Max Keeping

Winston Maxwell Keeping is a Canadian broadcaster. He was born on April 1, 1942 in Grand Bank, Newfoundland Canada. His broadcasting career spanned the years between the late 1950s and 2010. Keeping is the former vice-president of news and public affairs at CJOH and the anchor of the local evening news broadcast from 1972, until he retired in 2010. Post his retirement, he became the television station’s community ambassador, until March 2012.

At the age of 16, Keeping began his career working as a sports director of the St. John’s Evening Telegram. He also worked with the VOCM radio station and CJCH, Halifax. In 1965, he moved to Ottawa and was a parliamentary reporter for CFRA radio and CTV news. He returned to Newfoundland to run for the post of Progressive Conservative in the federal election of October 1972. Winning 25% of the vote, he was in second place. He was the Vice President of News at CTV, Ottawa, and the popular anchor of CTV’s flagship 6 PM news program.

In Ottawa Keeping is a local celebrity. He has actively participated in many charitable drives and has made a collection of more than $100 million in charitable donations in the Ottawa area, for which he was honored with the Gemini Humanitarian Award in 2003. He is the long-time Master of Ceremonies of the CHEO telethon. Keeping has dominated the news ratings in the region of Ottawa, Seaway Valleys and Outaouais for 30 years. Considered as Ottawa’s news beacon in the community, he has made more than 200 appearances per year for charities, schools, service groups and neighborhoods. That’s what makes him so special.

Keeping is a member of the Order of Canada and of the Order of Ontario. He was honored with a doctorate from the University of Ottawa in 2007 and another from the Carleton University in 2009. He holds an honorary post as patron for Learning for a Cause. He is the recipient of the Ontario Medal of Good Citizenship, the 2004 Ottawa United Way’s Community Builder of the Year and numerous other awards.

In 2003, Keeping was diagnosed with prostate cancer from which he recovered. But in 2014, the cancer returned in his lungs. It is untreatable. He underwent surgery in October 2012. The return of his cancer has not slowed him down or dimmed his spirits. He is a champion of the Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life events and encourages others to get screened and tested for all forms of cancer.

It is not known whether Keeping was married or divorced. Maybe he was neither. Keeping has a heart of gold. He has adopted six children and is the proud grandfather of five beautiful granddaughters. It can be said that Keeping was wedded to his career and to his devotion to the cause of humanity.

In recognition of his extensive service to the community, his name has been honored in various ways. A new wing of the Eastern Ontario Children’s Hospital was named after him in September 2003. A major arterial road is called Max Keeping Boulevard. He has been inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasting’s Hall of Fame in 2004, and was presented with the key to the city of Ottawa.

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