vVancouver: Canadian broadcast pioneer Frank A. Griffiths Sr., chairman and founder of WIC Western International Communications, died in Vancouver April 7 after a lengthy illness. He was 77.

An accountant with a keen entrepreneurial spirit, Griffiths joined his father’s accounting firm of Griffiths and Griffiths in 1939 (the company underwent several mergers, eventually joining what is now Peat Marwick Thorne).

In the early ’50s, Griffiths foresaw the emerging importance of the communications industry, and in 1956, entered the broadcasting field with the purchase of his first radio station, cknw, now the highest-rated radio station in b.c.

In 1966, Griffiths formed Western Broadcasting Company, which included cknw, Winnipeg radio stations cjob and cjkr, and an interest in television stations bctv Vancouver and chek-tv Victoria. He continued to expand his broadcast holdings, and in 1983 oversaw the development of a new publicly traded company, WIC Western International Communications.

In 1990, wic underwent another major expansion with the purchase of Dr. Charles Allard’s Alberta-based broadcast empire, Allarcom, and the subsequent creation of Westcom Entertainment Group, wic’s production arm.

Today, wic is Canada’s largest publicly traded broadcast company. Its holdings include eight television stations, 11 radio stations, two radio networks, pay-tv service Superchannel, and Home Theatre, a pay-per-view service. Griffiths was also a founding investor (holding 52% of shares) in Cancom, Canadian Satellite Service, now considered the largest user of full-time satellite capacity in Canada.

Broadcasting wasn’t Griffiths’ only interest. He was actively involved in community service and Vancouver’s sports industry. In 1974, he purchased the ailing Vancouver Canuck Hockey Club, which he operated under Northwest Sports Enterprises. He went on to become vice-chairman of the nhl. In September 1993, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Former Socred cabinet minister Grace McCarthy, who delivered the eulogy at a memorial service for Griffiths, said he ‘was fiercely proud of the company that started in the West and built a broadcasting empire that still calls Vancouver its home base and head office.’

The day of his death, Griffiths was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall Of Fame.

Griffiths is survived by his wife Emily; two sons, Frank William, deputy-chairman of the wic board, and Arthur Robert, president of Northwest Sports; two daughters, Mary Louise Priebe and Emily Jane Griffiths-Hamilton, and 15 grandchildren.