CJBN-TV
Encyclopedia
CJBN-TV, channel 13, is a television station
based in Kenora, Ontario
, Canada
and affiliated with the CTV
network. It can also be seen on cable TV channel 4 in the Kenora area, as well as on the Bell TV (channel 224) and Shaw Direct (channel 320) satellite
services. The station adopted the CJTV brand in the early 2000s, but switched back to "CJBN" in January 2007. CJBN went on the air for the first time in 1980.
The station is owned by Shaw Communications
, which acquired the station in 2006 as part of its purchase of local cable company Norcom Telecommunications. It is currently one of only two CTV-affiliated stations in Canada that are not owned and operated directly by CTV, the other being CITL-TV
in Lloydminster
. Although Shaw acquired the Global Television Network
in late 2010, the company does not currently plan to make CJBN a Global owned-and-operated station
, although the station has carried some Global programming for most of its existence.
The station is Canada's lowest powered television station affiliated with a major network, with just 178 watts of power. It was tied with KJWY
in Jackson, Wyoming
until the digital conversion in the US increased its power to 270 watts. As a result it is now the lowest-powered television station on a regular licence in North America. Its main method of distribution is via Shaw's (and others') cable and satellite services.
building a repeater for the Kenora area. However, none of this has happened.
The station was examined by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission for not airing enough Canadian content
. Since this occurred in 1999, the station has aired the required amount of Canadian programming.
Since its launch, the station's programming has been primarily sourced from CTV, with the remainder of the schedule rounded out by Global and syndicated programming, although the exact balance has varied from season to season. As with many smaller independently-owned Canadian stations, there are also several infomercial
s throughout any given day's schedule.
Despite being the only full-fledged station in the area (the only commercial stations are repeaters of Winnipeg
stations), CJBN does not produce much local content. A full-fledged news department isn't considered feasible for the station due to the market's small population. For many years, the station's only newscasts were two-minute segments, which were combined into a review program at the end of the week.
In 2008, CJBN began airing a news and issues show called Points North which airs eight times per week - Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 6:30pm & 11:30pm and Saturday & Sunday at 6:30pm. It also airs other special programs aimed at tourists and local residents.
CJBN also airs a half hour regional news program, "Northwest Newsweek," which is produced in Thunder Bay, Ontario
by Thunder Bay Television
.
TruTV anchor Ashleigh Banfield
began her career at the station.
CJBN-TV was started by local businessmen Carl Johnson and Bertil Nilson, and started in 1980, with a power output of 17.5 watts. It was co-owned with Norcom Telecommunications, whose cable systems served Kenora and surrounding areas. With a potential audience of only 5,800 households, it was Canada's smallest television market. It remains the smallest DMA in Canada, and the second smallest in North America (behind Glendive, Montana
).
The station came about after Norcom applied to operate a Central Time Zone
Satellite Relay Distribution System (SRDU), and as such, needed a CTV signal. Winnipeg's CKY, which was the closest CTV affiliate to Kenora, was unavailable, so Norcom applied for, and was successful in gaining their own CTV station. The company also planned to set up a series of rebroadcasting stations to expand into nearby areas, but when Cancom secured the main licence for the Northern Service uplink, Norcom was left with just CJBN. With the local economy dependent on the pulp and paper industry, the station's future remained precarious, especially with the increase of competing satellite services available in the area.
In 1983, the station proposed setting up rebroadcast transmitters in nearby communities:
In 1988, the station told the CRTC that they could not afford to construct the rebroadcast transmitters, and would remain with just one transmitter in Kenora. In place of the rebroadcast transmitters, the station is carried on cable in Red Lake, Sioux Lookout and Ear Falls.
In 1985, CJBN-TV increased its power to 177.5 watts. In 1999, the station was brought before the CRTC to explain the lack of Canadian content, but two years later, its licence was renewed, once evidence of renewed effort toward Canadian content was proven. In 2000, CJBN started to brand itself as CJTV but would revert back to the CJBN-TV designation after their purchase by Shaw Communications. And in 2004, cable systems in nearby areas and national satellite services began to carry CJBN. In June 2004, the CRTC renewed the licence for another seven years, until 2011.
On August 9, 2006, Shaw Communications
announced an agreement to purchase Norcom, including CJBN. As Shaw itself did not previously own any broadcast assets, there was some speculation that the struggling CJBN would be resold to CTV to become a repeater of CKY-TV
(Shaw had itself sold CKY to CTV following a similar acquisition in 2001). However, the company decided to keep CJBN. CRTC approval to this sale was announced in November 2006.
