Future of the /A\ stations

[roger1818]

Many have speculated on here that CTVgm was only keeping the /A\ stations around to broadcast their prime-time programming during the Olympics. Now that the Vancouver games are over, the question is will they keep them for another 2 1/2 years for the London games. With the analog shutdown scheduled before then, it seems unlikely. The /A\ stations can be grouped into three categories:

1. Access
2. /A\ Atlantic
3. /A\ Broadcast stations

The Access stations are being discussed in the thread Future of Alberta's Access TV Network? so we will leave discussion of them to that thread.

/A\ Atlantic is only on cable and satellite, so it isn't affected by the analog shutdown, and may continue as is (it may even become a national station).

This leaves the Broadcast stations, which include:

• CKVR - Barrie, ON
• CFPL - London, ON
• CHRO - Pembroke/Ottawa, ON
• CHWI - Wheatley/Windsor, ON
• CIVI - Victoria, BC

Some may be sold, some may be merged into the CTV network and some may be shut down. This thread is to discuss what could/should happen to each of these stations.

[magnet]

/A\ Atlantic is probably the most viable of the bunch as it:
1. provides some CTV programming to NFLD at a relatively low cost on the back of CTV Halifax.
2. provides a location for extra CTV programs which would be lost due to CTV Halifax being in a bad time zone.
3. and like Access Alberta provides University programming from Mt. St. Vincent University.

[stampeder]

My wish for the future of the Victoria /A\ Channel station (CIVI) is purely selfish. Today CIVI is purely in analogue and has an analogue repeater on Mt. Seymour to service the Lower Mainland since its Victoria transmitter and Island repeaters are not strong enough for that.

Since CTV is treating its /A\ Channels as their "B" team in a feat of ironic naming, it means that certain CTV programs that would always be shown in HD (1080i 16:9 DD5.1) on CIVT-DT 33.1 are sometimes shunted off to CIVI, which can only broadcast them in SD. This is unacceptable.

So, my wish is that one of these will soon transpire:

• CIVI transitions to DTV
• CTV stops shunting programs to the /A\ Channel
• CTV sells them off
• CTV renounces the broadcast rights to all programs it cannot air

I am not hopeful about any of those happening soon, unfortunately.

[LONSat]

CKVR too close to Toronto - it could be a goner unless they want to keep one secondary A station to cover all of Ontario. Some of the other A or soon to be abandoned CTV repeaters could be used to extend its reach.

CHRO - too close to Toronto - it could be a goner although the studios could live on as CTV Ottawa after the CTV fire - secondary use would be to use it as a repeater or A-Ontario from Barrie

CFPL could become a CTV affiliate which would be strange as Baton broadcasting had an application in to do just that just before the CHUM purchase to make them a part of the newnet group of stations. CHWI would be a goner as there is already a CTV repeater that sort of serves that area. There would probably be some rationalization of repeaters of CKCO and CFPL accross South Western Ontario.

CIVI - would CTV want another CTV outlet for BC. Ironic that with all the past shuffles that CHEK which was once a CTV affiliate would see a competing station pick up the affiliation again.

At best I can only see one A station per province surviving with repeaters somewhat like Sun TV

[NB Josh]

I don't see a big need to keep the channels around until London, almost no shows (except Big Brother) aired episodes against the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

So if their plan was to get rid of them after the 2010 Olympics, I could see them selling the analogue ones any time. I think they'd be likely to keep 'A' Atlantic and maybe turn it back into a part time Citytv channel, like it was before CTV bought 'A'.

I could see CFPL becoming a CTV affiliate, but I think they'd want to sell the others. I could see Jim Pattison buying CIVI possibly. But I really don't know after what happened with CHEK.

CHRO could be bough by Channel Zero if they want to continue to expand. They would then have the three largest cities in Eastern Canada.

Lastly I can't think of anyone who would want CKVR.

[tvlurker]

Originally Posted by NB Josh

CHRO could be bough by Channel Zero if they want to continue to expand. They would then have the three largest cities in Eastern Canada.

Channel Zero already has a CHCH re-transmitter in Ottawa, so why do they need CHRO?

[mr weather]

I don't see how CFPL could become a CTV affiliate with CKCO being geographically close.

The CKCO repeater in Oil Springs only somewhat covers the north shore area of Essex County (including parts of Windsor). It could certainly use a boost throughout the balance of the county and the CHWI transmitter near Wheatley might make a good spot for another repeater.

[cm023]

I don't see how CFPL could become a CTV affiliate with CKCO being geographically close.

Geographically yes, but London and Kitchener are both vastly different cities. CFPL also has Sat. coverage across Canada, something CKCO does not have.

I would like to see CFPL become a CTV affiliate, well anything besides shutting down.

[stampeder]

Remember, CTV were the biggest proponents of "Saving Local TV" so consumers in Ontario should be holding their feet to the fire about having first class CTV stations in each of the major cities, including Barrie. The point is not to compare the cities with each other, such as with Barrie and Toronto, but rather to have a CTV station in the hub of each geographic area for that maximum "Local TV" payoff.

My suggestion is to turn all the Ontario /A\ Channel stations into CTV stations, with Ottawa being the exception due to the existing CTV station.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by LONSat

CKVR too close to Toronto - it could be a goner unless they want to keep one secondary A station to cover all of Ontario. Some of the other A or soon to be abandoned CTV repeaters could be used to extend its reach.

That option is possible, but I think it more likely for it to become something like CHCH.

