CTVglobemedia
Encyclopedia
CTVglobemedia was one of Canada
's largest private media
companies
. Its operations include newspaper
publishing (The Globe and Mail
), television
broadcasting and production (CTV
), radio broadcasting (CHUM Radio), and their respective Internet
properties.
Originally established by BCE
and the Thomson family
in 2001 combining CTV Inc., which Bell had acquired the previous year, and the operations of the Thomsons' The Globe and Mail, the group was owned by those two parties as well as Torstar
and the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
.
In September 2010, Bell announced plans to re-acquire full control of the group's broadcasting assets. At the same time, it was announced that the Thomson family would regain majority control of the Globe and Mail Inc.; this part of the deal, which did not require regulatory approval, was completed in January 2011 (although the company name did not immediately change to reflect this). The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved the Bell/CTV portion of the deal in March 2011; it was then announced that the company will be renamed Bell Media once the deal closes in April, with Bell's sympatico.ca Internet portal becoming part of the group at the same time.
Along with broadcast television stations, CTVglobemedia also owned 30 cable television
specialty channel
s, frequently in partnership with U.S. companies which operate similar channels, and primarily concentrated in the following genres:
In addition, CTVglobemedia owned television production studios and website
s associated with all of the above properties.
Baton Aldred Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. was originally formed in 1960 to operate Toronto's first private TV station, CFTO-TV
. The original investors included the Bassett
and Eaton
families, Joel Aldred and Ted Rogers
, and Foster Hewitt
in a much smaller role. Aldred sold his shares in 1961, followed by Rogers by 1970; with the Bassett and Eaton families firmly in control, the company went public in the early 1970s. CFTO became a CTV affiliate in October 1961, and soon after Baton became a part-owner in the network.
In 1972, the renamed Baton Broadcasting began purchasing other CTV affiliates, starting with CFQC-TV
Saskatoon
. This did not, however, give Baton a substantially higher investment in CTV, which was structured as a co-operative, not a traditional private company. Baton still only had one vote - as did every other CTV affiliate-owner.
In 1987, Baton expanded further into Saskatchewan
and into CTV, purchasing CKCK-TV
Regina
, Yorkton twinstick
CKOS-TV
/CICC-TV
, and CBC affiliate CKBI-TV
Prince Albert
. A twinstick CTV affiliate was soon launched in Prince Albert, CIPA-TV
.
In the late 1980s, Baton applied for a high-power station in Ottawa
on channel 60. The licence was approved by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), appealed to federal cabinet by rival broadcasters, and ultimately sent back to the CRTC for review. However the licence was surrendered when Baton was instead able to acquire the local CTV affiliate, CJOH-TV
, from Allan Slaight's Standard Broadcasting
.
In 1990, Baton purchased the MCTV
system of twinstick
operations in Pembroke
, North Bay
, Sudbury, Timmins
, and the Huron Broadcasting
twinstick in Sault Ste. Marie
. In 1993, Baton purchased CFPL-TV
London
, CKNX-TV
Wingham
and received a licence for a new independent station, CHWI-TV
, in Windsor
.
In 1991, the company launched Ontario Network Television, a secondary affiliation carried by Baton's CTV and independent station
s in Ontario. This was expanded in 1994 into the Baton Broadcast System
, or BBS, which included Baton's Saskatchewan stations. BBS was meant as a backup in case Baton's ongoing acquisitions did not translate into control of CTV itself. CTV had been recently restructured as a traditional private company, meaning that any future acquisitions by Baton would come with all of that affiliate's CTV shares. It was around this time that former CBC executive Ivan Fecan
joined the company.
in Calgary
from Rogers Communications
, which had recently purchased Maclean Hunter. Second, Baton and Electrohome
formed an alliance, under which the companies would share ownership of CFCN, Baton's stations in Saskatchewan and its independent stations in southwestern Ontario, and Electrohome's CKCO-TV
Kitchener
. The deals doubled Baton's own interest in CTV to 28.6%, but also gave it control over Electrohome's shares, for a total of 42.9%.
In January 1997, Baton-Electrohome's "Vancouver Television" proposal emerged as the CRTC's choice for the new independent station in Vancouver
, beating out four other competitors. The new station, CIVT-TV
, would compete directly with Western International Communications
's two CTV affiliates in the market when it was launched that fall.
