Media in Vancouver

This is an overview of media in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Newspapers

Vancouver has two major English-language daily newspapers, The Vancouver Sun (a broadsheet) and The Province (a tabloid). Both are published by Postmedia Network. There are also two national newspapers distributed in the city: The Globe and Mail, which began distribution of a "national edition" into B.C. in 1983, and in more recent years launched a three-page B.C. news section in an effort to increase its readership in the city. The National Post, also owned by Postmedia, entered city markets only in the last few years but has very little British Columbia content.

Vancouver has four Chinese-language daily newspapers, Ming Pao, Sing Tao, World Journal and The Epoch Times. Ming Pao and Sing Tao cater to a Cantonese-speaking readership whereas World Journal and The Epoch Times target Mandarin speakers.

Vancouver business publications include the following:

Two free daily newspapers, 24H and Metro are published in the city from Monday to Friday. Both contain a small number of local news stories and 24H occasionally breaks news stories. Neither is long-established and both tend to concentrate on celebrity news and gossip.

The Georgia Straight is a weekly "alternative" newspaper, though in addition to left-leaning news and opinion it also features upscale advertising for products such as condominiums and has lifestyle articles on topics such as health and style. Its most extensive sections are focused on entertainment and music features and listings. The Georgia Straight began as a counterculture newspaper in the 1960s, full of controversial politics and occasional "obscene" cartoons and pictures, including the hippie classic comic Harold Hedd. During this period "the Straight's" owner and publisher, Dan MacLeod, was repeatedly harassed by the city and its anti-hippie mayor Tom Campbell. MacLeod's offices were repeatedly raided and he was beaten by police. During the 1970s MacLeod converted the publication to a much more entertainment-oriented publication, avoiding political content until the mid-1980s.

The Post Group Multimedia publishes 3 weekly newspapers: The Asian Pacific Post (Chinese), South Asian Post (Indo-Canadian), and The Filipino Post, for the three largest immigrant communities in the Lower Mainland.

The Express is the title used for an occasional union-published newspaper published by the press unions when they are on strike.

Neighbourhood papers

The Vancouver Courier, a free community newspaper, is distributed to most households in the city every Wednesday and Friday. The WE, a free weekly paper that used to be distributed primarily in the city's West End neighbourhood, has recently been trying to compete with the Georgia Straight as a weekly alternative newspaper for the entire city covering civic news and opinion (it does not try to compete with the Straight's exhaustive entertainment coverage and listings).

Newspaper Language Publication Frequency
24H (Vancouver Edition) English Daily (free); formerly 24 hours
The Indo-Canadian Voice English Weekly (free) English weekly
The Awaaz Newspaper English Weekly (free) Punjabi weekly
Asian Pacific Post English Weekly (free) Chinese weekly
The Canadian Immigrant English Monthly (free)
Discorder English Monthly (free)
Dose English Ceased publication, currently online only, formerly daily (free)
Filipino Post English Weekly (free) Filipino newspaper
The Georgia Straight English Weekly (free)
Good News Weekly English Weekly (free)
La Source / The Source French and English Bi-weekly (free) bilingual newspaper
L'Express du Pacifique French Bi-weekly
Living in Canada Chinese-language Ceased publication, formerly bi-weekly (free)
Ming Pao (Vancouver Edition) Chinese-language Daily
Metro (Vancouver Edition) English Daily (free)
Only English Ceased publication, currently online only, formerly semi-monthly (free)
The Peak English Weekly (free) Simon Fraser University student newspaper
The Province English Daily, except Saturday
The Republic English Bi-weekly (free)
Sing Tao (Vancouver Edition) Chinese-language Daily
South Asian Post English Weekly (free) Indo-Canadian/ Pakistani newspaper
The Epoch Times (Vancouver Edition) Chinese-language Daily (free)
The Ubyssey English Semi-weekly (free) University of British Columbia student newspaper
Vancouver Courier English Semi-weekly (free)
Vancouver Sun English Daily, except Sunday
WestEnder English Weekly (free)
World Journal (Vancouver Edition) Chinese-language Daily
Xtra! West English Bi-weekly (free)

Radio

There are three main news radio stations in Vancouver: CBC Radio One, CKNW and News1130. There are several other talk, information, and sports stations, primarily on the AM band, and a variety of music stations, mostly on FM.

