CICI-TV

Many Canadian television stations were now entering into daytime programming. CKSO-TV planned to start its broadcast day at 2:00 p.m. in September.

Construction started on an addition to the TV building and on a new radio building. 6,000 square feet of new space would include an 80 x 20 foot storage area, new art department and a small stage for TV. A parking lot for 50 cars was also being added.

Canadian Professional Football games, including the Grey Cup final, would be seen live from Vancouver on inter-connected Eastern stations. Delayed telecasts would be seen on all other stations on either the Sunday or Monday following the game. The 10 connected stations in the East were: CBLT, CBOT, CBMT, CHCH, CFPL, CKCO, CKLW, CKWS, CHEX, and CKVR. These stations would carry 20-26 games. Fourteen games would be seen on CKSO, CJIC and CFPA…stations not connected to the microwave. In the West, seven stations would carry kinescopes of the games to be played in Western Interprovincial Football: CBWT, CKX, CKCK, CFQC, CHCT, CFRN and CBUT.

CKSO-TV joined the Canadian Television News Film Cooperative, a joint operation of the CBC and private stations. The number of member stations was now eight. Helen Rutka and Bob Staton were station personalities.

The microwave had brought the live CBC Network, and on October 26th, 1957 CKSO-TV1 went on the air in Elliot Lake on channel 3, re-broadcasting the Sudbury signal. This new boom town 60 miles west of Sudbury was the site of Uranium mines.

Some of the staff: Betty Beaudry, Claire Donovan, Peter Orfanks (chief photographer) and Hub Beaudry (sports director). Jack Henderson was at CKSO-TV.

The BBG turned down colour telecasting for now. There was mixed reaction to the decision. Wilf Woodhill said, “It appears there is no public interest, or more sets would have been purchased”.

Joe Budd joined CKSO-TV as sales manager. He had been sales manager at CKRM Radio in Regina. Don Mackintosh became CKSO Radio sales manager. He had been news director for CKSO Radio & TV. Don Hogle took over as news director for the stations. He had held the same post at CKRM Regina. Jack Boitson was now promotion and public relations director.

At the time of CKSO-TV’s tenth birthday, the staff had risen to 80 full time employees. Updating equipment brought video tape, new film processing equipment and two new studio cameras.

W.L. Smith was news director. Alec Bridge, former CKSO Radio-TV promotion director was named TV program director. He would continue to supervise on-air and off-air promotions for radio and television.

In the fall of 1969, the CRTC considered four competing applications to establish second television service at Sudbury. These specific applications were denied on the grounds that, in view of the market’s limited broadcasting base, the licensing of such service, at Sudbury only, would have rendered the extension of second service to other parts of the region unlikely for many years.

Accordingly, the Commission proposed an alternate framework to provide for the early introduction of second television service in Northern Ontario, which was predicated upon co-operation between the region’s existing broadcasters and designed to preserve a balance between them. On the basis of this co-operative approach, J. Conrad Lavigne and Cambrian Broadcasting were subsequently licensed to provide CBC and CTV service respectively at each of Sudbury, Timmins, North Bay and other surrounding communities.

On August 5, Cambrian Broadcasting Ltd. was authorized to switch CKSO-TV’s network affiliation from CBC to CTV. This was connected with the approval this date for J. Conrad Lavigne Ltd. to operate a new television station in Sudbury. It would be the CBC affiliate.

On the same date, CKSO-TV was authoirzed to operate rebroadcast transmitters at Timmins (channel 7, 164,000 watts video, 33,000 watts audio, antenna height of 542 feet, directional), Kearns (channel 11, 64,000 watts video, 13,000 watts audio, antenna height of 734 feet, directional) and North Bay (channel 4, 26,000 watts video, 5,100 watts audio, antenna height of 643 feet, directional). Cambrian’s rebroadcaster at Elliot Lake would continue to deliver CBC service until other arrangements could be made with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.

CKSO-TV-3 Kearns was authorized to increase effective radiated power from 65,000 watts to 162,000 watts.

On December 21, Montreal’s Multiple Access Ltd. failed in its bid to acquire Cambrian Broadcasting Ltd.