Shaw Communications acquired Canwest's broadcasting assets, including the Global network, in 2010. In response to deficiency questions from the CRTC regarding its application to acquire those assets, made public in July 2010, Shaw stated that it had no plans to disaffiliate CJBN from CTV and make the Kenora station a full Global O&O. The cable provider said it would negotiate to extend CJBN's affiliation agreement with CTV, which was set to expire on August 31, 2010 at the time.
taking place in most larger markets on August 31, 2011, and it is not yet clear if or when the station will convert.
In the unlikely event that CJBN begins digital broadcasting while its analogue signal remains on the air, it has been allocated channel 16 for such broadcasts. Otherwise, if and when the station begins broadcasting in digital, it will do so on its current analogue allocation, channel 13.
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
based in Kenora, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and affiliated with the CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
network. It can also be seen on cable TV channel 4 in the Kenora area, as well as on the Bell TV (channel 224) and Shaw Direct (channel 320) satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
services. The station adopted the CJTV brand in the early 2000s, but switched back to "CJBN" in January 2007. CJBN went on the air for the first time in 1980.
The station is owned by Shaw Communications
Shaw Communications
Shaw Communications is Canada's largest telecommunications company that provides telephone, Canada's fastest Internet and television services as well as broadcasting and soon Wifi. Shaw is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta...
, which acquired the station in 2006 as part of its purchase of local cable company Norcom Telecommunications. It is currently one of only two CTV-affiliated stations in Canada that are not owned and operated directly by CTV, the other being CITL-TV
CITL-TV
CITL-DT is a Canadian television station, broadcasting in Lloydminster. It is an affiliate of CTV. This and CJBN-TV in Kenora, Ontario are the only two CTV stations not owned and operated by the network itself....
in Lloydminster
Lloydminster
Lloydminster is a Canadian city which has the unusual geographic distinction of straddling the provincial border between Alberta and Saskatchewan...
. Although Shaw acquired the Global Television Network
Global Television Network
Global Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
in late 2010, the company does not currently plan to make CJBN a Global owned-and-operated station
Owned-and-operated station
In the broadcasting industry , an owned-and-operated station usually refers to a television station or radio station that is owned by the network with which it is associated...
, although the station has carried some Global programming for most of its existence.
The station is Canada's lowest powered television station affiliated with a major network, with just 178 watts of power. It was tied with KJWY
KJWY
KJWY, channel 2, is the This TV affiliate in Jackson, Wyoming. The station is currently owned by PMCM TV, LLC.-History:The station signed on in 1990 as KJVI, a satellite of ABC affiliate KPVI in Pocatello, Idaho. KJVI and KPVI were sold to Sunbelt Communications Company in November 1995, who...
in Jackson, Wyoming
Jackson, Wyoming
Jackson is a town located in the Jackson Hole valley of Teton County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 8,647 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Teton County....
until the digital conversion in the US increased its power to 270 watts. As a result it is now the lowest-powered television station on a regular licence in North America. Its main method of distribution is via Shaw's (and others') cable and satellite services.
Programming
Despite being a CTV affiliate, the station has always aired a fair bit of Global programming. Rumours had been circulating that CJBN would disaffiliate from CTV, which might have led to Winnipeg's CKY-TVCKY-TV
CKY-DT is a television station based in Winnipeg, Manitoba and owned by Bell Media. It is part of the CTV Television Network....
building a repeater for the Kenora area. However, none of this has happened.
Canadian content
Canadian content refers to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission requirements that radio and television broadcasters must air a certain percentage of content that was at least partly written, produced, presented, or otherwise contributed to by persons from...
. Since this occurred in 1999, the station has aired the required amount of Canadian programming.
Since its launch, the station's programming has been primarily sourced from CTV, with the remainder of the schedule rounded out by Global and syndicated programming, although the exact balance has varied from season to season. As with many smaller independently-owned Canadian stations, there are also several infomercial
Infomercial
Infomercials are direct response television commercials which generally include a phone number or website. There are long-form infomercials, which are typically between 15 and 30 minutes in length, and short-form infomercials, which are typically 30 seconds to 120 seconds in length. Infomercials...
s throughout any given day's schedule.
News and local programming
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
stations), CJBN does not produce much local content. A full-fledged news department isn't considered feasible for the station due to the market's small population. For many years, the station's only newscasts were two-minute segments, which were combined into a review program at the end of the week.
In 2008, CJBN began airing a news and issues show called Points North which airs eight times per week - Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 6:30pm & 11:30pm and Saturday & Sunday at 6:30pm. It also airs other special programs aimed at tourists and local residents.
CJBN also airs a half hour regional news program, "Northwest Newsweek," which is produced in Thunder Bay, Ontario
Thunder Bay, Ontario
Thunder Bay is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario, and the second most populous in Northern Ontario after Greater Sudbury...
by Thunder Bay Television
Thunder Bay Television
Dougall Media is a Canadian media company, which has several television, radio and publishing holdings in Northwestern Ontario.-Television:Thunder Bay Television is the name under which CKPR, a CBC affiliate in Thunder Bay, Ontario operates. It is co-owned with CHFD, a Global affiliate in the same...