On February 25, 1997, the Baton-Electrohome alliance and CHUM Limited
announced that several stations would be swapped between them, giving Baton control of CTV. Baton-Electrohome would acquire CHUM's Atlantic Television System
(ATV), consisting of four CTV affiliates in the Maritimes
, the Atlantic Satellite Network
(ASN), and a further 14.3% in CTV. CHUM would receive Baton's independent stations in southwestern Ontario, as well as CHRO-TV
Pembroke/Ottawa, which had recently disaffiliated from CTV.
Shortly thereafter, Electrohome announced it would sell its broadcasting assets – including its interest in the alliance, its CTV shares, and CFRN-TV
Edmonton
– to Baton in exchange for shares in Baton. These two deals were approved by the CRTC in August. Baton acquired the remaining CTV shares from WIC and Moffat Communications
, which remained affiliates for the moment, that fall.
The BBS television system was merged with the CTV Television Network, with the company itself being renamed CTV Inc. the following year. The Eatons' remaining shares, representing 41% of Baton, were sold off to the general public in early 1998. By the end of 2001, nearly all CTV stations would be consolidated under network ownership (including one replacement).
CTV Inc. would be acquired by Bell Canada Enterprises
in 2000 (as discussed below); the company continues to operate as the broadcasting subsidiary of CTVglobemedia.
to hold that firm's broadcasting assets, which included TSN, RDS, Viewers Choice
and Discovery Channel. In 1995, when the parent company was sold to the foreign brewing conglomerate Interbrew
, a consortium of four Canadian investors - Stephen Bronfman (22.5%), Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
(22.5%), Reitmans
(16.5%), and senior management (6.5%) - along with ESPN
, with 32%, took over the company.
After a takeover attempt by CanWest Global that was vetoed by ESPN, CTV announced a friendly bid to take over NetStar Communications in early 1999, with CRTC approval on March 24, 2000.
chief executive Jean Monty, largely as a response to Canwest's purchase of the Southam newspaper chain as well as the trend of media convergence, particularly the AOL
-Time Warner
merger. Monty believed that, to survive in a changing technological landscape, and in particular to drive subscriptions to satellite television
provider Bell ExpressVu and internet service provider
Bell Sympatico
, BCE had to have control over content.
The transaction was structured as follows: In 2000, BCE acquired CTV Inc. in an all-cash transaction valued at $2.3 billion (CAD
). Soon after, Monty arranged to have Thomson Corporation
transfer control of The Globe and Mail
, the Toronto
-based national newspaper, to BCE in exchange for a significant (20%) interest in the merged CTV/Globe entity. The Thomsons' family holding company, The Woodbridge Company Ltd.
, invested in the company directly to obtain an additional 9.9% interest, and later bought Thomson Corp.'s interests itself.
The resulting company, Bell Globemedia, consisted of CTV, The Globe and Mail, and the internet
portal then known as Sympatico-Lycos
(Lycos was later replaced by MSN
). Fecan was named the combined firm's president and CEO, a role he remained in for the duration of the BGM / CTVgm era. After Monty resigned and was replaced by Michael Sabia
in 2002, it became clear that Monty's vision was not producing anything near the desired results, notwithstanding the good results for the individual units, particularly the CTV network.
The following years provided a few cosmetic changes in BGM's assets. In 2001, CTV acquired CKY-TV
in Winnipeg
and CFCF-TV
in Montreal, and moved the CTV affiliation in British Columbia to CIVT, replacing two affiliates that had been purchased by Canwest. That fall also brought the launch of the first digital specialty channel
s, including several owned by CTV.
The company acquired partial ownership in TQS in 2002, the Sympatico portal was sold back to Bell Canada, while a further investment from the Thomsons (whose ownership increased to 31.5%) funded the acquisition of 15% of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. However, beginning in 2003, BCE management began to refer to BGM as a non-core asset; as a result, much attention was given to the likely sale of the company, and potentially a breakup into several different pieces.
(BCE) announced it would sell an 8.5% interest to Woodbridge (increasing their total ownership to 40%), a 20% interest to Torstar
, and a 20% interest to the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
. BCE retained 20% of the group - a condition that ensured that Bell TV, Sympatico, and other Bell units continued to have access to Globemedia content. The transaction closed on August 30, 2006.
This deal put to rest any rumours about a possible breakup of the company. However, Torstar's involvement led to additional media concentration concerns, mainly from media union
s. Torstar insisted it was committed to maintaining the editorial independence
of the Globe and its own Toronto Star
, and ultimately there were no major regulatory hurdles due to this.