CKSO-TV received permision to add a transmitter at Kapuskasing to rebroadcast CKSO-TV-2 Timmins. It would broadcast on channel 10 with effective radiated power of 900 watts.

CKSO-TV had applied to broadcast some separate programming on CKSO-TV-2 Timmins, CKSO-TV-3 Kearns and CKSO-TV-4 Kapuskasing. The CRTC denied the proposal on Ocotber 28.

Cable brought in U.S. signals and the Global television signal.

Cambrian sold its radio stations to United Broadcasting.

The viability of local services was the focus of a CRTC decision which approved applications whereby the competing CTV and CBC affiliated stations licensed to Cambrian and Lavigne came under the ownership of Mid-Canada, and under the ultimate control of Northern Cable Services Limited which owns 95.8% of Mid-Canada.

The Commission acknowledged the various factors which make Northern Ontario a difficult and unusually expensive market to serve. The marginal profitability and frequent financial losses encountered by Lavigne and Cambrian in the operation of their CBC and CTV television affiliate services provided clear evidence of these difficulties. The relatively slow growth rate of the area’s economy, the escalating costs of program production and acquisition, increasing cable penetration and the introduction of additional television services were identified as placing further strains on the viability of over-the-air broadcasting services in the region.

The Commission said that it viewed the purchase of the CBC related assets by Mid-Canada as being a realistic interim measure towards achievement of the goal of improved television service in the region, and noted the applicant’s statement that this was an “in trust” arrangement until the CBC had sufficient funds to purchase the transmitters and associated equipment. The Commission also noted the applicant’s commitment to offer the CBC the opportunity to buy or rent surplus equipment for the production of a CBC regional news service.

As stated above, Mid-Canada is owned 95.8% by Northern. The largest shareholder of Northern is CUC Limited with 48.3% of the outstanding voting shares. CUC Limited has extensive cable television interests across Southern Ontario and is deemed to be controlled by G.R. Conway and its other founding shareholders. The remaining 51.7% of Northern’s voting shares are owned by Northern Ontario investors who also form a majority on Northern’s Board of Directors. The largest of these is The Sudbury Broadcasting Company Limited, which owns 20.1% of Northern’s voting shares and is controlled by F. Baxter Ricard. Mr. Ricard has been involved in broadcasting in Northern Ontario since the late 1940’s and is a long-time associate of G.R. Conway.

Following the sale to Mid-Canada, CKSO-TV became CICI-TV.

On March 27, Mid-Canada Communications (Canada) Corp. received approval to purchase CHNO (AM), CFBR (AM) and CJMX-FM Sudbury from Sudbury Broadcasting (1977) Ltd.; as well as the assets of CJNR Blind River, CKNR Elliot Lake and CKNS Espanola from Huron Broadcasting Limited (Huron).

When CICI-TV (and CICI-TV-1 Elliot Lake) had its licence renewed, the CRTC noted the CTV affiliate, had consistently met its local programming commitment during the current licence term. For the new licence term, CICI-TV had increased its commitment in this respect from 12 hours and 50 minutes to 13 hours and 26 minutes of original local productions per week.

Local programs produced by CICI-TV include the community access/talk show “The Peter Mallette Show”, the news magazine “News Conference” as well as the science magazine “The World Around Us” and “Fishing the North”. CICI-TV also broadcasts the co-operatively-produced local programs “Business Week”, “Counterpoint” and “Image North”, as well as “The Secret of My Success” which is co-produced by Mid-Canada and My Country Productions.

Mid-Canada produces both early and late evening local newscasts in Sudbury: the early evening newscast, which is produced seven days a week, is broadcast on CICI-TV, while the late evening newscast, which is produced every night except Saturday, is simulcast on CICI-TV and CKNC-TV.

