Television Stations in Alberta

There are 23 television stations in Alberta. They are operated by six major networks and systems – the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), Crossroads Television System (CTS), CTV Television Network (CTV), Global Television Network and OMNI TV and a couple of independents. In addition, Rogers operates the Citytv stations in Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, and Red Deer. The “Citytv-like” station in Medicine Hat CHAT TV is operated by the Jim Pattison Group out of Vancouver.  These networks and systems (with the exception of the independent Christian system CTS) are owned by corporations that are dominant players in the national tv market – Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE), the CBC, Rogers and Shaw.

Several of Alberta’s television stations have changed hands recently, due to BCE’s buyout of CTVglobemedia and Shaw’s takeover of Canwest Global Communications Corp.’s television assets.

CTV Edmonton (CFRN) has been on the air since 1954 and is Alberta’s second television station. It shares studios with another CTVglobemedia owned station called Access. CTV’s News at Six in both Calgary and Edmonton are often rated the most-watched newscasts in their respective cities by BBM Canada. The station produces 20.5 hours of live local news every week. Access is Alberta’s educational television station and is carried throughout the province on cable. Access does not have a newsroom. It broadcasts educational and entertainment programs as well as documentaries, talk shows, dramas, comedies and more. In March 2009, Access launched a provincial news and current affairs show called Alberta Primetime. The show is broadcast out of Edmonton at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. on weekdays. BCE (soon to be named Bell Media) recently bid on the 27 national CTV channels across Canada, as well as a number of specialty channels. The CRTC approved the sale on March 7, 2011.

Another company that has made moves recently in the Alberta television market is Shaw, which now owns Global. Global Calgary (CICT) is the oldest television station in Alberta, on air since 1954. It serves as the main control centre for all of Canada’s Global stations. CICT runs five newscasts daily – in the morning, at noon, 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and a late-night show at 11:00 p.m. Global Television was previously owned by Canwest. In May 2010, Shaw bid $2 billion to purchase 100 per cent of Canwest’s television assets. Both Calgary and Edmonton’s Global stations were included in the transaction. Stated in a Shaw press release, the deal was officially closed on October 27, 2010. With approval from the CRTC, Shaw Communications acquired 11 national Global channels, as well as Canwest’s specialty channels and rebranded as Shaw Media. Shaw’s locally-based community channel service runs programming produced by staff, as well as volunteers. Its news content mostly consists of live studio shows, city council meetings, university and high school sports and community advertisements. Some programs are city-specific, while others such as Women’s Hockey League coverage are region-specific.

Conversely, it is business as usual at many of Alberta’s other television stations.

The CBC, Canada’s national broadcaster and the oldest network in the country, has both English and French divisions. Edmonton’s English station (CBXT) has been on the air since 1961 and its French station (CBXFT) since 1970. CBXT produces four regional newscasts daily. CBXFT’s francophone newscast is called Le Téléjournal/Alberta and airs at 6 p.m. CBC Calgary (CRBT), on air since 1975, produces four local newscasts daily. They air at 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., as well as a 10-minute show called Calgary Late Night, which airs after The National.

Citytv has been on the air since 1997 and is a system without official network status. It has stations in Edmonton (CKEM) and Calgary (CKAL). Citytv was originally owned by Craig Media. In 2004, it was purchased by CHUM Limited. CTVglobemedia has since acquired CHUM and in 2007, Rogers acquired Citytv. In January 2010, layoffs at Citytv resulted in the cancellation of four newscasts. Breakfast Television, the station’s morning show on at 6 to 9 a.m. on weekdays, remains a popular source for morning local news.

CHAT TV is a privately owned affiliate of Rogers’ Citytv television system owned by the Jim Pattison Group out of Vancouver.  In addition to CHAT TV, Pattison also operates  CHAT 94.5 FM, both in Medicine Hat.

CTS is owned by Crossroads Christian Communications and broadcasts a religious programming format with stations in Calgary (CKCS) and Edmonton (CKES). As a new entry to the market, it was licensed by the CRTC in 2007. CTS does not have a local newscast, but it does run a community events program called Connects.

OMNI Television (CJCO in Calgary and CJEO in Edmonton) is a system owned by Rogers. Also a recent new entry to the market, it was granted a license by the CRTC in June 2007 and launched in September 2008. OMNI broadcasts a multicultural programming format for Alberta’s Cantonese, Mandarin and South Asian communities. It produces three nightly newscasts for both stations, which are all packaged in Edmonton.

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