CIVI-TV

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CIVI-TV
Victoria, British Columbia
Branding	A-Channel Vancouver Island
Channels	53 (UHF, Victoria) 17 (UHF, Vancouver) analog, None digital
Affiliations	A-Channel
Owner	CHUM Limited
Founded	2001
Call letters meaning	C I Vancouver Island
Former callsigns	None
Former affiliations	NewNet (2001-2005)
Website	A-Channel Victoria

CIVI, A-Channel Vancouver Island (formerly known as The New VI) is a television station based in Victoria, British Columbia. Owned by CHUM Limited, the station serves the Vancouver Island area as part of the A-Channel system. It is seen on cable channel 12 on most cable systems in southwestern BC.

CIVI's signal spills into Vancouver. As a result, the station is mandated by the CRTC to broadcast no more than 10% of the programs shown on sister station Citytv Vancouver.

Contents 1 History 2 Current anchors and reporters 3 Gallery 3.1 Station Presention 3.1.1 As The New VI 3.1.2 As A-Channel Vancouver Island 4 References 5 External links

[edit] History

At the end of the 1990s, CHUM Limited only owned over-the-air television stations in Ontario. Similarly, Craig Media only had stations in the Canadian Prairies. Both companies looked to expand their national presence, and both submitted a bid when the CRTC issued a call for applications for a new TV license in Victoria. CHUM was awarded the license in 2000, and CIVI launched on October 4, 2001 as CHUM's first original station to be part of the NewNet system.

Known on the air as The New VI, the station started off with much pomp and circumstance. It boasted a large lineup of personalities, including former NDP cabinet minister Moe Sihota. The station's news anchors walked around the studio instead of sitting behind a desk, mimicking the format used at sister station Citytv Toronto and other NewNet outlets. However, the station struggled to compete against CHEK-TV, a station which had essentially held a monopoly over the television industry on Vancouver Island for more than four decades. Gradually, personalities from the original roster were replaced by new faces, and some were let go without replacements.

The station received a boost in 2004, when longtime CHEK-TV anchor Hudson Mack joined the station as its new chief anchor and news director. Changes were introduced to the station's newscasts, and they appear to have been effective: though still ranking behind CHEK-TV, the ratings gap between the two has been narrowed.

Since Mack's arrival, the station has been honoured with a number of industry awards. In 2006 it received three Edward R. Murrow Awards from RTNDA International, for Best Newscast, Best Investigative Reporting and an Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Sports Reporting. It was the second straight year the station won Murrows for its newscast and investigative reporting. In 2005 the station won eight industry awards, including two Edward R. Murrow Awards from RTNDA International, for Best Newscast and Best Investigative Reporting; and top news honours from the BC Association of Broadcasters.

The station was re-branded as A-Channel on August 2, 2005, along with the rest of the NewNet system. Incidentally, the station would likely have been named A-Channel at its launch had Craig won the license in 2000.

On July 12, 2006 , CTV owner Bell Globemedia announced plans to purchase A-Channel owner CHUM Ltd. for $C1.7 Billion, with plans to divest itself of the A-Channel and Access Alberta stations^[1]. On that same day it was also announced that the A-Channel Morning show will no longer be produced. However this decision supposedly does not have anything to do with the takeover of CHUM Limited by Bell Globemedia.

[edit] Current anchors and reporters

Anchors: Hudson Mack (A-Channel News at 5 and 6 / Vancouver Island Report), Cheryl Bloxham (A-Channel News at Eleven)

Weather: Bruce Williams

Sports: Jason Pires, Mira Laurence, Jordan Cunningham

Reporters: Stephen Andrew, Jonathan Bartlett, Astrid Braunschmidt, Meribeth Burton, Peter Chura, Tara Fedun, Gord Kurbis, Shachi Kurl, Bill Macfarlane, Howard Markson, Beatrice Politi, Adam Sawatsky, Erick Thompson, David Wiwchar, Zac Whyte

Videographers: Tash Baycroft, Kirk Duncan, Todd Harmer, Ian Hoar, Steve Johnston, Rob Kettner, Wells Gaetz, John McKenzie, Gerry Reimer, Brendan Strain, Scott Weston.

[edit] Gallery

The station's studio building in Victoria, nicknamed "Pandora's Box" for its location at the corner of Broad Street and Pandora Avenue

CIVI's logo, 2001-2005

[edit] Station Presention

[edit] As The New VI

VIland News Open from 2002

New Day Open from 2004-2005.

VI News Open from 2004-2005.

[edit] As A-Channel Vancouver Island

The New VI switches to A-Channel.

A-Channel ID used until late 2005.

A-Channel News @ 5 Open from 2005-present.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• A-Channel Victoria