CKAL-TV
Encyclopedia
CKAL-DT is a television station
based in Calgary
, Alberta
, Canada
. It is part of the Citytv
system as of August 2, 2005, and was previously branded as A-Channel. The station is owned by Rogers Media
through its Rogers Broadcasting, Ltd. division. A transmitter in Lethbridge
rebroadcasts the station on channel 46 (virtual channel 2.1).
station on September 20, 1997, two days after its A-Channel sister station CKEM-TV
in Edmonton
went on the air for the first time. It billed itself as a station with a very deep connection to Calgary, with the slogan "Very independent, very Calgary!" CKAL's opening was marked with a street party and its main studio was easily visible from passersby on 7th Avenue; during the station's first year it even operated a small cafe near its main entrance.
In September 1999, CKAL aired a simulcast edition of Live@Five and News@Six on CKEM. This was due to a letter bomb that partially detonated at the Edmonton newsroom, injuring the assignment editor and one of the general assignment reporters. Edmonton newscasts resumed later on in the evening. Raymond Neal Best was charged with attempted murder and possession of explosive substances, in connection with the A-Channel letter bomb, and the attempted letter bombings aimed at both Calgary and Edmonton police chiefs.
CKEM's master control was moved to CKAL in 2003. Nine employees working at CKAL were laid off on May 19, 2004 in addition to a 28-employee layoff at Craig Media's CKXT-TV
in Toronto
. Craig Media said the cuts were made to "further rationalize its operations and control costs".
In 2004, Craig Media announced a deal to sell its conventional television assets, including the A-Channel stations, to CHUM. The sale was approved by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission on November 19, 2004, and became official on December 1. On February 3, 2005, CHUM announced that the A-Channel stations will be relaunched as Citytv
. The changes took effect August 2.
On July 12, 2006, it was announced that CTVglobemedia
would acquire CHUM Limited
and its assets, including the Citytv family. As a result of this merger, CKAL added CHMI-TV
to its master control duties. The next year, the CRTC announced its approval of CTVglobemedia's purchase of CHUM Limited, but added a condition that CTVglobemedia must sell off CHUM's Citytv stations (including CKAL) to another buyer but can keep the A-Channel stations since they have CFCN-TV
in the same area. On June 12, Rogers Media
announced that it would acquire five Citytv stations (including CKAL) from CTVglobemedia. As a result, effective August 29, the station will be taking over master control duties for Citytv Vancouver
. The Rogers transaction was approved by the CRTC on September 28 and was officially completed October 31.
On October 30, 2008, CKAL carried a Calgary Flames
hockey game produced by Rogers Sportsnet
West as a result of a potential scheduling conflict on Sportsnet with the 2008 World Series
, despite finishing a day earlier.
studios in Toronto, Ontario).
On January 19, 2010, Citytv laid off many additional news personalites as part of restructuring operations. This resulted in Your City, The City Show and Citytv's national and international newscast, CityNews International being cancelled. Since then, the only remaining local program produced by CKAL is the morning show, Breakfast Television.
Hosts
Reporters
, digital television receivers will display CKAL-TV's virtual channel
as 5.1. On August 13, 2011, the Lethbridge retransmitter started broadcasting CKAL-DT on channel 46 (virtual channel 2.1).
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 Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, 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...
. It is part of the Citytv
Citytv
Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
system as of August 2, 2005, and was previously branded as A-Channel. The station is owned by Rogers Media
Rogers Media
Rogers Media Inc is a subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc., which owns Canada's largest publishing company, Rogers Publishing Limited, which has more than 70 consumer and business publications. Rogers Media Inc...
through its Rogers Broadcasting, Ltd. division. A transmitter in Lethbridge
Lethbridge
Lethbridge is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada, and the largest city in southern Alberta. It is Alberta's fourth-largest city by population after Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer, and the third-largest by area after Calgary and Edmonton. The nearby Canadian Rockies contribute to the city's...
rebroadcasts the station on channel 46 (virtual channel 2.1).
As a A-Channel O&O
The station was launched by Craig Media as a VHFVery high frequency
Very high frequency is the radio frequency range from 30 MHz to 300 MHz. Frequencies immediately below VHF are denoted High frequency , and the next higher frequencies are known as Ultra high frequency...
station on September 20, 1997, two days after its A-Channel sister station CKEM-TV
CKEM-TV
CKEM-DT is a television station based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Owned and operated by Rogers Media, it is part of the Citytv system and was formerly the flagship station of Craig Media's A-Channel system between 1997-2005...
in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
went on the air for the first time. It billed itself as a station with a very deep connection to Calgary, with the slogan "Very independent, very Calgary!" CKAL's opening was marked with a street party and its main studio was easily visible from passersby on 7th Avenue; during the station's first year it even operated a small cafe near its main entrance.
In September 1999, CKAL aired a simulcast edition of Live@Five and News@Six on CKEM. This was due to a letter bomb that partially detonated at the Edmonton newsroom, injuring the assignment editor and one of the general assignment reporters. Edmonton newscasts resumed later on in the evening. Raymond Neal Best was charged with attempted murder and possession of explosive substances, in connection with the A-Channel letter bomb, and the attempted letter bombings aimed at both Calgary and Edmonton police chiefs.
CKEM's master control was moved to CKAL in 2003. Nine employees working at CKAL were laid off on May 19, 2004 in addition to a 28-employee layoff at Craig Media's CKXT-TV
CKXT-TV
CKXT-DT was a broadcast television station based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and serving much of southern and eastern Ontario, owned by Quebecor Media through its Groupe TVA unit. At the time of the station's closure on November 1, 2011, the station was serving as an over-the-air simulcast of...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. Craig Media said the cuts were made to "further rationalize its operations and control costs".
