Hugo McPherson
Encyclopedia
Hugo McPherson is a Canadian
professor
, who served as Canada's Government Film Commissioner from 1967 until 1970. In this position he was the Chairman of the National Film Board of Canada
.
McPherson was born in Sioux Lookout, Ontario
. He was educated at the Provincial Normal School in Edmonton
, Alberta
, and later at the University of Manitoba
, The University of Western Ontario and the University of Toronto
.
McPherson was a lecturer at several academic institutions: McGill University
, the University of Manitoba, the University of British Columbia
, the University of Toronto, Yale University
and the University of Western Ontario. He also worked in radio, hosting the programme CJBC Views the Shows on the Toronto
-based Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
station CJBC
.
When he was working at the University of Toronto he had an office near Phyllis Grosskurth
, who later remembered McPherson and recommended him to Secretary of State for Canada
Judy LaMarsh
when LaMarsh was selecting a new Government Film Commissioner in 1967. McPherson was an admirer of the media theory
of Marshall McLuhan
, whose work he praised during his interview for the National Film Board (NFB) role. McPherson was offered and accepted the role, although some staff at the NFB were suspicious of their new Chairman, thinking that he had only been appointed due to political connections.
During his time at the NFB, McPherson initiated the "Challenge for Change
" series of socially activist
productions. However, it was also under his aegis that the NFB began to censor some controversial productions, particularly those from French Canadian
filmmakers based in Quebec
. Some of the French-speaking filmmakers did not trust McPherson, as they saw him as coming from a literary and not a filmic background.
McPherson resigned from his role at the NFB in July 1970. Earlier that year, the Canadian government
has publicly criticised the NFB, and some employees had demonstrated on Parliament Hill
to protest against staff cuts. McPherson's time at the NFB is generally seen as having been unsuccessful, although McPherson himself was frustrated at what he saw as the government's low priority for filmmaking.
In 1976 he was appointed to the position of John Grierson
Chair of Communications at McGill University.
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...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
, who served as Canada's Government Film Commissioner from 1967 until 1970. In this position he was the Chairman of the National Film Board of Canada
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
.
McPherson was born in Sioux Lookout, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. He was educated at the Provincial Normal School in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, and later at the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
, The University of Western Ontario and the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
.
McPherson was a lecturer at several academic institutions: McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, the University of Manitoba, the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
, the University of Toronto, Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and the University of Western Ontario. He also worked in radio, hosting the programme CJBC Views the Shows on the Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
-based 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...
station CJBC
CJBC (AM)
-External links:* * * at Canadian Communications Foundation...
.
When he was working at the University of Toronto he had an office near Phyllis Grosskurth
Phyllis Grosskurth
Phyllis M. Grosskurth, is a Canadian biographer.Born in Toronto, Ontario, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree, honours English from the University of Toronto and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Ottawa...
, who later remembered McPherson and recommended him to Secretary of State for Canada
Secretary of State for Canada
The position of Secretary of State for Canada was a Canadian Cabinet position with a corresponding department. It was established in 1867 as the official channel of communication between the Dominion of Canada and the Imperial government in London...
Judy LaMarsh
Judy LaMarsh
Julia Verlyn LaMarsh, PC, OC, QC was a Canadian politician, lawyer, author and broadcaster. In 1963, she was only the second woman to ever serve as a federal Cabinet Minister...
when LaMarsh was selecting a new Government Film Commissioner in 1967. McPherson was an admirer of the media theory
Media influence
Media influence or media effects are used in media studies, psychology, communication theory and sociology to refer to the theories about the ways in which mass media affect how their audiences think and behave....
of Marshall McLuhan
Marshall McLuhan
Herbert Marshall McLuhan, CC was a Canadian educator, philosopher, and scholar—a professor of English literature, a literary critic, a rhetorician, and a communication theorist...
, whose work he praised during his interview for the National Film Board (NFB) role. McPherson was offered and accepted the role, although some staff at the NFB were suspicious of their new Chairman, thinking that he had only been appointed due to political connections.
During his time at the NFB, McPherson initiated the "Challenge for Change
Challenge for Change
Challenge for Change was a participatory film and video project created by the National Film Board of Canada in 1967, the Canadian Centennial...
" series of socially activist
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
productions. However, it was also under his aegis that the NFB began to censor some controversial productions, particularly those from French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
filmmakers based in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Some of the French-speaking filmmakers did not trust McPherson, as they saw him as coming from a literary and not a filmic background.
McPherson resigned from his role at the NFB in July 1970. Earlier that year, the Canadian government
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
has publicly criticised the NFB, and some employees had demonstrated on Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
to protest against staff cuts. McPherson's time at the NFB is generally seen as having been unsuccessful, although McPherson himself was frustrated at what he saw as the government's low priority for filmmaking.
In 1976 he was appointed to the position of John Grierson
John Grierson
John Grierson was a pioneering Scottish documentary maker, often considered the father of British and Canadian documentary film. According to popular myth, in 1926, Grierson coined the term "documentary" to describe a non-fiction film.-Early life:Grierson was born in Deanston, near Doune, Scotland...
Chair of Communications at McGill University.