CHCA-TV

Last updated
CHCA-TV
Chcanews.svg
Channels
BrandingCHCA News
Programming
Affiliations E!
Ownership
Owner
CITV-TV, CICT-TV
History
First air date
December 11, 1957 (1957-12-11)
Last air date
August 31, 2009 (2009-08-31)
(51 years, 8 months and 20 days)
Former call signs
CHCA-TV (1957-1965, 2005-2009)
CKRD-TV (1965-2005)
CBC (1957-2005) CH (2005-2007) E! (2007-2009)
Call sign meaning
CH Television (former name of affiliation) Central Alberta
Technical information
ERP 100 kW
HAAT 249 m
Transmitter coordinates 52°16′30″N113°41′28″W / 52.27500°N 113.69111°W / 52.27500; -113.69111
Translator(s) see below

CHCA-TV was a television station in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. It was owned by Canwest, and was part of the E! television system. The station was seen on VHF channel 6 and cable channel 11 in Red Deer. The station was previously Red Deer's CBC affiliate. CHCA had its studios on Bremner Avenue in Downtown Red Deer (where CHUB and CFDV are currently based) and transmitter off Range Road 265 in Red Deer County.

Contents

Canwest announced in February 2009 that it was reviewing several options, including closure, for its E! stations due to financial pressures. The station closed on August 31, 2009. [1] [2]

History

The station began broadcasting on December 11, 1957 as CHCA-TV, the "CA" standing for Central Alberta. The station's founder was Fred Bartley. In September 1965, the call letters were changed to CKRD-TV, the RD standing for Red Deer.

In the period between 1969 and 1976, CKRD was owned by Henry Flock and Gordon Spackman who also owned two radio stations with the same moniker in Red Deer (CKRD and CKRD-FM). Past employees of that era included Danny Teed, Ron MacLean, Martin Smith and Al Coates. In 1976, Monarch Broadcasting purchased the station, and in 1989, was purchased by Allarcom (not to be confused with Allarco). Allarcom merged with WIC in 1991, before being purchased by Canwest in 2000.

RDTV's first logo. The second logo, used in the late 90s through 2005, was similar to this logo, but was tilted and was in 3D. This 2D version was used in the 1990s. For the logo used as CH see the CH article. RDTV.svg
RDTV's first logo. The second logo, used in the late 90s through 2005, was similar to this logo, but was tilted and was in 3D. This 2D version was used in the 1990s. For the logo used as CH see the CH article.

In the days as CKRD, the station was known on air as RDTV. Its general slogan was "The Heart of the West", and its news slogan was "Our focus is YOU". CKRD broadcast a minimum of 40 hours of programming from the CBC, with the rest of the programming coming from WIC, and later Canwest's CH system. Some of those who wanted a full CBC schedule could view Edmonton's CBXT in the area,[ citation needed ] other areas lacked a real CBC station. From the mid-1980s onward, it was carried on cable in Edmonton and Calgary.

News bulletins were broadcast at 12 noon and 5 p.m., with a Saturday bulletin produced by CITV Edmonton aired at either 11pm, or after Hockey Night in Canada . The weekend newscast was moved to Sundays near the end of its association with CBC.

On September 5, 2005, the station disaffiliated from the CBC and became the fourth station in the CH television system. On that date, the station changed its call letters back to the original CHCA.

Sportscaster Ron MacLean began his career at CKRD.

Plans to build rebroadcasters in Edmonton and Calgary were initially denied in 2005 by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). A new application to the same effect was approved on June 8, 2007. The Edmonton transmitter broadcast on Channel 17; the Calgary transmitter was on Channel 44. Rogers initially received approval in principle for the Calgary transmitter, but was required to submit a new application for an alternate channel number because of a conflict with Rogers Communications' contemporaneous application for new Omni Television outlets in both cities. The station was not allowed to solicit local advertising in Calgary or Edmonton (although it could theoretically accept if specifically approached by advertisers in those markets).

CHCA was relaunched on September 7, 2007 as E! Red Deer, as part of Canwest's rebranding of CH stations to E!. Local programming was renamed CHCA News as a result of the rebranding.

On February 5, 2009, Canwest announced it would explore "strategic options", including possible sale, for CHCA and its other E! stations, saying "a second conventional TV network is no longer key to the long-term success" of the company. [3]

CHCA ceased to air regular programming in the early morning of August 31, 2009. This slide was the last image to be carried over CHCA. A black screen aired until the transmitters were shut off on September 1, 2009. Chca shutdown.png
CHCA ceased to air regular programming in the early morning of August 31, 2009. This slide was the last image to be carried over CHCA. A black screen aired until the transmitters were shut off on September 1, 2009.

On July 22, 2009, Canwest announced it would be closing CHCA as of August 31, 2009 at 5:00am MT, issuing layoff notices to staff. [1] Its final entertainment program was a rerun of Wild On! at 12:30 a.m., followed by a four-hour block of informercials until 5:00 a.m., and then a "goodbye" slide that ran before a black screen that aired all day long until the transmitters were finally shut off.

