CJMT-DT

On November 18, CJMT was given approval to change from channel 44 to 69 and to increase effective radiated power from 179,000 to 500,000 watts.

On December 17, OMNI 2 was granted rebroadcast transmitters at Ottawa (channel 14 with ERP of 435,000 watts) and London (channel 20 with ERP of 18,800 watts).

On September 29, Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. was authorized to decrease the average effective radiated power for CJMT-TV-2 Ottawa from 435,000 to 208,000 watts and to change from non-directional to directional operation at the Manotick antenna site.

The Omni 2 London rebroadcast transmitter signed on in December. The Ottawa transmitter began operations earlier in the year.

On May 19, CJMT was authorized to operate a transitional digital television programming undertaking at Ottawa, operating on channel 66C with an average effective radiated power of 7,110 watts. 

On August 19 the CRTC renewed CJMT-TV’s (OMNI. 2) licence until August 31, 2015. The renewal included rebroadcast transmitters in London and Ottawa. The Commission approves the request by Rogers Broadcasting Limited to harmonize its requirement for the provision of Canadian programming across all of its OMNI stations, to amend CJMT-TV’s requirement for the provision of ethnic programming in order to harmonize it with the conditions of licence applicable to the other OMNI stations and to eliminate the restrictions on the broadcast of non-Canadian, non-ethnic programming during specific broadcast periods for CFMT-TV and CJMT-TV. The Commission denies Rogers’ proposal to harmonize across all of its OMNI stations the requirement to broadcast ethnic programming during “peak” time and its request to remove the conditions of licence relating to the overlap of programming between OMNI and Citytv stations. The Commission approves Rogers’ request to harmonize across all of its OMNI stations the requirement to provide programming to a minimum of 20 distinct ethnic groups in a minimum of 20 distinct languages monthly and approves an amended requirement that no more than 16% of the programming be in any one foreign language during each broadcast month. However, the Commission denies Rogers’ request to remove the restriction relating to the overlap of ethnic programs in a foreign language on CJMT-TV and CFMT-TV during the same broadcast year. Among the conditions of licence: The licensee shall devote to the broadcast of ethnic programs: a) not less than 80% of the total number of hours broadcast monthly between 6 a.m. and midnight; and b) not less than 50% of the total number of hours broadcast monthly between 6 p.m. and midnight.

CITY-TV, CFMT-TV (Omni.1) and CJMT (Omni.2) moved to a new home at Yonge-Dundas Square. The location was once home to Olympic Spirit, a showcase for sport. CFMT and CJMT relocated from Lakeshore Boulevard West, near Bathurst Street. CITY-TV had been located in the CHUM/CITY Building at 299 Queen Street West (still owned by CTV). The new location features a street-level studio that looks on to the square. The technical components for the stations are shared, but CITY and OMNI are distinct. Master Control remained at Lakeshore Blvd. W., along with supporting satellite & dub facilities, program library and station administration. 

Keith Pelley, president of Rogers Media, announced the appointment of two senior executives to his senior leadership team. Leslie Sole was promoted to the newly created position of chief content officer and Scott Moore assumed the position of president, broadcasting. Sole would be responsible for the creation and execution of the Rogers Media content strategy. Prior to this, he oversaw the expansion of the Rogers Television division. Moore would oversee Rogers Media television including Citytv, Sportsnet and OMNI and all radio properties and would be responsible for the programming, sales, production, regulatory, engineering and distribution. He joined Rogers from CBC Television.

On December 21, the CRTC approved the application by Rogers Broadcasting Limited to amend the licence for CJMT-TV to add a post-transition digital transmitter to serve London. The new transmitter would operate on channel 20 with an average effective radiated power of 10,600 watts (maximum ERP of 14,000 watts with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 197.6 metres). 

The CRTC approved the amendment to the licence for CJMT-TV Toronto to add transitional and post-transition digital television transmitters at Toronto and Ottawa. The Toronto transmitter would operate on channel 51 with an effective radiated power of 18,100 watts (non-directional) with effective antenna height of 501.4 metres from the CN Tower (the analog transmitter was atop First Canadian Place). Programming would be received by fibre optic. The Ottawa transmitter would operate on channel 20 with a maximum effective radiated power of 15,000 watts (7,200 watts average). A directional antenna would be used at the existing site with effective height of 202.3 metres. Programming would be received by fibre optic.

The deadline for the conversion of analog television to digital in mandatory markets was August 31. CJMT-DT Toronto had been on the air for some time, operating on channel 44. On August 31, analog CJMT-TV channel 69 was shut down and CJMT-DT moved to post-transitional channel 51. CJMT-DT channel 51 was expected to operate at reduced power until December 31. The virtual channel for CJMT-DT is 69.1. CJMT-TV-1 London switched to DT on August 31, using channel 20 – the same channel it had used for analog broadcasting. The virtual channel was 20.1. CJMT-TV-2 Ottawa also changed to DT on August 31. In analog it had used channel 14. The digital channel was 20 (virtual 14.1).

Jon Rees left CITY/OMNI Edmonton as production/marketing coordinator to become marketing manager at Rogers Media Television in Toronto – effective January 17. Claire Freeland was the new Director, Development and Production at Rogers Media Television in Toronto. She had been Director of Original Programming at Corus Entertainment. Sonia Brum, a publicist at Global Toronto, left her position to begin with Rogers Media Television in Toronto, also in publicity.

On January 20, the CRTC approved the application by Rogers Broadcasting Limited to amend the licence for CJMT-DT Toronto by changing the channel of its transmitter from 51 to 40 and increasing its average effective radiated power from 18,100 to 19,500 watts. All other technical parameters would remain unchanged. The licensee stated that since channel 40, previously allocated to TVA Group Inc., had become available after TVA applied for and was granted the revocation of the licence for its SUN TV service, it would like to make use of this channel to improve the quality of the signal offered to viewers within the station’s existing contours.

Renato Zane, vice president and general manager at Citytv/OMNI Vancouver, returned to Toronto for national OMNI Television news and diversity productions. It was in July 2009 that Zane moved from VP news at OMNI Television Toronto to become VP/GM at Citytv Vancouver/OMNI B.C. The Calgary operations of the master control hub for Citytv and OMNI Television in the west would move to Toronto. Those operations had reported to Calgary GM Paula Davies but would now be handled by Virginia Gibberd, VP of Operations in Toronto. Gibberd, responsible for network operations and engineering, also had operational responsibilities for Citytv, OMNI Television, Specialty Television and Sportsnet.

CJMT-DT moved to channel 40 in July.

Shannon Hall joined Rogers Media Television Toronto as Senior Publicist. She had been with Bell Media as Publicist, Entertainment Specialties, focusing on E!, Fashion Television & Bravo!

Early in the year OMNI.2 was relaunched in favour of all-ethnic programming. The new schedule included an additional 35 hours of ethnic content, much of it focused on the Asian communities that, said OMNI, “reflects the changing face of Canada”.

Sam Dynes was appointed director of production, in-house productions at Rogers Media in Toronto. She moved from CTV where she had more than three decades of experience managing projects that included the 2010 Olympic opening and closing ceremonies, the launch of MTV Canada and The Comedy Network, and the transformation of Toronto’s historic Masonic Temple into a production facility.

OMNI Television announced it would start airing Toronto Blue Jays games in Tagalog on OMNI.2, OMNI BC, OMNI Alberta and OMNI Regional. OMNI said it was hoping to build on the success of the channel’s Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition series to increase its unique programming offerings to Canada’s ethnic and third-language communities.