CJIL-DT

Last updated
CJIL-DT
Miracle Channel logo.jpg
Channels
BrandingMiracle Channel
Programming
Affiliations Religious Independent
TBN (secondary)
Ownership
OwnerThe Miracle Channel Association
History
First air date
January 14, 1996(28 years ago) (1996-01-14)
Former call signs
CJIL-TV (1996–2011)
Former channel number(s)
Analogue:
17 (UHF, 1996–2011)
Call sign meaning
"Christ Jesus is Lord"
Technical information
Licensing authority
CRTC
ERP 8.6 kW
HAAT 133.5 m (438 ft)
Transmitter coordinates 49°46′47″N112°52′18″W / 49.77972°N 112.87167°W / 49.77972; -112.87167
Translator(s) See below
Links
Website miraclechannel.ca

CJIL-DT (channel 17) branded on-air as Miracle Channel, is a Christian religious television station in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, owned by The Miracle Channel Association. The station's studios are located on 31 Street North in Lethbridge, and its transmitter is located on Highway 25 north of the city.

Contents

Launched in 1996, CJIL was the first over-the-air religious TV station in Canada. It has been carried on cable and satellite providers in other parts of Canada since 2000.

History

CJIL-DT's offices in Lethbridge Miracle Channel Building.jpg
CJIL-DT's offices in Lethbridge

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) granted a broadcasting licence to Dick and Joan Dewert (also known as Dick and Joan Deweert) on April 4, 1995. [1] It debuted on January 14, 1996, broadcasting in southern Alberta, after Canada's 60-year ban on religious broadcasting was lifted. It expanded nationally on September 11, 2000. CJIL was the Canadian partner of the U.S. religious broadcaster Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). (The Dewerts had set up an unlicensed relay transmitter for TBN in 1986, which was shut down by the CRTC before CJIL's license was granted.) The station is available globally via satellite and on the Internet.

In 1999 and 2001, two additional transmitters were approved by the CRTC to be added in Bow Island and Burmis.

On May 20, 2007, Dick Dewert admitted to an extramarital affair and resigned from the station. Joan Dewert resigned as well. [2] [3] Mervyn Mediwake was installed as the interim CEO. [4] On January 1, 2010, after a series of interim leaders, the board of directors of the Miracle Channel Association hired Leon Fontaine, senior pastor of the Winnipeg-based Springs Church, as permanent CEO. [5]

On July 8, 2013, TBN announced a partnership with Miracle Channel. As a result, Miracle Channel began airing some of TBN's flagship programs, including Praise the Lord and Behind The Scenes, while TBN's networks picked up some of Miracle Channel's programs, including Springs Church services, and The Leon Show on The Church Channel. Plans were also announced for Fontaine to be a regular host on Praise the Lord, and for four episodes per year to originate from Canada. The two networks also announced plans to co-produce a new weekly program. [6] The move came weeks following Daystar's announcement of a similar program supply deal with Grace TV, which would soon be rebranded Daystar Canada. [7]

On September 19, 2017, the channel premiered a daily newscast, Bridge City News, hosted by Hal Roberts.

Over-the-air in Alberta

In 2007, The Miracle Channel Association filed an application with the CRTC for a licence to operate English-language transitional digital television programming undertakings in Calgary (Channel 15) and Edmonton (Channel 21). If approved, these transmitters would have simply rebroadcast CJIL in its entirety. The applications were denied, however, in favour of a competing application from the Crossroads Television System.