In addition, there are four campus and community licensed radio stations in the Vancouver market. CJSF-FM (SFU's Burnaby campus), CITR-FM (UBC's main campus), and CFML (BCIT's Burnaby campus) are staffed by students from their respective schools. CFRO (Vancouver Coop Radio) is located in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. CJSF, CITR, and CFRO are members of the National Campus and Community Radio Association.

Frequency Call sign Branding Format Owner Notes
AM 650 CISL AM 650 Adult standards Newcap Radio licensed to Richmond
AM 690 CBU CBC Radio One news/talk Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
AM 730 CHMJ AM 730 all-traffic reports Corus Entertainment
AM 980 CKNW CKNW AM 980 news/talk Corus Entertainment
AM 1040 CKST TSN Radio 1040 sports Bell Media Radio
AM 1130 CKWX News1130 news Rogers Communications
AM 1200 CJRJ Spice Radio multicultural I.T. Productions
AM 1320 CHMB AM1320 CHMB multicultural Mainstream Broadcasting Corporation
AM 1410 CFTE TSN Radio 1410 sports Bell Media
AM 1470 CJVB Fairchild Radio multicultural Fairchild Radio
AM 1550 KRPI Sher E Punjab multicultural BBC Broadcasting Licensed to Ferndale, Washington, United States, studios are in Richmond
AM 1600 KVRI Radio India multicultural Multicultural Broadcasting Licensed to Blaine, Washington, United States, studios are in Surrey
FM 88.1 CBU-2-FM CBC Radio One news/talk Canadian Broadcasting Corporation FM translator for CBU 690 AM
FM 88.7 CHNW-FM CHNW Emergency information licensed to New Westminster
FM 88.9 VF2521 tourist information Cameron Bell Consultancy licensed to Surrey
FM 89.3 CFVT-FM Vancouver Tourist Radio tourist information Paul Sander
FM 90.1 CJSF-FM CJSF 90.1 FM campus radio Simon Fraser University
FM 90.9 CBUX-FM Ici Musique public music Canadian Broadcasting Corporation French
FM 93.1 CKYE-FM Red FM multicultural South Asian Broadcasting Corporation
FM 93.7 CJJR-FM JRfm country Jim Pattison Group
FM 94.5 CFBT-FM 94.5 Virgin Radio contemporary hit radio Bell Media
FM 95.3 CKZZ-FM Z 95.3 hot adult contemporary Newcap Radio
FM 96.1 CHKG-FM Fairchild Radio multicultural Fairchild Radio
FM 96.9 CJAX-FM 96.9 JACKfm adult hits Rogers Communications
FM 97.7 CBUF-FM Ici Radio-Canada Première news/talk Canadian Broadcasting Corporation French
FM 98.3 CIRH-FM Roundhouse Radio Community radio Roundhouse Radio Serves Vancouver - NEW-Launch Spring 2015
FM 98.7 CKPM-FM CKPM 98.7 adult album alternative McBride Communications & Media Serves Tri-Cities.
FM 99.3 CFOX-FM 99.3 The Fox active rock Corus Entertainment
FM 100.5 CFRO-FM Co-op Radio community radio Vancouver Cooperative Radio
FM 101.1 CFMI-FM ROCK 101 classic rock/classic hits Corus Entertainment licensed to New Westminster
FM 101.9 CITR-FM CITR 101.9 campus radio University of British Columbia
FM 102.7 CKPK-FM 102.7 The Peak adult album alternative Jim Pattison Group
FM 103.5 CHQM-FM 103.5 QM/FM adult contemporary Bell Media
FM 104.3 CHLG-FM LG 104.3 classic hits Newcap Radio
FM 104.9 CKKS-FM-2 KiSS RADiO contemporary hit radio Rogers Communications
FM 105.7 CBU-FM CBC Radio 2 public music Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
FM 107.7 NEW My Surrey FM Adult contemporary / community radio South Fraser Broadcasting Serves Surrey
FM 107.9 CFML-FM Evolution 107.9 campus radio British Columbia Institute of Technology

In addition, both KARI from Blaine, Washington (AM 550) and KWPZ from Lynden, Washington (FM 106.5) are usually considered part of the Vancouver radio market; KARI and KWPZ both maintain offices in Vancouver.