.
TruTV anchor Ashleigh Banfield
Ashleigh Banfield
Ashleigh Banfield is a Canadian-American journalist who as of 2010 hosts Disorder in the Court, Open Court and Hollywood Heat on Tru TV , where she reports on domestic and pop culture issues...
began her career at the station.
History
Glendive, Montana
Glendive is a city in and the county seat of Dawson County, Montana, United States. The population was 4,935 at the 2010 census.The town of Glendive is located in South Eastern Montana and is considered by many as an agricultural hub of Eastern Montana...
).
The station came about after Norcom applied to operate a Central Time Zone
Central Time zone
In North America, the Central Time Zone refers to national time zones which observe standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC , and daylight saving, or summer time by subtracting five hours...
Satellite Relay Distribution System (SRDU), and as such, needed a CTV signal. Winnipeg's CKY, which was the closest CTV affiliate to Kenora, was unavailable, so Norcom applied for, and was successful in gaining their own CTV station. The company also planned to set up a series of rebroadcasting stations to expand into nearby areas, but when Cancom secured the main licence for the Northern Service uplink, Norcom was left with just CJBN. With the local economy dependent on the pulp and paper industry, the station's future remained precarious, especially with the increase of competing satellite services available in the area.
In 1983, the station proposed setting up rebroadcast transmitters in nearby communities:
- CJBN-TV-1 DrydenDryden, OntarioDryden is the second-largest city in the Kenora District of Northwestern Ontario, Canada, located on Wabigoon Lake. It is the smallest community in the province of Ontario designated as a city...
- CJBN-TV-2 Fort Frances
- CJBN-TV-3 Sioux Lookout
- CJBN-TV-4 IgnaceIgnace, OntarioIgnace is a township in the Kenora District of Northwestern Ontario, Canada, located at Highway 17 and Secondary Highway 599, and on the Canadian Pacific Railway between Thunder Bay and Kenora. It is on the shore of Agimak Lake, and, as of 2006, the population of Ignace was 1,431.The town was...
- CJBN-TV-5 Red LakeRed Lake, OntarioPopulation trend:* Population in 2006: 4526* Population in 2001: 4233* Population total in 1996: 4778** Golden : 2248** Red Lake : 2277* Population in 1991:** Golden : 2355** Red Lake : 2268-Climate:...
- CJBN-TV-6 Ear FallsEar Falls, OntarioEar Falls is a small settlement and township located in Northwestern Ontario, Canada, on the right bank of the English River near the outlet of Lac Seul...
In 1988, the station told the CRTC that they could not afford to construct the rebroadcast transmitters, and would remain with just one transmitter in Kenora. In place of the rebroadcast transmitters, the station is carried on cable in Red Lake, Sioux Lookout and Ear Falls.
On August 9, 2006, Shaw Communications
Shaw Communications
Shaw Communications is Canada's largest telecommunications company that provides telephone, Canada's fastest Internet and television services as well as broadcasting and soon Wifi. Shaw is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta...
announced an agreement to purchase Norcom, including CJBN. As Shaw itself did not previously own any broadcast assets, there was some speculation that the struggling CJBN would be resold to CTV to become a repeater of CKY-TV
CKY-TV
CKY-DT is a television station based in Winnipeg, Manitoba and owned by Bell Media. It is part of the CTV Television Network....
(Shaw had itself sold CKY to CTV following a similar acquisition in 2001). However, the company decided to keep CJBN. CRTC approval to this sale was announced in November 2006.
Shaw Communications acquired Canwest's broadcasting assets, including the Global network, in 2010. In response to deficiency questions from the CRTC regarding its application to acquire those assets, made public in July 2010, Shaw stated that it had no plans to disaffiliate CJBN from CTV and make the Kenora station a full Global O&O. The cable provider said it would negotiate to extend CJBN's affiliation agreement with CTV, which was set to expire on August 31, 2010 at the time.
Digital television
As of March 2011, CJBN has not begun transmitting in digital format. As there is only a single station originating in the Kenora market, CJBN will not be required to participate in the mandatory digital conversionDigital television in Canada
Digital television in Canada is transmitted using the ATSC standards developed for and in use in the United States. Because Canada and the U.S...
taking place in most larger markets on August 31, 2011, and it is not yet clear if or when the station will convert.
In the unlikely event that CJBN begins digital broadcasting while its analogue signal remains on the air, it has been allocated channel 16 for such broadcasts. Otherwise, if and when the station begins broadcasting in digital, it will do so on its current analogue allocation, channel 13.