As part of spectrum re-allocation, full-power over-the-air transmitters on channels 52–69 must vacate those channels, but may move to a channel below 52. CJIL's transmitter in Burmis, CJIL-TV-2 channel 55, was affected by this change. In filings to the CRTC, CJIL has stated that it plans on shutting down this transmitter.[ citation needed ]

Criticism

The Miracle Channel Review, a Christian-run website unaffiliated with the network, has been critical of the Dewerts and other personalities over the prosperity gospel message they have preached during CJIL's fundraising telethons. The Miracle Channel Review's webmaster, Tim Thibault, issued formal complaints with the CRTC over improper statements made during CJIL's telethons; the CRTC ruled in 2006 that the fundraising cited by Thibault violated federal guidelines. [8]

Transmitters

Station City of licence Channel ERP HAAT Transmitter Coordinates
CJIL-TV-1 Bow Island 39 (UHF)13.86 kW112 m 49°47′8″N111°19′29″W / 49.78556°N 111.32472°W / 49.78556; -111.32472 (CJIL-TV-1)

On March 30, 1999, the CRTC approved to add a new TV transmitter at Bow Island on channel 39. [9]

On August 30, 2001, the CRTC approved to add a new TV transmitter at Burmis on channel 55. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trinity Broadcasting Network</span> International Christian television network

The Trinity Broadcasting Network is an international Christian-based broadcast television network and the world's largest religious television network. TBN was headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, until March 3, 2017, when it sold its highly visible office park, Trinity Christian City. The broadcaster retained its studios in nearby Tustin.

CKVR-DT is a television station in Barrie, Ontario, Canada, serving as the flagship station of the CTV 2 system. It is owned and operated by Bell Media alongside Toronto-based CTV flagship CFTO-DT, channel 9 ; it is also sister to 24-hour regional news channel CP24. CKVR-DT's studios and transmitter are co-located at 33 Beacon Road in Barrie.

<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">CJMT-DT</span> Omni Television station in Toronto

CJMT-DT is a television station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is one of two flagship stations of the Canadian multilingual network Omni Television. CJMT-DT is owned and operated by Rogers Sports & Media alongside sister Omni outlet CFMT-DT and Citytv flagship CITY-DT. The three stations share studios at 33 Dundas Street East on Yonge-Dundas Square in downtown Toronto; CJMT-DT's transmitter is located atop the CN Tower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CHNU-DT</span> Religious independent TV station in Fraser Valley, British Columbia

CHNU-DT is a religious independent television station serving southwestern British Columbia, Canada, including Greater Vancouver, Victoria, the Fraser Valley and surrounding areas. Licensed to the Fraser Valley Regional District, the station is owned by ZoomerMedia and is branded on air as Joytv. CHNU-DT's studios are located on 192 Street/Highway 10 in Surrey, and its transmitter is located on Mount Seymour.

CICI-TV is a television station in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, part of the CTV Television Network. The station is owned and operated by network parent Bell Media, and has studios on Frood Road in Sudbury; its transmitter is located near Huron Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CIII-DT</span> Global flagship television station in Toronto

CIII-DT is a television station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, serving as the flagship station of the Global Television Network. Owned and operated by network parent Corus Entertainment, CIII-DT maintains studios at 81 Barber Greene Road in the Don Mills district of Toronto, and its transmitter is located atop the CN Tower in downtown Toronto.

CKCW-DT is a television station in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, part of the CTV Television Network. It serves as the network's outlet for both New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Owned and operated by network parent Bell Media, CKCW-DT maintains studios at Halifax and George Streets in Moncton, with a PEI bureau in Charlottetown. Its transmitter is located on Wilson Road in Hillsborough.

CKLT-DT is a television station in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, part of the CTV Television Network. Owned and operated by network parent Bell Media, the station has studios on Brunswick Square in Saint John, and its transmitter is located near Whitaker Lake in Petersville. It also operates analogue rebroadcast transmitters in Woodstock and Boiestown.

CJCB-DT is a repeater television station in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, part of the CTV Television Network. Owned and operated by network parent Bell Media, the station has a transmitter in Blacketts Lake southwest of the city. It operated a TV studio in Sydney from 1954 until 2021, with all production and master control work now done in Halifax at CJCH-DT.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CISA-DT</span> Global television station in Lethbridge, Alberta

CISA-DT is a television station in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, part of the Global Television Network. Owned and operated by network parent Corus Entertainment, the station maintains studios inside the Royal Bank building at the corner of 7 Street South and 4 Avenue South in Downtown Lethbridge, and its transmitter is located near Highway 25 and Range Road 221, just outside the city.