As a Citytv O&O
Citytv
Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
. The changes took effect August 2.
On July 12, 2006, it was announced that CTVglobemedia
CTVglobemedia
CTVglobemedia , was one of Canada's largest private media companies. Its operations include newspaper publishing , television broadcasting and production , radio broadcasting , and their respective Internet properties.Originally established by BCE and the Thomson family in 2001 combining CTV Inc.,...
would acquire CHUM Limited
CHUM Limited
CHUM Limited was a media company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada from 1945 to 2007. Immediately prior to its acquisition, it held full or joint control of two Canadian television systems — Citytv and A-Channel — comprising 11 local stations, and one CBC Television affiliate, one...
and its assets, including the Citytv family. As a result of this merger, CKAL added CHMI-TV
CHMI-TV
CHMI-DT is a television station licensed to Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada, with most of its operations in Winnipeg. It is part of the Citytv system, and the only Rogers TV station not part of any duopoly ever since CIIT-TV was sold to S-VOX in 2008.-History:The station was licensed by the...
to its master control duties. The next year, the CRTC announced its approval of CTVglobemedia's purchase of CHUM Limited, but added a condition that CTVglobemedia must sell off CHUM's Citytv stations (including CKAL) to another buyer but can keep the A-Channel stations since they have CFCN-TV
CFCN-TV
CFCN-DT is a Canadian television station, broadcasting in Calgary, Alberta. Owned and operated by Bell Media, it is a part of the CTV Television Network. The station also operates a semi-satellite in Lethbridge....
in the same area. On June 12, Rogers Media
Rogers Media
Rogers Media Inc is a subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc., which owns Canada's largest publishing company, Rogers Publishing Limited, which has more than 70 consumer and business publications. Rogers Media Inc...
announced that it would acquire five Citytv stations (including CKAL) from CTVglobemedia. As a result, effective August 29, the station will be taking over master control duties for Citytv Vancouver
CKVU-TV
CKVU-DT is a television station based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Owned by Rogers Media , it was the second station to become part of the Citytv system in Canada.-History:CKVU's history dates back to 1975, when Western Approaches Ltd...
. The Rogers transaction was approved by the CRTC on September 28 and was officially completed October 31.
On October 30, 2008, CKAL carried a Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
hockey game produced by Rogers Sportsnet
Rogers Sportsnet
Sportsnet was launched on October 9, 1998 as CTV Sportsnet. The name was chosen to match the regional "Fox Sports Net" operations across the United States...
West as a result of a potential scheduling conflict on Sportsnet with the 2008 World Series
2008 World Series
The 2008 World Series was the 104th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as champions of the National League and the Tampa Bay Rays, as American League champions, competed to win four games out of a possible...
, despite finishing a day earlier.
News operation
On July 12, 2006 as a result of the CTVglobemedia/CHUM Limited merger, CKAL's local newscasts (with the exception of CityNews at Noon) were immediately discontinued; the local newscasts were replaced by a half-hour news magazine program called Your City at 6 and 11 p.m., along with CityNews International (produced at the CityNewsCityNews
CityNews is the title of local television newscasts currently seen on CITY-TV Toronto, Canada. It premiered on September 12, 1977 under the name CityPulse, then spread to Citytv stations in other cities across Canada. Due to severe financial issues, as of January 19, 2010, the only station that...
studios in Toronto, Ontario).
On January 19, 2010, Citytv laid off many additional news personalites as part of restructuring operations. This resulted in Your City, The City Show and Citytv's national and international newscast, CityNews International being cancelled. Since then, the only remaining local program produced by CKAL is the morning show, Breakfast Television.
Newscast titles
- A-Channel News Now (1997–2000)
- A-Channel News (2000–2005)
- CityNewsCityNewsCityNews is the title of local television newscasts currently seen on CITY-TV Toronto, Canada. It premiered on September 12, 1977 under the name CityPulse, then spread to Citytv stations in other cities across Canada. Due to severe financial issues, as of January 19, 2010, the only station that...
(2005–2006) - Breakfast TelevisionBreakfast TelevisionBreakfast Television is a Canadian morning news and entertainment program which airs on the Citytv stations . Each station produces its own local edition of Breakfast Television....
(morning newscast; 2005–present)
Breakfast Television
- Ted Henley - co-host/news anchor
- Tara SloneTara SloneTara Slone is a Canadian rock vocalist.Born in Montreal, Quebec, and raised in Nova Scotia, Slone began pursuing classical voice training at the age of 12 with the goal of becoming an opera singer. At the age of 18, she attended Concordia University to pursue a degree in music...
- co-host - Andrew Schultz - co-host/meteorologist
Reporters
- Jill BellandJill BellandJill Belland is a Canadian TV personality based in Calgary, Alberta. She serves as a host and producer at Citytv Calgary.-Early life:Belland was born in Edmonton and moved to Calgary at a young age.She studied classical piano and trained to be a singer....
- Live Eye reporter - Mike Yawney - technology specialist
Digital television and high definition
On August 31, 2010, CKAL-DT began testing on channel 49. Through the use of PSIPProgram and System Information Protocol
The Program and System Information Protocol is the protocol used in the ATSC digital television system for carrying metadata about each channel in the broadcast MPEG transport stream of a TV station and for publishing information about television programs so that viewers can select what to watch...
, digital television receivers will display CKAL-TV's virtual channel
Virtual channel
In telecommunications, a logical channel number , also known as virtual channel, is a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel on which the signal travels....
as 5.1. On August 13, 2011, the Lethbridge retransmitter started broadcasting CKAL-DT on channel 46 (virtual channel 2.1).