On July 26, Pelmorex Broadcasting Inc. was given approval to acquire effective control of Mid-Canada Radio Inc. through the transfer of 100% of that company’s issued and outstanding common voting shares from Northern Cable Holdings Limited. Mid-Canada was a company formed from the amalgamation of CKCY 920 Ltd. with The Ottawa Valley Broadcasting Company Limited in January 1990. It was licensee of 14 radio stations in northeastern Ontario. Northern was also the 100% shareholder of Mid-Canada Communications (Canada) Corp. the licensee of 7 television stations and their rebroadcasters in northeastern Ontario, including CBC and CTV twin-stick operations at Sudbury, North Bay and Timmins. (With the change, CKSO-AM became CIGM)

Baton Broadcasting Inc. of Toronto purchased Mid-Canada Communications (Canada) Corp. from Northern Cable Holdings Ltd. The purchase included CHRO-TV (CBC) Pembroke, CICI-TV (CTV) and CKNC-TV (CBC) Sudbury, CITO-TV (CTV) and CFCL-TV (CBC) Timmins, and CHNB-TV (CBC) and CKNY-TV (CTV) North Bay and their respective rebroadcasters. At the same time, Mid-Canada (Baton) purchased CHBX-TV (CTV) and CJIC-TV (CBC) Sault Ste. Marie from Huron Broadcasting Ltd. The CRTC approved these transactions on October 22. Baton, is controlled by members of the Eaton family of Toronto through their indirect ownership of a majority of Baton’s voting shares.

William Plaunt, 78, died November 6. His business interests over the years included the Sudbury Star and CKSO Radio and Television.

On September 1, Nation’s Capital Television Inc. amalgamated with CFTO-TV Ltd., South West Ontario Broadcasting Inc. and Mid-Canada Communications (Canada) Corp. to become BBS Ontario Inc. (All were Baton subsidiaries)

On January 23, the CRTC approved the application to amend the licence for CICI-TV by adding to the licence the following condition of licence: In addition to the 12 minutes of advertising material permitted by subsection 11(1) of the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987, the licensee may broadcast more than 12 minutes of advertising material in any clock hour in a broadcast day, in order to broadcast infomercials as defined in Public Notice CRTC 1994-139 and in accordance with the criteria contained in that public notice, as amended.

Baton Broadcasting laid off 25 employees at MCTV in Northern Ontario. Local news was replaced with regional coverage on weekends. City councillors in Sault Ste. Marie asked BBS to reconsider the layoffs.

Mid-Canada Television’s George Lund was named vice president of Baton Broadcasting’s Ontario stations

On January 27, the Eaton family sold its 41% interest in Baton.

John White Hughes Bassett (longtime head of Baton) passed away on April 27.

After purchasing the CTV Television Network, Baton Broadcasting Inc. changed its name to CTV Inc. The name change was effective December 21.

In February, Bell Canada Enterprises through its subsidiary BCE Media, proposed to purchase CTV Inc. for $ 2.3 billion.

In June BCE submitted their brief to the CRTC with the largest “benefits package” ever presented to the regulative body. The benefits, money allocated over the proposed seven year licence term, were almost entirely to be spent on new Canadian programming. Ivan Fecan agreed to stay with the network under BCE ownership.

The CRTC hearing was held in September and the ownership application was approved on December 7th.

BCE entered into an agreement with The Woodbridge Company Limited and The Thomson Corporation (owners of The Globe and Mail newspaper). Bell Globemedia Inc. was formed by these companies. Bell Globemedia became the parent of CTV Inc.

In November, MCTV stations in North Bay and Timmins lost their local newscasts. All news now came from CICI-TV Sudbury. Short local inserts were produced for the other two stations.

On October 10, the CRTC approved the sale by CTV Television Inc. of its CBC affiliated stations (CFCL-TV-3 Kapuskasing, CFCL-TV-2 Kearns, CHNB-TV North Bay, CJIC-TV Sault Ste. Marie, CKNC-TV Sudbury, and CFCL-TV Timmins) to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. These transmitters became rebroadcasters of CBLT in Toronto. CICI-TV Sudbury and the other CTV affiliated stations in the north remained in CTV’s hands.

On February 14, the CRTC approved the application by CTV Television Inc. to amend the licence for CICI-TV in order to operate a transmitter in Huntsville. The transmitter to be added was CKNY-TV-11. CTV indicated that CKNY-TV-11 rebroadcast the programming of CICI-TV, and had ceased to provide separate news programming directed to Huntsville. The applicant expressed the view that it was therefore no longer necessary for it to hold a separate licence for CKNY-TV-11. CTV further indicated that, if this application were approved, the broadcasting licence to operate a separate television programming undertaking at Huntsville should be revoked. CTV committed to continue to serve the Huntsville community by maintaining locally based reporting staff in the Huntsville area, and by the on-going inclusion, in the regional newscasts on CICI-TV, of news stories of relevance to Huntsville. The new transmitter would continue to operate on channel 11 with an average effective radiated power of 178,900 watts.