Internet radio

Television

Vancouver is the second largest television production centre in North America after Los Angeles.[1]

Global BC is the most popular evening newscast in the city by a wide margin, though CTV Vancouver, currently a distant second in the ratings, has aggressively been trying to increase its market share — including the purchasing a news helicopter known as 'Chopper 9'. In 2006 Global BC launched the Global One traffic helicopter for live traffic updates and breaking news. CBC also has local newscasts though they are far back in the ratings.

DTV channel Cable channel Call sign Network Notes
43 (2.1) 3 CBUT-DT CBC
49 (6.1) 6 CHEK-DT Independent Licensed to Victoria, also serves Vancouver.
22 (8.1) 11 CHAN-DT Global
33 (10.1) 13 CKVU-DT City
35 (12.1) 30 KVOS-TV Me-TV Licensed to Bellingham, Washington. Targeted at Canadian audiences. Maintains sales office in Vancouver.
17 (17.1) 12 CIVI-DT-2 CTV Two Rebroadcaster of CIVI-DT Victoria
26 (26.1) 7 CBUFT-DT Ici Radio-Canada Vancouver's only French language station.
32 (32.1) 9 CIVT-DT CTV
20 (42.1) 8 CHNM-DT Omni
47 (66.1) 10 CHNU-DT ZoomerMedia Joytv 10
4 Shaw TV Vancouver Community channel
5 Knowledge Network Education channel
21 Global News: BC 1 Regional news channel
116 Shaw Multicultural Channel Multicultural community channel
517 Fairchild TV Vancouver Mostly Cantonese, contains some Mandarin
520 Talentvision Vancouver Mostly Mandarin, contains some Korean and Vietnamese
541 New Tang Dynasty Mostly Mandarin
2828 Wow TV Vancouver Mostly Mandarin, contains some Cantonese

Vancouver and most of the Lower Mainland are served by Shaw Cable. Delta is also served by Delta Cable. Telus TV, and IPTV service is available throughout most of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

Other over the air television stations licensed to Bellingham that are available terrestrially in Vancouver but not carried on cable are KBCB (channel 24), an affiliate of Sonlife Broadcasting Network on subchannels 24.1, in high definition, and 24.2, in standard definition; and K24IC-D (channel 28.1), a rebroadcaster of PBS station KBTC-TV Tacoma. In addition, Movies! subchannel 12.2 and Sur Sagar TV subchannel 12.3, offered on KVOS, are also not available on cable.

American network affiliates on Vancouver cable are from Seattle, Washington including KOMO (ABC), KING (NBC), KIRO (CBS), KCTS (PBS), KSTW (The CW), and KCPQ (Fox). Many of these stations could be seen over the air in Vancouver, though a rooftop or outdoor antenna may be required.

Magazines

Online media

Media ownership

Vancouver has some of the most concentrated media ownership in all of Canada. The Vancouver Sun, The Province, the National Post, and 12 community newspapers are all owned by Postmedia Network. Partly in response to that concentration, a group of journalists — many of them ex-Sun employees — started up an online news publication, The Tyee, that posts news and opinion pieces on a nearly daily basis.

Ethnic media

As of the 2000s there were various formats of media catering to ethnic minorities. They included 80 newspapers, 24 magazines, 15 television stations, 15 radio stations, and 10 printed business directories and online publications. Daniel Ahadi and Catherine A. Murray, the authors of "Urban Mediascapes and Multicultural Flows: Assessing Vancouver’s Communication Infrastructure," wrote that publication turnover, or the creation and failure and publications, was very high.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Vancouver Film Industry". Canada.com. Retrieved 2006-12-24.
  2. ↑ Ahadi, Daniel and Catherine A. Murray (Simon Fraser University). "Urban Mediascapes and Multicultural Flows: Assessing Vancouver’s Communication Infrastructure" (Archive). Canadian Journal of Communication, Vol 34 (2009) p. 587-611. CITED: p. 596. "The status of many of these ethnic outlets is manifestly precarious. Churn is high."

See also