CJCO-DT

On February 12th, the Commission heard several applications for licences to serve those markets, including proposals from Rogers Broadcasting Limited and MVBC Holdings Limited; each proposed to offer an over-the-air multi-lingual ethnic program service.

On September 15th, CJCO-TV Calgary went on the air on channel 38, with an average effective radiated power of 310,000 watts. It was a condition of licence that the station would devote a minimum of 60% of its programming each month to the broadcasting of ethnic programming, with 80% of its programming between 8 and 10pm being devoted to Canadian programs. The station was branded as one of Rogers’ OMNI stations.

On August 19 the CRTC renewed CJCO-TV’s (OMNI Alberta) licence until August 31, 2015. 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. 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. Among the conditions of licence: The licensee shall devote to the broadcast of ethnic programs: a) not less than 60% 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.

CJCO-TV switched off its analog transmitter (channel 38) on August 11 and turned on its digital transmitter (channel 38.1). The deadline for the digital transition in mandatory markets was August 31.

Wally Fong, a 14-year veteran at Citytv/OMNI Calgary, was promoted to Operations Manager, Master Control. He had been Operations Supervisor. Jack Keech was now the Operations Manager (Production) for Citytv/OMNI Edmonton. Operations Manager (Production) for Citytv/OMNI Calgary was added to his duties in Edmonton.

Gwendolyn Green-Earl succeeded Rob Twarynski as supervisor, media operations at the City and OMNI stations in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. She began her broadcast career at CKX-TV (then A Channel) Brandon in 2000, transferring to Calgary (within Craig Broadcasting) in 2004.