Paul Haynes

Hometown
Brantford, Ontario

Birthdate
December 17, 1952

First Media Job
1971 - CKSO FM Radio, Sudbury


Paul Haynes never ‘meant’ to get into broadcasting. He’ll tell you it was “quite innocent”! Born and raised in Brantford, Ontario, a high school friend of Paul’s, Clarke Townson, had landed a full-time position at CKSO FM as an operator. Townson invited Paul to visit Sudbury over the summer break. It was 1971 and while in Sudbury Paul applied for two jobs, a part-time position as an operator at CKSO FM and a lens grinder at an optical shop. Paul got both jobs but in the end chose radio. “Lens grinders had to wear hair nets!” he laughs. For an 18-year-old Sudbury appeared to be the land of opportunity. In his words, “I never would have imagined that I’d be staring out the FM studio window watching the glow of INCO pouring slag and listening to Richard Scott’s classical music show.”

Within the year Clarke Townson was moved over to CKSO AM where he hosted the “All-Night Show”. Program Director Paul Ski assigned Clarke’s old position to Paul in the FM department. Michael Cranston, who became AM Program Director, brought Paul into the AM fold for an on-air position in 1972. Within a year Cranston left for Prince George, British Columbia, and joined CKPG AM. Looking for new horizons, Paul called Cranston on the chance that there would be an opening for him. There was, and Paul was on his way out west!

Paul returned to Ontario in 1973 where he joined Jim Thompson, a former CKSO personality, at CHOW in the Niagara Peninsula.

Sudbury was in the cards though. By 1975 Paul was back at Cambrian Broadcasting as Staff Announcer for CKSO Television. As well as voicing the daily promotion and commercial schedules, he worked in the TV continuity department and did on-camera studio work. Often there were no days off as Paul pulled weekend shifts for CKSO AM too. As Paul described, “I was becoming a jack of all trades, master of none!”

To claim that he was “master of none” must have been a very modest perception on Paul’s part as management continued to offer him opportunities in more challenging positions.

On one particular day after completing a day shift in TV Continuity he was asked to be a last-minute replacement as host of the “6 o’clock News” then the “11 o’clock News”, and then the CKSO AM “All-Night Show”.

Outside of broadcasting tennis became a passion in the 1970s and 80s. Along with enthusiasm he gained proficiency leading to fulfilling tennis instruction positions with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, Laurentian University Tennis Club and Sudbury Racquets Club. The warmer climate of Mexico was enticing and conducive over the cold Sudbury winters for uninterrupted tennis. Paul would spend a few winter seasons down there where he also attended language school in Cuernavaca. Spanish proved to be handy in 1980 as Paul was able to co-host the Mexican Junior Team at the First Pan American Junior Athletics Championships held at Laurentian University. With the demise of indoor tennis at the Racquets Club, he joined an organizing committee and helped with the 1995 launch of the Igloo, Sudbury’s Indoor Tennis Centre.

Paul Haynes would find himself working with the new Mid-Canada Television flagship station on Frood Road, Sudbury, which included the former independent CKSO TV and CKNC TV stations now under one roof. Each of those stations’ northern Ontario affiliates also became part of Mid-Canada. Paul was hired by Larry Gavin as Staff Announcer and Promotions Coordinator. As well as writing, voicing and producing weekly program promotions, he organized and directed the first annual Weekend with the Stars and Easter Seals telethons. While at Mid-Canada, Paul helped establish the Sudbury Media Club and was a member of the organizing committees for the Sudbury Hot Air Balloon Festival and the Sudbury Centennial Foundation.

A copy of the trade magazine, “Advertising Age”, found in the boss’ office peaked Paul’s interest in the world of advertising agencies. The city of Sudbury did not have the kind of service Paul envisioned. Keeping an eye on the monthly publication eventually inspired him to knock at the door of 50 Carleton & Associates, a local design firm. That knock led to a second career! Coming on board Paul encouraged the firm to take on retail clients and establish a broadcast creative department. 50 Carleton grew into Sudbury’s first full-service advertising agency. It became a member of the Trans Canada Advertising Agency Network.

The firm was doing very well, but Paul had other ideas. In his words, “I always liked the idea of being able to fit all the decision-makers in a cab.” With a preference for keeping things small, Paul and his wife Karen established their own firm simply called Haynes. Their projects included the creation of campaigns for many of Northern Ontario’s largest independent retailers. As the nature of the firm’s clientele became more diversified, the company earned the honour of working with the Sudbury Regional Development Corporation, Sudbury Tourism, Science North and the Ontario Power Authority’s Energy Conservation Bureau. For their work, Haynes won several industry awards. The decision-makers who could all fit in one cab would prove that with strategic and creative planning, they offered their clients the service of ‘plan-to-brand-to-market’.

In a related capacity Paul became a member of the advisory board for the Advertising and Public Relations Programs at Cambrian College where he also taught copywriting.

In what Paul describes as “semi-retirement” he has continued to find numerous ways to become involved with, and contribute to, the community. He has been a Director with Meals on Wheels and the Downtown Village Development Corporation. For his work in leading historical walks and presentations Paul has become recognized as a “local history explorer”. He continues to do voice-over work and is currently narrating a webinar series, “Ports of the Great Lakes” produced by Lakeshore Excursions. Paul, Karen and their two children, Leland and Sanna, reside in Sudbury.

There was more than one Haynes in the CKSO AM lineup! Paul’s brother, Cam was on the air in the early 1980s. Cam had his sights set on the film industry and by the end of that decade he had enlisted the support of George Lund and other local broadcasting industry connections in establishing the “Film Circuit and Cinefest”, Sudbury’s International Film Festival. On the heels of his success in Sudbury Cam moved to Toronto with the goal of extending his ‘film circuit’ concept across Canada and around the world through the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). After leaving TIFF he became more directly involved in film production and remains a consultant to the film industry.

Paul Haynes gratefully acknowledges his foothold, knowledge and experience to the “school” of Cambrian Broadcasting.

Paul Haynes’ niche in his life must be that of teaching, sharing and story telling. From radio and television on-air communication, copy writing, creative marketing, brand development, tourism and history, every facet of his career has been about communication, informing and sharing. What could be a better example and more sincere testimony in wrapping up a life-long, busy career than to observe Paul as a hike leader, enjoying time sharing stories of people, places and events that have shaped the history of the Sudbury area. Paul describes the city as being one of few that “combine such a fascinating geological history and a colourful modern history.” All this some 50 years later when a young man, not even 20 years of age, thought he would never return to Sudbury for lack of a job!