CFCN-DT is a television station in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, part of the CTV Television Network. It is owned and operated by network parent Bell Media alongside cable-exclusive CTV 2 Alberta. CFCN-DT's studios are located on Patina Rise Southwest, near Calgary's Coach Hill neighbourhood, and its transmitter is located near Old Banff Coach Road/Highway 563.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CHAU-DT</span> TVA affiliate in Carleton-sur-Mer, Quebec

CHAU-DT is a French language television station serving as an affiliate of TVA in Carleton-sur-Mer, Quebec, Canada. It broadcasts an analogue signal on VHF channel 5 from a transmitter near Rue de la Montagne in Carleton-sur-Mer.

CJCH-DT is a television station in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, part of the CTV Television Network. Owned and operated by network parent Bell Media, the station maintains studios on Robie and Russell Streets in Halifax, and its transmitter is located on Washmill Lake Drive on the city's west side.

CFTO-DT is a television station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, serving as the flagship station of the CTV Television Network. It is owned and operated by network parent Bell Media alongside Barrie-based CTV 2 flagship CKVR-DT, channel 3. CFTO-DT's studios are located at 9 Channel Nine Court in Agincourt, and its transmitter is located atop the CN Tower in Downtown Toronto. The station shares the Agincourt studio complex with CTV's headquarters, which includes studios for the network's news programming, along with most of Bell Media's specialty channels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CBU (AM)</span> CBC Radio One station in Vancouver

CBU is a Canadian non-commercial public radio station, in Vancouver, British Columbia. It carries the programming of the CBC Radio One network. The station broadcasts on 690 AM and on 88.1 FM as CBU-2-FM. CBU's newscasts and local shows are also heard on a chain of CBC stations around the Lower Mainland.

WRBJ-TV is a religious television station licensed to Magee, Mississippi, United States, serving the Jackson, Hattiesburg and Meridian television markets as an owned-and-operated station of the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). The station's transmitter is located near Raleigh, Mississippi, in the Bienville National Forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CKPG-TV</span> Citytv affiliate in Prince George, British Columbia

CKPG-TV is a television station in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada, affiliated with Citytv. The station is owned by Pattison Media, and maintains studios on 3rd Avenue in Prince George; its transmitter is located atop Pilot Mountain.

WMCF-TV is a religious television station in Montgomery, Alabama, United States, owned and operated by the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). The station's transmitter is located near Sevenmile Creek, on the east side of Montgomery.

References

  1. Decision CRTC 95–129, CRTC, April 4, 1995
  2. "Miracle Channel founder resigns", CBC News, May 22, 2007
  3. Myers, Sean. "Christian TV head resigns over affair" Archived 2011-06-28 at the Wayback Machine , Calgary Herald , May 23, 2007.
  4. "Miracle TV to go on without founder, says new head" CBC News, May 23, 2007
  5. "Leon Fontaine appointed CEO of Miracle Channel" Archived 2010-09-20 at the Wayback Machine Christian Week, December 22nd, 2009
  6. "TBN, Canada's Miracle Channel To Share Shows". Multichannel News. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
  7. "PRESS RELEASE: Grace TV has entered into a strategic partnership with Daystar Television". GraceTV press release. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  8. CRTC Miracle Channel judgment [ permanent dead link ], 3 January 2006
  9. Decision CRTC 99-71, Addition of a transmitter for the distribution of the programming of CJIL-TV, CRTC, March 30, 1999
  10. Decision CRTC 2001-491, Addition of a transmitter of CJIL-TV Lethbridge at Burmis, CRTC, August 13, 2001