On July 12, 2006, BGM announced a friendly bid to take over CHUM Limited
for an estimated $1.7 billion. The acquisition would bring the secondary broadcast system (Citytv
), other stations including CablePulse24, MuchMusic
, Star!, Bravo!, and Space, and all of CHUM's radio stations, into the BGM fold. BGM originally announced that CHUM's A-Channel stations, Access
, CKX-TV
, MusiquePlus
, MusiMax
, Canadian Learning Television
, SexTV: The Channel
and BGM's own OLN would not be retained.
On September 7, 2006, in order to pay for the CHUM acquisition, BGM sold additional shares to its existing shareholders. BCE did not participate in the refinancing; the net effect was an increase in Teachers' ownership to 25%, while BCE's interest was reduced to 15%. As a result of BCE's reduced ownership, the company was renamed as CTVglobemedia as of January 1, 2007.
In April 2007, Rogers Communications
announced a tentative deal to purchase A-Channel, CKX-TV, Access Alberta, Canadian Learning Television, and SexTV: The Channel from CTVglobemedia, if its purchase of CHUM was approved. Astral Media
made a similar deal for CHUM's 50% interest in MusiMax and MusiquePlus.
That June, the CRTC approved the CHUM takeover, on condition that CTV sell off the Citytv stations, because of the CTV network's O&O stations serving the very same cities. CTV ultimately chose to keep the A-Channel stations along with the rest of CHUM assets it had previously said it would sell, except for MusiquePlus/MusiMax. Rogers Communications
was announced as the buyer of the Citytv stations on June 11, 2007, and the CHUM acquisition was finalized on June 22.
Since then, CTVglobemedia has sold off its interests in various non-core channels. Rogers has purchased several of these assets, including CTV's 33% interest in OLN in late 2007, as well as radio stations CHST-FM
in London, Ontario
and CHBN-FM
in Edmonton
, Alberta
in 2010. Corus Entertainment
would acquire Canadian Learning Television
, SexTV: The Channel
, and Drive-In Classics
for a combined $113 million. TQS entered bankruptcy protection and was ultimately acquired by Remstar (which renamed the network "V"). Meanwhile, Glassbox Television
acquired travel + escape in late 2010. In two cases where operations were closed down, specifically CBC affiliate CKX-TV
in Brandon, Manitoba
, which left the air in October 2009 after a deal to sell that station to Bluepoint Investment Corporation fell through and the A station in Wingham, CKNX-TV
which left the air one month prior to CKX and is now a rebroadcaster of the A station in London, CFPL-TV
.
CTVglobemedia has only announced one major purchase since its acquisition of CHUM, namely Toronto station CFXJ-FM
from Milestone Radio
, which it announced it would purchase in June 2010 (pending CRTC approval).
Shortly after the deal was announced, CTVglobemedia president Ivan Fecan said he would retire once Bell's acquisition is completed. On October 6, 2010, the company announced that Kevin Crull, previously an executive with Bell Canada, would join CTVglobemedia as the company's chief operating officer
, he was initially expected to assume this role on January 1, 2011, however, according to CTVglobemedia's website, this date was moved up to November 1, 2010. Crull will become CTV's new president upon Fecan's retirement (it has since been announced that most of the CTV executives will be resigning as well) when Bell completes its purchase of CTV in late March or early April 2011. The deal was approved by the CRTC on March 7, 2011.
CTVglobemedia ceased full operations on April 1, 2011, and was replaced by Bell Canada's new business unit, Bell Media. On that same date CTVglobemedia's television divisions such as CTV Limited, CTV Television Inc. were replaced with CTV Inc, while its radio division, CHUM Radio, became Bell Media Radio.
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...
's largest private media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
companies
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
. Its operations include newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
publishing (The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
), television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
broadcasting and production (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...
), radio broadcasting (CHUM Radio), and their respective Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
properties.
Originally established by BCE
Bell Canada
Bell Canada is a major Canadian telecommunications company. Including its subsidiaries such as Bell Aliant, Northwestel, Télébec, and NorthernTel, it is the incumbent local exchange carrier for telephone and DSL Internet services in most of Canada east of Manitoba and in the northern territories,...
and the Thomson family
The Woodbridge Company
The Woodbridge Company Limited is a Canadian private holding company and the principal and controlling shareholder of Thomson Reuters...
in 2001 combining CTV Inc., which Bell had acquired the previous year, and the operations of the Thomsons' The Globe and Mail, the group was owned by those two parties as well as Torstar
Torstar
Torstar Corporation is an independently-owned Canadian broadly based media company that is named after its principal holding, the Toronto Star daily newspaper....
and the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan , commonly referred to as Teachers, is the organization responsible for administering pensions for public school teachers of the Canadian province of Ontario. The OTPP also invests the plan's pension fund, making it one of the largest and most powerful investment...
