Rogers Communications traces its origins to Ted Rogers Sr., who founded a radio station in the 1920s and developed the world's first alternating current radio tube. His son, Ted Rogers Jr., built the modern Rogers Communications empire.
Ted Rogers Jr. acquired CHFI-FM, a Toronto radio station, in 1960 with partner Joel Aldred. Rogers expanded into cable television in the 1960s, acquiring cable franchises in Toronto and other Ontario communities.
Rogers became a pioneer in Canadian wireless communications. In 1985, Rogers launched Canada's first cellular telephone service, establishing itself as a leader in Canadian wireless. The company continued to expand its wireless network throughout the 1990s.
Rogers expanded aggressively through acquisitions in the 1990s and 2000s:
- **Maclean Hunter** (1994): Acquired for approximately CAD $3.1 billion, adding cable systems and media properties.
- **Toronto Blue Jays** (2000): Acquired the MLB baseball team for approximately USD $137 million.
- **Rogers Centre** (2004): Acquired the SkyDome stadium (renamed Rogers Centre) for CAD $25 million.
- **Fido** (2004): Acquired the wireless carrier for approximately CAD $1.4 billion.
- **Citytv** (2007): Acquired the television network.
Ted Rogers Jr. passed away in December 2008. The Rogers family, through the Rogers Control Trust, maintained voting control of the company following his death.
In 2021-2022, Rogers underwent a highly publicized governance dispute when Edward Rogers (Ted's son) attempted to replace the company's CEO and board members. The dispute played out publicly and in the courts, ultimately resulting in Edward Rogers gaining greater control over the company's board.
In 2023, Rogers completed its acquisition of Shaw Communications for approximately CAD $26 billion, one of the largest telecommunications mergers in Canadian history. The acquisition significantly expanded Rogers' presence in western Canada and added Shaw's cable and wireless operations. As a condition of regulatory approval, Rogers divested Shaw's Freedom Mobile wireless business to Videotron.
For fiscal year 2024, Rogers reported revenue of approximately CAD $15.7 billion.