CKVU-TV

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

CKVU-TV

Vancouver, British Columbia
Branding	Citytv
Slogan	"Everywhere!"
Channels	10 (VHF)/Cable 13 analog, 43 (UHF) (Not on air) digital
Affiliations	Citytv
Owner	CHUM Limited (sale to CTVglobemedia pending) (CHUM Television Vancouver Inc.)
Founded	September 5, 1976
Call letters meaning	C K Vancouver UHF
Former affiliations	Independent (1976-1997) Global (1997-2001) Independent (2001-2002)
Website	www.citytv.com

CKVU (Citytv Vancouver) is a Canadian television station based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Owned by CHUM Limited, it is the second station to become part of the Citytv system in Canada.

1 History
- 1.1 Transition to Citytv
- 1.2 CTVglobemedia acquires CHUM Limited
2 Station Presention
3 Slogans
4 External links

[edit] History

CKVU's history dates back to 1975, when Western Approaches Ltd. was awarded the third license for a Vancouver television station by the CRTC. The station first went on the air on September 5, 1976, broadcasting a UHF signal on channel 21, and cable 13. It was the first station in Vancouver to ever transmit on UHF. In its first year of operation, CKVU lost more than $3 million.

In 1979, the station was approaching the break-even point. That same year, Allarcom purchased 5% common stock and 7% of preferred stock in CKVU. CanWest Pacific, a subsidiary of CanWest Broadcasting, loaned $4 million to Western Approaches so they could thwart a takeover attempt from Allarcom. Three years later, CanWest loaned another $8 million to Western Approaches to reduce the station's debt with the condition that CanWest would have the option to purchase Western Approaches' shares in CKVU.

CKVU started broadcasting a VHF signal on channel 10 on February 13, 1985, which improved the station's coverage and ratings (channel 10 was originally reserved for a proposed CBC Television station in Victoria, but that station never went on the air due to lack of funds, clearing the way for CKVU to switch its channel position). CKVU's terrestrial signal, transmitted from a very high location on Saltspring Island, can be received throughout much of southwest British Columbia and northwest Washington. CKVU's signal can even be received over-the-air in some areas of north Seattle. CKVU also has a rebroadcast transmitter west of Courtenay, callsign CKVU-TV-1, which is received over-the-air on North Vancouver Island.

On December 6 of that same year, CanWest announced that they had purchased the majority interest in CKVU, subject to CRTC approval. Western Approaches went to court in an attempt to block the sale, which resulted in a dispute between Western Approaches, Allarcom and CanWest that lasted several years.

On June 19, 1987, the Supreme Court of British Columbia ordered Western Approaches to sell their interest in CKVU to CanWest, subject to CRTC approval. Once the sale was approved and all other legal issues were settled, CanWest gained 100% ownership and control of CKVU on July 13, 1988. Under CanWest's ownership, the station's was branded U.TV, and its audience and profits increased. Before U.TV, the station used the brands CKVU 13, VU-13, and CKVU.

On Monday, August 18th 1997, after 9 years as U.TV, the station was rebranded as Global, joining the CanWest-owned Global Television Network.

CKVU logo from the early 1980s

[edit] Transition to Citytv

As a result of CanWest's planned purchase of CHAN in Vancouver and CHEK in Victoria, the CRTC issued an order to CanWest on July 6, 2000 that they would have to sell CKVU in order to get their acquisition approved. The CRTC approved the transfer of CKVU to a CanWest subsidiary, CKVU Sub Inc., on December 21, placing the station in a blind trust while CanWest looked for a buyer.

CHUM Limited applied to the CRTC to acquire CKVU Sub Inc. on July 26, 2001, with the intention of making it a Citytv station similar to CITY in Toronto, Ontario. CHUM planned on spending $8.03 million on British Columbia-based independent productions, $5.95 million on local news and information, and $1.37 million on local culture, social policy and talent development over a period of seven years.

A large network shuffle occurred on September 1, when CHAN's contract with CTV expired. CHAN, now owned by CanWest as a result of its 2000 acquisition of Western International Communications, switched affiliations from CTV to Global. As a result, CIVT, an independent station owned by Baton Broadcasting, became a CTV O&O, while CKVU was rebranded ckvu13. While CKVU began airing CHUM programming immediately following the switch, the station remained in trust pending regulatory approval of the sale.

CHUM acquired CKVU Sub Inc. on October 15, 2001. Because CHUM owned CIVI in Victoria, license conditions were set by the CRTC. CKVU cannot air more than 10% of the programming aired on CIVI, and newscasts must be separately managed.

CKVU remained branded as ckvu13 until 6 a.m. PDT on July 22, 2002, at which point it was rebranded as Citytv Vancouver and joined CITY in the Citytv system.

[edit] CTVglobemedia acquires CHUM Limited

On July 12, 2006, it was announced that Bell Globemedia (now CTVglobemedia) would acquire CHUM Limited and its assets, including CKVU and the Citytv family, subject to CRTC approval. [1] There are rumours that the CTV affiliation might move from CIVT to CKVU for the fall of 2007, which would improve CTV coverage in British Columbia slightly, because CIVT (the current CTV station) only has one transmitter. The immediate plans for this merger include the discontinuation of CKVU's CityNews 6PM and 11PM newscasts, and the expansion of its Breakfast Television morning show.

[edit] Station Presention

[edit] Pre-Global

1st News

U. News Open from around 1996.

[edit] As Global

Friends Bumper.	Global ID	Global ID	Global News Open from 1997-2001.
Global News set

[edit] As ckvu13

ckvu News Open from 2001-2002.

ckvu News Open from 2002.

ckvu13 - Under Construction ID from 2001-2002.

[edit] As Citytv

Citytv ID	CityPulse Open from 2002-2003.	Breakfast Television Open from 2003-2005.	CityPulse Open from 2003-2005.
CityNews Open from 2005-2006.

[edit] Slogans

1995 "U.TV: Where The Surfing Stops"
1996 "U.TV: Where You Live"
1997 "Global's Got It"
2001 "ckvu13 Under Construction"
2002 "Citytv Everywhere"

[edit] External links

Citytv Vancouver

v • d • e

Broadcast television in the Greater Vancouver market

Vancouver / Victoria stations CBUT 2 (CBC) - CHEK 6 (CH) - CHAN 8 (Global) - CKVU 10 (Citytv) - CFEG 19 (IND/Rel.) - CBUFT 26 (SRC) - CIVT 32 (CTV) - CHNM 42/29 (IND) - CIVI 53/17 (A-Channel) - CHNU 66 (OMNI)
Bellingham, Washington stations (part of the Seattle/Tacoma market) KVOS 12 (IND) - K22HH 22 (TBN) - KBCB 24 (ShopNBC) - KDNB-LP 43 (Daystar)
Local cable television stations Canada: Coast Cable 11 (Gibsons) - Fairchild - Knowledge Network - Shaw TV/ictv (Vancouver) - Shaw TV (Nanaimo) - Sportsnet Pacific - Talentvision US: FSN Northwest - NorthWest Cable News - TVW

Seattle/Tacoma stations available on cable television KOMO 4 (ABC) - KING 5 (NBC) - KIRO 7 (CBS) - KCTS 9 (PBS) - KSTW 11 (The CW) - KCPQ 13 (FOX) Bellingham only: KONG 16 (Ind) - KTBW 20 (TBN) - KMYQ 22 (MNTV) - KWDK-DT 42 (DS) - KHCV 45 (JTV)
See also: Broadcast Television in the Seattle-Tacoma Market