Davidson Dunton

Davidson Dunton
Born Arnold Davidson Dunton
July 4, 1912
Montreal, Quebec
Died February 7, 1987 (aged 74)
Ottawa, Ontario
Known for First chairman of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).
Awards Order of Canada

Arnold Davidson Dunton, CC (July 4, 1912 – February 7, 1987) was a Canadian educator and public administrator.

Early life and career

He was educated at Lower Canada College, Montréal, and at universities in Canada, France, Britain, and Germany. He worked as a reporter on the Montreal Star 1935-37, as associate editor 1937-38, and was editor of the Montréal Standard in 1938. He joined the Wartime Information Board in 1942 and was general manager 1944-45. In late 1945, at age 33, he was appointed the first full-time chairman of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

Throughout the controversies that arose over the funding and regulation of the new medium of television, Dunton was a persuasive defender of the corporation's independence and a strong advocate of the need to fund publicly a television system. Shortly after the CBC completed its network from coast to coast in July 1958, he resigned and became president of Carleton University. Dunton was widely commended for the tact and intelligence with which he had overseen the development of CBC television.

He was appointed by Prime Minister Lester Pearson co-chairman, (with André Laurendeau), of the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism in 1963, which has profoundly influenced federal government language policies. He stepped down as Carleton's president in 1972 to become director of the Institute of Canadian Studies at Carleton (1973–78) and later fellow of the Institute. He was a Companion of the Order of Canada and received honorary diplomas from seven Canadian universities. The Dunton Tower at Carleton University is named in his honour.

Honours

References

    Preceded by
    Howard B. Chase    		 President of the
    Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
    1945–1957     		Succeeded by
    Alphonse Ouimet