CHRO - too close to Toronto - it could be a goner although the studios could live on as CTV Ottawa after the CTV fire - secondary use would be to use it as a repeater or A-Ontario from Barrie

I assume you mean it is too close to Ottawa. CJOH is still running after the fire, they just moved studios so I doubt if CHRO would become Ottawa's CTV station.

It is likely wishful thinking on my part, but I would love to see it bought by either Rogers or Shaw and become a CITY or Global station for Ottawa, though since both have repeaters here, I don't see why either would do this.

CFPL could become a CTV affiliate

I think this is the best option for CFPL. London is a large enough market to support a local CTV station.

CHWI would be a goner as there is already a CTV repeater that sort of serves that area. There would probably be some rationalization of repeaters of CKCO and CFPL accross South Western Ontario.

They could make CHWI a CTV station and shut down the CTV repeater, but history has shown that CTV doesn't want to do this kind of thing (they shut down CKX-TV instead of CKYB-TV in Brandon, MB).

CIVI - would CTV want another CTV outlet for BC. Ironic that with all the past shuffles that CHEK which was once a CTV affiliate would see a competing station pick up the affiliation again.

Possible, but unlikely for CIVI to become a CTV station. With CHEK under private control, it is unlikely for CIVI to try the same thing. Sun could buy it to have a Western station, but they would likely have bought CHEK if that is what they wanted, though I could see CIVI being more attractive as it has a repeater in Vancouver.

At best I can only see one A station per province surviving with repeaters somewhat like Sun TV

Does Sun TV have a station outside of Ontario?

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by NB Josh

I don't see a big need to keep the channels around until London, almost no shows (except Big Brother) aired episodes against the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

The Beijing Olympics were covered by CBC (not CTV), so the comparison isn't valid. I agree though they aren't going to keep a spare network around just for 2 weeks every 2 years.

I think they'd be likely to keep 'A' Atlantic and maybe turn it back into a part time Citytv channel, like it was before CTV bought 'A'.

Not sure if CTVgm would want to partner with Rogers that way. They may want to make it part of a network of regional "cable" channels or a national one.

[PlayitSimple]

Channel Zero already has a CHCH re-transmitter in Ottawa, so why do they need CHRO?

Because CHRO is an actual station compared to a simple transmitter. There is no guarantee that they will convert this re-transmitter to digital whereas if they had an actual station there then the odds are better for it to be converted to digital and the station continuing to serve the local community.

How likely is CTV (or any other broadcaster for that matter) to convert all of their re-transmitters to digital when the switch happens?! If they shut some down then those areas lose local TV.

I think these stations should be sold off to independents (if there are any interested parties) and should follow CHCH's lead with an emphasis on local programming and as well as affiliate with either Global or Citytv for their programming. (CTV appears to be getting out of the affiliation game).

CFPL would work as a CTV station even though Kitchener is close by. I don't think they would want to convert CHWI into a CTV station due to the proximity to the USA.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by stampeder

Remember, CTV were the biggest proponents of "Saving Local TV" so consumers in Ontario should be holding their feet to the fire about having first class CTV stations in each of the major cities, including Barrie. The point is not to compare the cities with each other, such as with Barrie and Toronto, but rather to have a CTV station in the hub of each geographic area for that maximum "Local TV" payoff.

Agreed! Lets see if CTV will put their money where their mouth is. While they are at it, why not get them to resurrect CKX-TV as a local CTV station for Brandon, MB.

[MCIBUS]

But what about simo subs?

Lot are forgetting CTV can only simo sub so many shows. if for example they own trhe rights to a show on NBC and one on ABC but ABC & NBC show the same shows at the same time.

ie

Show on NBC Thursday night @ 8PM
Show on ABC Thursday night @ 8PM

If CTV owns the rights to both these shows only one can be simo sub.

If CTVgloibemedia is so big on Simo-subbing US shows then theyt could easily do it using two nets CTV & A

But asuming for a moment CTV wants to keep some of the A open

ASN covers all off the Atlantic
CHRO covers all of eastern & northern Ontario
CKVR covers all of GTA & Southern Ontario
CFPL changes to CTV
CHWI & the other one doiwn in that area shutdown repaters used by CKVR
CIVI covers BC & western Canada.

Who knows what the future holds

for all we know CTV could shut down all the A Channels & Ctv stations and just leave

ASN(CTV) for Atlantic Canada
CTV Montreal for Quebec
CTV Toronto for O)ntario
CTV Winnipeg for Manitobia
CTV(Edmonto or Calgary) for Alberta & Saskaewan
CTV Vancouver for BC

who knows what the future holds.

For all we know there could be new owners for A even CTV anythings possible?

If $$$ is involed to buying something someone wil be willing to listen.

[NB Josh]

Quote from tvlurker

Channel Zero already has a CHCH re-transmitter in Ottawa, so why do they need CHRO?

I didn't realize that CHCH had a re-transmitter in Ottawa, in that case CHRO falls under the same category as CKVR.

Quote from roger1818

The Beijing Olympics were covered by CBC (not CTV), so the comparison isn't valid. I agree though they aren't going to keep a spare network around just for 2 weeks every 2 years.

It is valid. In 2008 almost no show aired new episodes during the Olympics. If that happens again in 2012 (which is likely) then CTV wouldn't need 'A' to put new episodes on because none of their shows would be producing new episodes. During the 2010 Olympics American Idol, Lost and a few other CTV shows did air new episodes against the Olympics, which was the reason why 'A' was needed.