The station was the first major TV station in Canada to have gone dark since 1977, when CFVO-TV in Hull, Quebec left the air (the channel would be reactivated five months later as Radio-Québec outlet CIVO-TV, on a new licence); all other defunct stations in Canada became repeaters of other stations almost seamlessly. Sportscaster Ron MacLean commented that the station's closure was "a sign of the times," but "it wouldn't surprise me somewhere down the road if it starts up again." [5] CKX-TV, a CBC affiliate in Brandon, Manitoba would follow, closing approximately one month later on October 2, 2009. The neighbouring CTV Two Alberta stations CIAN-TV 13 Calgary and CJAL-TV 9 Edmonton were closed down on August 31, 2011 (going to cable-only status), followed two months later by CKXT-DT Toronto.

The CHCA-TV licence was revoked on December 16, 2009. [6]

News

The station aired local newscasts at 5 and 5:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. Monday to Friday, and until September 2008 aired newscasts on the weekends. This change coincided with Global Edmonton remotely taking control of the station's production. The news set surrounding the on-air talent was digitally created, similar to a weather anchor's green screen set up.

Former Transmitters

CBC era

The translator in Coronation, formerly CKRD-TV-1 on channel 10, later moved to channel 13, broadcasting the Edmonton CBXT signal since the 2005 disaffiliation from CBC; this translator would go dark on July 31, 2012, due to financial measures imposed by the CBC. [7] The station also had a translator on channel 10 in Banff, which has since gone dark.

CH/E! era

Station City of licence Channel ERP HAAT Transmitter Coordinates
CHCA-TV-1 Calgary 44 (UHF)79 kW206 m 51°3′34″N114°10′13″W / 51.05944°N 114.17028°W / 51.05944; -114.17028 (CHCA-TV-1)
CHCA-TV-2 Edmonton 17 (UHF)92 kW232 m 53°27′49″N113°20′11″W / 53.46361°N 113.33639°W / 53.46361; -113.33639 (CHCA-TV-2)

Alumni

Digital television and high definition

As of its closure on August 31, 2009, CHCA-DT never signed on the air.

CHCA-DT was allocated channel 28 for Red Deer, while its Edmonton and Calgary repeaters converted to digital as a flash-cut. [8] Following the station's closedown and licence revocation, the allocations for its analog and digital frequencies became open for future stations. [9] Should a new television station open up in Red Deer in the future, it would not be required to operate as a digital station, as Red Deer is not a mandatory market for digital conversion, [10] which took place in most other markets on August 31, 2011. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Global Television Network</span> Canadian broadcast TV network

The Global Television Network is a Canadian English-language terrestrial television network. It is currently Canada's second most-watched private terrestrial television network after CTV, and has fifteen owned-and-operated stations throughout the country. Global is owned by Corus Entertainment — the media holdings of JR Shaw and other members of his family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Citytv</span> Canadian television network owned by Rogers Communications

Citytv is a Canadian television network owned by the Rogers Sports & Media subsidiary of Rogers Communications. The network consists of six owned-and-operated (O&O) television stations located in the metropolitan areas of Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver, a cable-only service that serves the province of Saskatchewan, and three independently owned affiliates serving smaller cities in Alberta and British Columbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CITY-DT</span> Citytv flagship station in Toronto

CITY-DT is a television station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, serving as the flagship station of the Citytv network. It is owned and operated by network parent Rogers Sports & Media alongside Omni Television outlets CFMT-DT and CJMT-DT. The stations share studios at 33 Dundas Street East on Yonge–Dundas Square in downtown Toronto, while CITY-DT's transmitter is located atop the CN Tower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CKXT-DT</span> Former TV station in Toronto

CKXT-DT was a broadcast television station based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which broadcast to much of southern and eastern Ontario. It was owned by Quebecor Media through its Groupe TVA unit. Although beginning as a general interest independent station carrying a typical schedule of entertainment and information programming, by the time of the station's closure on November 1, 2011, the station had been converted into an over-the-air simulcast of Quebecor's cable news channel, Sun News Network. The station transmitted on channel 52 in Toronto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CKNX-TV</span> Former TV station in Wingham, Ontario, Canada

CKNX-TV was a television station owned by CTVglobemedia which served mid-western Ontario, Canada. It was part of the A television system. The station's offices, studios, and transmission facilities were located at Carling Terrace corner John Street in Wingham. A bureau in Owen Sound closed down in late 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CHMI-DT</span> Citytv station in Portage la Prairie/Winnipeg, Manitoba

CHMI-DT is a television station licensed to Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada, broadcasting the Citytv network to the Winnipeg area. Owned and operated by Rogers Sports & Media, the station has studios at 8 Forks Market Road in downtown Winnipeg, and its transmitter is located adjacent to Bohn Road in Cartier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CITV-DT</span> Global TV station in Edmonton

CITV-DT is a television station in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, part of the Global Television Network. The station is owned and operated by network parent Corus Entertainment, and maintains studios on Allard Way Northwest in the Pleasantview neighbourhood of Edmonton. Its transmitter is located just off of Highway 21, southeast of the city. CITV-DT carries the full Global network schedule, and its programming is similar to sister station CICT-DT in Calgary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CKVU-DT</span> Citytv station in Vancouver