On July 21, the CRTC approved an application for ownership restructuring by Bell Globemedia (BGM), parent company of CTV, stemming from a deal in December 2005 that saw two new investors added to the company. Thomson family’s Woodbridge Co. Ltd. increased its stake in BGM to 40 per cent from 31.5 per cent, while BCE Inc. reduced its holding to 20 per cent from 68.5 per cent. Two other investors were added to the deal, including Torstar Corp. and Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, each with 20 per cent.

On December 14th, it was announced that effective January 2007, Bell Globemedia would be renamed CTVglobemedia Inc.

On May 15th, the CRTC announced a one-year licence renewal, effective September 1st 2009, for all of CTVglobemedia’s Over-The-Air stations, including CICI-TV, “to give these broadcasters some flexibility during the current period of economic uncertainty.” Group-based licence renewals would then be addressed in the spring of 2010. The Commission also stated that it recognized the impracticability of imposing any conditions relative to 1-1 ratios between Canadian and non-Canadian programming in the ensuing year, given the programming commitments that were already in place.

The Commission would however continue to explore various regulatory measures “…to ensure that English-language television broadcasters devote an appropriate proportion of their expenditures to Canadian programming.”

On October 7, the CRTC denied an application by CTVglobemedia Inc., on behalf of its wholly owned subsidiary CTV Television Inc., to reduce the overall minimum level of Canadian programming broadcast by its conventional television stations from 60% to 55%.

On March 7, the CRTC approved an application by BCE Inc. on behalf of CTVglobemedia Inc., for authority to change the effective control of CTVgm’s licensed broadcasting subsidiaries to BCE. The Commission concluded that the transaction would be beneficial to the Canadian broadcasting system by ensuring the long-term stability of a significant Canadian television network and advancing the Commission’s objective of providing relevant high-quality Canadian programming to Canadians through conventional and new media distribution channels. BCE was a public corporation and controlled by its board of directors. Before this approval, BCE held 15% of the voting interest in the capital of CTVgm. The other shareholders were 1565117 Ontario Limited (a corporation ultimately controlled by Mr. David Kenneth R. Thomson) (40% of the voting interest), Ontario Teacher’s Plan Board (25% of the voting interest) and Torstar Corporation (20% of the voting interest). Under the transaction agreement dated September 10, 2010, BCE would acquire the remaining 85% of the voting interest in the capital of CTVgm and would therefore exercise effective control.

On March 15, CTV Inc., CTV Corp., CTV Limited and CTVglobemedia Inc. amalgamated to continue as CTV Inc.

On March 29, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for a number of conventional television and transitional digital television stations until August 31, 2011. The CRTC noted that it did not intend to renew authorizations for full-power analog transmitters op

Gerry Currie died at age 64. He spent his last years in broadcasting as GM/GSM at Newcap Sudbury. He joined CKSO-TV Sudbury in 1978 as an account executive then moved to CKSO Radio in 1985 in a similar capacity. In 2009 he joined Newcap as its sales manager. One year later the company added GM duties.

When the CICI licence was renewed in May, CICI‐TV‐1 Elliot Lake was removed from the licence at the request of Bell Media. The existing licence would expire August 31, 2017.

It was announced in June that CTV North

Monsignor John Caswell died July 1 at the age of 83. He was behind the television broadcasts that brought weekly mass to thousands of Catholics across northeastern Ontario. Caswell created, produced and directed the weekly television program Mass for Shut-Ins which aired on CTV. He remained part of the TV program up until 2012.

Sarika Sehgal passed away at age 42 in May. Sehgal’s career took her from CICI-TV Sudbury to the anchor desks at CBC Newsworld and CTV News Channel. There were stops in between at A-Channel Edmonton, CTV Calgary, CHCH Hamilton, and CKXT-TV Toronto.

On July 30, the CRTC gave Bell Media permission to delete 28 analog rebroadcasting transmitters across the country.