.
In September 2010, Bell announced plans to re-acquire full control of the group's broadcasting assets. At the same time, it was announced that the Thomson family would regain majority control of the Globe and Mail Inc.; this part of the deal, which did not require regulatory approval, was completed in January 2011 (although the company name did not immediately change to reflect this). The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved the Bell/CTV portion of the deal in March 2011; it was then announced that the company will be renamed Bell Media once the deal closes in April, with Bell's sympatico.ca Internet portal becoming part of the group at the same time.
Operations
CTVglobemedia's main asset was CTV Inc., a major Canadian broadcaster. CTV and its subsidiaries own the following broadcast television assets:- CTVCTV television networkCTV 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...
, Canada's oldest, largest, and most-watched private broadcastTerrestrial televisionTerrestrial television is a mode of television broadcasting which does not involve satellite transmission or cables — typically using radio waves through transmitting and receiving antennas or television antenna aerials...
television networkTelevision networkA television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
, including 21 owned and operated stations. - A (now CTV 2), a secondary television network which presently consists of five terrestrial television stations in OntarioOntarioOntario 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....
and one British ColumbiaBritish ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
as well as one cable-only channel in Atlantic CanadaAtlantic CanadaAtlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
, and: - AccessAccess (TV channel)CTV Two Alberta is a Canadian English language entertainment, information, and educational television channel in the province of Alberta...
, an educational television channel in Alberta that carries much of the A primetime schedule.
Along with broadcast television stations, CTVglobemedia also owned 30 cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
specialty channel
Specialty channel
A specialty channel can be a commercial broadcasting or non-commercial television channel which consists of television programming focused on a single genre, subject or targeted television market at a specific demographic....
s, frequently in partnership with U.S. companies which operate similar channels, and primarily concentrated in the following genres:
| Genre | Key channels | Foreign partner |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | The Sports Network The Sports Network The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels... , Réseau des sports Réseau des sports Réseau des sports , is a Canadian French language Category C specialty channel showing sports and sport-related shows. It is available in 2.5 million homes, and is owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc.... , TSN2 TSN2 TSN2 is a secondary feed of the Canadian English language Category C specialty channel TSN, owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc., a joint venture of Bell Media and ESPN... , others |
ESPN ESPN Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming.... (part-owner) |
| Music Music Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture... / youth Youth Youth is the time of life between childhood and adulthood . Definitions of the specific age range that constitutes youth vary. An individual's actual maturity may not correspond to their chronological age, as immature individuals could exist at all ages.-Usage:Around the world, the terms "youth",... (Much MTV Group) |
MuchMusic MuchMusic MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:... , MTV, MTV2, others |
MTV Networks MTV Networks MTV Networks is a division of media conglomerate Viacom that oversees the operations of many television channels and Internet brands, including the original MTV channel in the United States... (licensor – certain channels only) |
| Factual programming | Discovery Channel and various spinoff channels | Discovery Communications Discovery Communications Discovery Communications, Inc. is an American global media and entertainment company. The company started as a single channel in 1985, The Discovery Channel. Today, DCI has global operations offering 28 network entertainment brands on more than 100 channels in more than 180 countries in 39... (part-owner or licensor) |
| News (CTV News CTV News CTV News is the news division of the CTV Television Network in Canada. The name CTV News is also applied as the title of local and regional newscasts on the network's owned-and-operated stations , which are closely tied to the national news division... ) |
Business News Network Business News Network Business News Network ' is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel. BNN broadcasts programming related to business and financial news and analysis. As of December 2010, the station is based from 299 Queen Street West in Downtown Toronto and is owned by Bell Media... , CP24, CTV News Channel |
n/a1 |
| Comedy Comedy Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in... |
The Comedy Network The Comedy Network The Comedy Network a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media specializing in comedy programming.The channel operates two time shifted feeds, East and West .... and Comedy Gold |
Comedy Central Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated.... (program supply) |
| Entertainment | Bravo! and E! E! (Canadian TV channel) E! Entertainment Television is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel which is owned and operated by Bell Media. E! is devoted to entertainment programming including entertainment news, film, television, celebrities, and fashion... |
NBCUniversal (licensor) |
| Other | Space | n/a |
In addition, CTVglobemedia owned television production studios and website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
s associated with all of the above properties.
