No, CHWI-TV does not blackout stuff, because it airs it out-of-schedule (where CTV tends to say, air ABC programming in sync with ABC stations at the same time... CHWI-TV airs syndicated american shows like Two and a Half Men at 7 PM (reruns), while WWJ-TV (CBS Detroit) airs new episodes at 9 PM.

I like Corus Entertainment. I don't expect to see much change with CHWI-TV's schedule, though... especially since WPXD-DT airs some corus stuff on its qubo subchannel (31.2).

It's possible, but unlikely that Shaw will purchase the underperforming CKXT-TV and its repeaters. CHCH-TV has a large network if repeaters (including one that i pick up now and then, such as right now)... and may be too costly for them, but they can afford it.

As for the E! Network... I expect that branding to be removed very soon, as licensing fees to Comcast Cable (who owns the american E! Network) are killing Canwest. Possible buyer of the network? Jim Pattison Group. Jim runs his stations very well.

One thing about Shaw. They don't usually lose money on anything. If they bought these stations for $1, the absolutely believe they can make a profit on operations. Without FFC.

does this mean the stations will go digital very shortly?

I don't think the blackout rules apply to CHWI because they are technically licensed to Wheatley, ON. Their main transmitter is down towards Wheatley as well. Global TV is around there as well and they are not blacked out and they certainly air programs at the same time as Detroit stations.

No, CHWI-TV does not blackout stuff, because it airs it out-of-schedule (where CTV tends to say, air ABC programming in sync with ABC stations at the same time... CHWI-TV airs syndicated american shows like Two and a Half Men at 7 PM (reruns), while WWJ-TV (CBS Detroit) airs new episodes at 9 PM.
I'm not really sure what you mean, 'A' airs lots of programs at the same time as the US nets. Including almost the entire primetime schedule, plus Ellen (S-WDIV at 10:00am), and maybe a couple other shows.

Yes, and CIII-TV-22 (channel 22) is bi-directional, oriented southwest towards leamington and northeast towards Chatham to serve those two cities, with large nulls towards the lake and towards the northwest (windsor/detroit). when they were in cottam, they had such a powerful transmitter that it covered all of metro detroit and windsor as well as chatham and leamington., but required constant blackouts during primetime (USA CBC Fan said "they had notices saying "Global will be back in an hour" and switch to text news crawls for an hour or so").. so, they moved to Stevenson (NE of Wheatley) in 1986 (but the TV Guides for windsor stated "Mersea Township" for some odd reason). CHWI-TV put a repeater up in 1996 on the Victoria Park Place Apartments (33 floors high) to serve windsor, tecumseh, and la salle, pointed southeast, but with some signal spill-over into Metro Detroit.

CHWI-TV's wheatley tower is strong enough to cover windsor, but with a grade-c signal. we get colour, but with severe interference and static from distance weakening the signal. It's already omnidirectional at 492 kW... perhaps it should increase to a full megawatt of power... comparison-wise, nearly all detroit stations broadcast at 1 MW (Digital) or 1-5 MW (analog)... i bet doubling the signal strength would easily allow them to reach windsor sufficiently AND no longer require a repeater on 60 (at 32 kW).

Part one: Shaw buys part of "A" network from CTV...
Part two to come: Shaw buys back the E! TV properties it sold to Canwest as part of the WIC breakup for $5?
Would they call the combination, "The A and E! Network" :p (Sorry, I couldn't resist).

There are probably a few people sitting in the wings and waiting for A, E!, and Global to come up for sale for a song. Jim Pattison and John Bitove come to mind.

Pattison, Bitove, Shaw, and let's not forget about Rogers who are already deeply involved in OTA TV. Shaw's not alone in their opposition to FFC, Rogers is equally vehement and they have a much heavier OTA investment. I think there's some really interesting stuff happening.

what properties does John Bitove own? as for E! and A... why not just merge 'em into the "Eh?" network? it's distinctively canadian... encoroproates the letter "E" and sounds like the word "A". :P

what properties does John Bitove own?
XM Canada. And he had a bid before the CRTC to put up a new all digital OTA network, which was turned down.

I do hope that Shaw truly wants to own these stations, but, given their track record, I wouldn't be surprised to see them dumped once the fee for carriage debate is done. Shaw bluffed and was called on it.
This is what this is all about. What is happening in Ottawa at the CRTC hearing is why shaw bought these stations. It's way of showing the CRTC that local programming is fine and will work in the "right hands".
It undermines the whole argument CTV and Global have brought to the table that they need extra funding to provide local programming.
It's brilliant strategic move by Shaw, I expect they will drop the stations once they realize they can no longer make money with them, well after the fee for carriage issue has been decided.

What track record? What's the comment based on? Exactly what media properties has Shaw "dropped"? I say that because from the Vancouver experience that's not reflective of Shaw's approach.

They've kept AM730 on the air in Vancouver for years (through many format changes trying to lure an audience) and it is a sure money loser. Anyone who has seen the investment they make in community TV (which has no revenue) has to be impressed. From Urban Rush to the WHL, Shaw pours money (well in excess of any BDU license requirement) into community TV with no financial payoff.

OTOH, they say they are making money on the one OTA station they already own, why are you so convinced they won't this time?

The OTA station they own gets free programming from CTV and Global, produces 2hrs a week of local programming, and gets a cable fund grant to keep in on the air. It's not comparable in the least.

The OTA station they own gets free programming from CTV and Global, produces 2hrs a week of local programming, and gets a cable fund grant to keep in on the air. It's not comparable in the least.

Funny though, they do end up getting fee for carriage by being subsidized by Shaw's cable profits! What's good for the goose... oh, never mind.

Well the market doesn't think it will be a drag on Shaw. Share prices rose today by about 5%.

Well the market doesn't think it will be a drag on Shaw. Share prices rose today by about 5%.

You're kidding, right?

Shaw is an 8 BILLION dollar company.
Shaw had 3.2 BILLION dollars in revenue last year.
Shaw had a Gross Operating Profit of 1.9 BILLION dollars last year.

We're talking about 9 or 10 million dollars here. Shaw could burn that much cash and the market wouldn't notice.

No, I am not kidding. If you consider Jim Shaw's open offer to CTV and Global for more stations that they want to close, he could easily wind up owning several more. The market does not respond favourably to any notion of bleeding cash on a segment of the business that has no prospect of success. Is it the only factor? Of course not. Would it cause a major slide in Shaw's share price if the market was concerned? Probably not. But today's price was the largest spike in Shaw's value in some time and outpaced the sector increase significantly (Rogers up 3%, Comcast up 1.7%). It is fair to conclude that the market took Jim Shaw at face value that he wasn't going to lose money on this deal.

My post was meant simply as more comment along the lines that this is a good news story. It is for the people whose jobs might be saved. It is for the people who watch those stations. It is for the community at large. And I was adding Shaw's shareholders to the mix as well.

I think it's great that the stations survived and the employees still have jobs. I just think it would have been better if it had been by the ones who built the station in the first place rather than by the guy who helped ruin them and then bought them up at a fire sale price.

Shaw's likely up because this move may actually work to kill any remaining possibility of FFC. That's where they really stand to gain, not on the actual operation of a couple tiny TV stations.

I think it's great that the stations survived and the employees still have jobs. I just think it would have been better if it had been by the ones who built the station in the first place rather than by the guy who helped ruin them and then bought them up at a fire sale price.
CRTC hearing's finish.... no fees for carriage.... wait for it..... wait for it.... stations close... tada!