CKVU-DT is a television station in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, serving as the West Coast flagship of the Citytv network. It is owned and operated by network parent Rogers Sports & Media alongside Omni Television station CHNM-DT. The two stations share studios at the corner of West 2nd Avenue and Columbia Street in the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood of Vancouver; CKVU-DT's transmitter is located atop Mount Seymour in the district municipality of North Vancouver, with additional transmitter link facilities on the roof of the Century Plaza Hotel in Downtown Vancouver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CKX-TV</span> Defunct TV station in Brandon, Manitoba

CKX-TV was a television station in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, which served as a private affiliate of CBC Television. Owned by CTVglobemedia, it was the first privately owned television station in Manitoba. It shared its call letters with its former sister station, CKX-FM, owned by Astral Media.

CBXT-DT is a CBC Television station in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is part of a twinstick with Ici Radio-Canada Télé station CBXFT-DT. Both stations share studios at the Edmonton City Centre in Downtown Edmonton, while CBXT-DT's transmitter is located on Wye Road in Sherwood Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CKAL-DT</span> Citytv station in Calgary

CKAL-DT is a television station in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, part of the Citytv network. It is owned and operated by Rogers Sports & Media alongside Omni Television station CJCO-DT. The two stations share studios at 7 Avenue and 5 Street Southwest in Downtown Calgary; CKAL-DT's transmitter is located near Old Banff Coach Road/Highway 563.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CJNT-DT</span> Citytv station in Montreal

CJNT-DT is a television station in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, part of the Citytv network. Owned and operated by network parent Rogers Sports & Media, the station maintains studios inside the Rogers Building at the corner of McGill College Avenue and Cathcart Street near the Place Ville Marie complex in downtown Montreal, and its transmitter is located at Mount Royal Park, near downtown Montreal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omni Television</span> Canadian television system and specialty channel

Omni Television is a Canadian television system and group of specialty channels owned by Rogers Sports & Media, a subsidiary of Rogers Communications. It currently consists of all six of Canada's conventional multicultural television stations, which are located in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and an affiliate in Quebec. The system's flagship station is CFMT in Toronto, which was the first independent multicultural television station in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western International Communications</span> Former Canadian media company

WIC Western International Communications Ltd. was a Canadian media company that operated from 1982 to 2000, with operations including broadcast and specialty television, radio, and satellite distribution via a majority interest in Canadian Satellite Communications.

CFRN-DT is a television station in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, part of the CTV Television Network. It is owned and operated by network parent Bell Media alongside cable-exclusive CTV 2 Alberta. The two outlets share studios with sister radio station CFRN on Stony Plain Road in Edmonton; CFRN-DT's transmitter is located near Highway 21, southeast of Sherwood Park.

CBXFT-DT is an Ici Radio-Canada Télé station in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, serving the province's Franco-Albertan population. It is part of a twinstick with CBC Television station CBXT-DT. Both stations share studios at the Edmonton City Centre in Downtown Edmonton, while CBXFT-DT's transmitter is located in Sherwood Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CFJC-TV</span> Citytv affiliate in Kamloops, British Columbia

CFJC-TV is a television station in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada, affiliated with Citytv. Owned by the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group, the station has studios on Pemberton Terrace and Columbia Street West in Kamloops, and its transmitter is located near Southern Yellowhead Highway/Highway 5, southeast of Kamloops Airport.

In 2007, significant ownership changes occurred in Canada's broadcast television industry, involving nearly every private English-language network and television system. In addition to the shuffling of network affiliations and mergers involving various networks, several new television stations and rebroadcast transmitters also signed on the air.

This is a list of media in Red Deer, Alberta.

The first incarnation of E!, also referred to as E! Entertainment Television, was a Canadian English language privately owned television system that existed from 2001 to 2009 under the ownership of Canwest. At its peak it consisted of eight local television stations located in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, including five stations owned and operated (O&O) by Canwest and three affiliates owned by Jim Pattison Group.

References

  1. 1 2 "Canwest closing TV stations in Alberta, B.C.". cbc.ca, July 22, 2009.
  2. ↑ Red Deer Advocate: "CHCA-TV fades to black", 7/23/2009. Archived 2012-07-19 at archive.today
  3. ↑ "Canwest may sell TV stations". cbc.ca, February 5, 2009.
  4. ↑ Red Deer TV station closes cbc.ca, September 1, 2009
  5. ↑ "Red Deer Advocate: "Red Deer's CHCA signing off", 8/28/2009". Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2009-09-01.
  6. ↑ CRTC: Today's Releases - December 16, 2009 [ permanent dead link ]
  7. ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2012-384, July 17, 2012.
  8. 1 2 "Canada's Office of Consumer Affairs - What You Need to Know About the Analog-to-Digital Television Transition in Canada". Archived from the original on 2008-09-16. Retrieved 2012-03-15.
  9. ↑ Industry Canada: "DTV Post-Transition Allotment Plan", December 2008
  10. ↑ "Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2009-406". 6 June 2009. Retrieved 2011-03-14.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.