CKAL-TV

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CKAL
Calgary, Alberta
Branding	Citytv
Slogan	Everywhere.
Channels	5 (VHF) analog, not yet on air digital
Affiliations	Citytv
Owner	CHUM Limited (sale to Bell Globemedia pending)
Founded	September 20, 1997
Call letters meaning	C K CALgary or C K ALberta
Former affiliations	A-Channel (1997-2005)
Website	Citytv Calgary

CKAL is a television station owned by CHUM Limited and based in Calgary, Alberta. It is part of the Citytv system as of August 2, 2005, and was previously branded as A-Channel.

The station was launched by Craig Media on September 20, 1997, two days after its A-Channel sister station CKEM in Edmonton went on the air for the first time. It was also Canada's newest VHF station.

CKEM's master control was moved to CKAL in 2003.

Nine employees working at CKAL were laid off on May 19, 2004 in addition to a 28-employee layoff at Craig Media's Toronto 1 station. Craig Media said the cuts were made to "further rationalize its operations and control costs". [1]

In 2004, Craig Media announced a deal to sell its conventional television assets, including the A-Channel stations, to CHUM. The sale was approved by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission on November 19, 2004, and became official on December 1. On February 3, 2005, CHUM announced that the A-Channel stations will be rebranded as Citytv. The change took effect on-air August 2.

On July 12, 2006, it was announced that Bell Globemedia would acquire CHUM Limited and its assets, including the Citytv family. [2]. Also, as the result of this merger, CKAL added CKX-TV and CHMI-TV to its master control duties. [3]

A transmitter in Lethbridge, Alberta rebroadcasts the station on channel 2.

[edit] External link

• Citytv Calgary