This is an example for using a "Base Controller" in an AngularJS application, to get done some basic tasks like destroying $rootscope listeners, or any third-party component.

AngularJS-BaseController.js

/**
 * @title: `setting up BaseCtrl` in AngularJS 1.3.x
 * @author: Shahzad Nawaz
 * @dated: 2/28/2015.
 */

(function () {
    'use strict';

    /*Base Controller starts*/
    angular
        .module('testMod')
        .controller('BaseCtrl', BaseCtrl );

    BaseCtrl.$inject = ['$scope'];

    function BaseCtrl( $scope ) {

        //listeners
        /*
        Angular destroys all listeners on scope, by itself, before destroying any scope of a controller, and 
        after triggering $destroy event on that scope.
        */
        $scope.$on('$destroy', scopeDestroyListener );

        //listener for '$destroy' event on scope.
        function scopeDestroyListener() {

            //invokes $scope.onDestroy method ( if defined in child controller ).
            /*
            This is specifically used to destroy any third-party component, that was intergrated in any dedicated view of application
            for example: d3 graphs, Google Maps, Jquery's Carousel etc.
            $rootscope listeners could be destroyed here, as well.
            */
            $scope.onDestroy && $scope.onDestroy();

            //logging for development purpose
            console.log('released $scope.');
        }
    }
    /*Base Controller ends*/

    /*test1 Controller starts*/
    angular
        .module('testMod')
        .controller('test1Ctrl', test1Ctrl );

    test1Ctrl.$inject = ['$scope', '$controller', 'fooService', 'barService'];

    function test1Ctrl( $scope, $controller, fooService, barService ) {

        //Extends BaseCtrl's scope
        $controller('BaseCtrl', {$scope: $scope});
        
        //some object inside $scope
        $scope.testObj = {
            x: 'xoxo',
            y: 'yoyo'
        };

        //method from fooService
        $scope.fooFunc = fooService.fooFunc;

        //method from barService
        $scope.barFunc = barService.barFunc;

        //method to be invoked before BaseCtrl destroys $scope.
        $scope.onDestroy = function() {
            //release (off) any events, which controller was listening to.
        };
    }
    /*test1 Controller ends*/

})();