
.
Ide first got involved in broadcasting while he was a teenager in Saint John
, New Brunswick
and had an after school job doing movie reviews at a radio station.
After the war, he became a high school teacher in Port Arthur, Ontario
and eventually became principal of Port Arthur Collegiate Institute and then, in 1965, superintendent of schools in the area.
In 1966, he was appointed director of educational television at the Ontario Ministry of Education by then Minister of Education Bill Davis
. His unit bought air time from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
and produced 150 programs in the first year. He helped create the Ontario Educational Communications Authority serving as its first chairman from 1970 to 1979. OECA launched its own television station in 1970, CICA
, broadcasting from Toronto; by 1979 what had become TVOntario employed a staff of 400 and had transmitters across the province reaching 85% of Ontario's population and 88% of its schools.
Ide faced controversy in 1978 when he backed the production of The Jesus Trial, a series in which historical scholars staged a mock trial of Jews for the murder of Christ. The series was acclaimed by theologians and academics but was criticized by the Roman Catholic archdiocese in Toronto which pressured the provincial government to cancel the series. It aired but, the next year, the government of Bill Davis
cut TVO's budget for the first time.
After retiring from TVO in 1979 Ide chaired the federal Department of Communications Research Advisory Board, the Science Council of Canada's Communications board and served as acting vice-president of planning at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
.
In 1995, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
. He died of leukemia
in 1996. Former Premier Davis delivered a eulogy at Ide's memorial service.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(February 20, 1919 – October 23, 1996) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
educator and the founding Chairman of TVOntario
TVOntario
TVOntario, often referred to only as TVO , is a publicly funded, educational English-language television station and media organization in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is operated by the Ontario Educational Communications Authority, a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Ontario...
.
Biography
Born in OttawaOttawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, he received a degree in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and served in the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Ide first got involved in broadcasting while he was a teenager in Saint John
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
and had an after school job doing movie reviews at a radio station.
After the war, he became a high school teacher in Port Arthur, Ontario
Port Arthur, Ontario
Port Arthur was a city in Northern Ontario which amalgamated with Fort William and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Port Arthur was the district seat of Thunder Bay District.- History :...
and eventually became principal of Port Arthur Collegiate Institute and then, in 1965, superintendent of schools in the area.
In 1966, he was appointed director of educational television at the Ontario Ministry of Education by then Minister of Education Bill Davis
Bill Davis
William Grenville "Bill" Davis, was the 18th Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1971 to 1985. Davis was first elected as the MPP for Peel in the 1959 provincial election where he was a backbencher in Leslie Frost's government. Under John Robarts, he was a cabinet minister overseeing the education...
. His unit bought air time from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
and produced 150 programs in the first year. He helped create the Ontario Educational Communications Authority serving as its first chairman from 1970 to 1979. OECA launched its own television station in 1970, CICA
TVOntario
TVOntario, often referred to only as TVO , is a publicly funded, educational English-language television station and media organization in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is operated by the Ontario Educational Communications Authority, a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Ontario...
, broadcasting from Toronto; by 1979 what had become TVOntario employed a staff of 400 and had transmitters across the province reaching 85% of Ontario's population and 88% of its schools.
Ide faced controversy in 1978 when he backed the production of The Jesus Trial, a series in which historical scholars staged a mock trial of Jews for the murder of Christ. The series was acclaimed by theologians and academics but was criticized by the Roman Catholic archdiocese in Toronto which pressured the provincial government to cancel the series. It aired but, the next year, the government of Bill Davis
Bill Davis
William Grenville "Bill" Davis, was the 18th Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1971 to 1985. Davis was first elected as the MPP for Peel in the 1959 provincial election where he was a backbencher in Leslie Frost's government. Under John Robarts, he was a cabinet minister overseeing the education...
cut TVO's budget for the first time.
After retiring from TVO in 1979 Ide chaired the federal Department of Communications Research Advisory Board, the Science Council of Canada's Communications board and served as acting vice-president of planning at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
.
In 1995, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. He died of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
in 1996. Former Premier Davis delivered a eulogy at Ide's memorial service.