Citytv expands

[downbeat]

Just came across two Rogers Media news releases from within the last hour announcing:
• the acquisition of CJNT Montreal from Channel Zero (subject to regulatory approval)
• new affiliation agreements with CKPG Prince George, CFJC Kamloops and CHAT Medicine Hat (these are Jim Pattison properties)

[Kraven]

Thanks Downbeat for the news. Despite enjoying CJNT, CityTV Montreal will be better option.

Here's more info--> http://www.cartt.ca/news/13605/Radio...sence-too.html

Cheers, K

[Kraven]

Adios CJNT and Hello CityTV Montreal.

CityTV was always one of those stations I wish the Montreal area had.

Source: http://www.cartt.ca/news/13605/Radio...sence-too.html

Cheers, K

PS- Credit to Downbeat for originally reporting it on another thread

[Jase88]

Interesting news about CJNT Montreal. I wonder if that spells trouble for CHCH Hamilton? (i.e. Channel Zero wants out of the conventional TV business)

[Spookstaz]

Exciting news. CJNT is a mediocre channel.. I rarely watch it. The only time it plays real shows I find it just duplicates content from American channels such as WCAX.

Hopefully this new CityTV will have better content.. anyone like CityTV?

[tvlurker]

The Cartt article quotes Channel zero as saying they weren't looking to sell originally.

Wonder what will happen to Channel Zero's American roster (60 Minutes, etc.).

I wonder if CTV will finally convert the CTV relay in Cornwall to CTV2 in order to compete?

[SakeW]

That's great!

I just have 1 question: Isn't CJNT supposed to be a "multicultural" station, so will it be the same schedule as any other City tv station ?

[Blackburst]

CJNT-DT (62.1 - rf49) is, and for the most part been a messed up station from the get go. Since it first went on air in the mid-90's it has changed ownership hands almost a half a dozen times. Re-branded as many times as well. It's latest branding is Metro 14. The 14 references it's Videotron Cable position. Since the Channel Zero group picked up the station, things seem to be the best the station has ever been. Including its OTA signal. But still a mediocre station. In it's present state, it's mainly a English station with some multi-lingual ethnic programs, and plenty of music videos. Really a messed up programming schedule. But always nice to have another OTA station in Montreal that you check once in a while to see what's on.

If Rogers Media buys it and turns it into a O&O station or it remains a Channel Zero O&O station with a CityTV Network affiliation, things can only get better.

I just hope all of this will allow the station the ability to increase it's OTA power from 4kw to something better. Even doubling that would be great. I also hope they get rid of that Metro14 branding and ID themselves as CityTV 49 (CJNT-DT Montreal)

[Viper550]

You know, I personally would have made this one an Omni Television station instead. It would make better sense here since this is sorta a multicultural station.

[swan_ch]

^^^
Rogers would made OMNI as the second affiliate of CJNT rather than named it as OMNI Montreal since CJNT had less limitation on Prime-time Show than those OMNI stations Rogers had.
IMO, the brand of "OMNI" had become a mix of something like "Citytv two" with some pinches of "multicultural program": We saw AFV keep switching between OMNI and Citytv during the NFL seasons, most English noon-time program on OMNI were syndicate, and we saw Citytv's shows "replayed" on OMNI to "fill the blank" (some of them were dubbed or subbed in order to fit the licenses).

[downbeat]

Here's a Montreal Gazette article on the subject.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/busin...252/story.html
Of note:

As far as local programming, Moore said it was still too early to tell, but it was unlikely the station would produce a daily newscast. “I don’t know that Montreal needs another English-language supper-hour newscast,” he said. Citytv stations outside of Toronto meet local programming requirements with morning shows. Moore said it was “a good bet” that a similar strategy would be used in Montreal.

The Moore quoted here is Rogers Media president of broadcast Scott Moore.

[swan_ch]

^^^
IMO, the upcoming Citytv Montreal would not even had their own version of BT, Rogers would love to keep those local program from Channel Zero(or even Canwest), and put those OMNI news "replayed" in the Morning(until the other two made their local morning show in Montreal) to make CJNT looks like a "Multicultural channel" than an "Anglophone channel"

[mille]

I welcome the move, like Blakcburst said, Cjnt was a mess.it would be à good thing too that CJOH Cornwall become a CTV Two station: even more choice in the MTL area

[NovaMan]

Now CITY needs a channel in the Atlantic Provinces to become a truly national network. They would have to start a new one, however, because I don't think there are any independents left for them to buy.

One example, of how having an Atlantic channel would have benefited CITY, can be seen in the recent "Canada's Got Talent" program, which is still playing. CITY came to Halifax and had contestants from this region, but the majority of TV viewers in Atlantic Canada couldn't see the program, because CITY is not available on Cable. Only those with satellite dishes can receive CITY.

If CITY had an Atlantic channel, local cable companies would be forced to carry the Network.

[tvlurker]

CITY is available on the Time Zone package in Halifax on Eastlink digital cable. Not sure how much extra it is.