Baton Broadcasting
For all practical purposes, CTVglobemedia is the successor to Baton Broadcasting Inc. (icon ), which by the late 1990s had become one of Canada's largest broadcasters.Baton Aldred Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. was originally formed in 1960 to operate Toronto's first private TV station, CFTO-TV
CFTO-TV
CFTO-DT, broadcast on channel 9 and cable 8, is a television station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, owned by Bell Media. Currently branded as CTV Toronto, it is the flagship station of the CTV Television Network, and was one of the charter members of the network when it was launched in 1961. It...
. The original investors included the Bassett
John Bassett
John White Hughes Bassett, was a Canadian publisher and media baron.Born in Ottawa, Ontario, he was the son of John Bassett , publisher of the Montreal Gazette, and Margaret Avery. Bassett attended Ashbury College and graduated from Bishop's University with a BA in 1936...
and Eaton
Eaton's
The T. Eaton Co. Limited was once Canada's largest department store retailer. It was founded in 1869 in Toronto by Timothy Eaton, an Irish immigrant. Eaton's grew to become a retail and social institution in Canada, with stores across the country, buying offices across the globe, and a catalogue...
families, Joel Aldred and Ted Rogers
Edward Samuel Rogers
Edward Samuel "Ted" Rogers, Jr., OC was the President and CEO of Rogers Communications Inc., and the fifth richest person in Canada in terms of net worth. His father Edward S. Rogers, Sr...
, and Foster Hewitt
Foster Hewitt
Foster William Hewitt, OC was a Canadian radio broadcaster most famous for his play-by-play calls for Hockey Night in Canada. He was the son of W. A. Hewitt, and the father of Bill Hewitt.-Early life and career:...
in a much smaller role. Aldred sold his shares in 1961, followed by Rogers by 1970; with the Bassett and Eaton families firmly in control, the company went public in the early 1970s. CFTO became a CTV affiliate in October 1961, and soon after Baton became a part-owner in the network.
In 1972, the renamed Baton Broadcasting began purchasing other CTV affiliates, starting with CFQC-TV
CFQC-TV
CFQC-DT is a Canadian television station, serving Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The station is a CTV Television Network affiliate which can be seen over-the-air on digital channel 8, on local cable and via satellite on Bell TV Channel 249 and Shaw Direct Channel 378 on Classic channel...
Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
. This did not, however, give Baton a substantially higher investment in CTV, which was structured as a co-operative, not a traditional private company. Baton still only had one vote - as did every other CTV affiliate-owner.
In 1987, Baton expanded further into Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
and into CTV, purchasing CKCK-TV
CKCK-TV
CKCK-DT, VHF channel 8 , is a CTV owned and operated television station based in Regina, Saskatchewan. Originally signing on in 1954, CKCK was the first privately owned television station in Western Canada.-History:...
Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, Yorkton twinstick
Twinstick
A twinstick, in Canadian broadcasting, is a term for two television stations, broadcasting in the same market, which are owned by the same company...
CKOS-TV
CKOS-TV
CKOS-TV was a television station in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. In operation from 1958 to 2002 as a private affiliate of CBC Television, it now exists only as a repeater of the network's station in Regina, with the call sign CBKT-6....
/CICC-TV
CICC-TV
CICC-TV, channel 10 is a Canadian television station, broadcasting in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. It is an affiliate of CTV Television Network....
, and CBC affiliate CKBI-TV
CKBI-TV
CKBI-TV was a television station in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. In operation from 1958 to 2002 as a private affiliate of CBC Television, it is now a repeater of the network's station in Saskatoon, CBKST.-History:...
Prince Albert
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Prince Albert is the third-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is situated in the centre of the province on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. The city is known as the "Gateway to the North" because it is the last major centre along the route to the resources of northern Saskatchewan...
. A twinstick CTV affiliate was soon launched in Prince Albert, CIPA-TV
CIPA-TV
CIPA-TV is a Canadian television station, broadcasting in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. It is an affiliate of CTV Television Network. CIPA began transmission in 1987...
.
In the late 1980s, Baton applied for a high-power station in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
on channel 60. The licence was approved by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), appealed to federal cabinet by rival broadcasters, and ultimately sent back to the CRTC for review. However the licence was surrendered when Baton was instead able to acquire the local CTV affiliate, CJOH-TV
CJOH-TV
CJOH-DT is a television station serving Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and the surrounding region. Owned by Bell Media, it is part of the CTV Television Network....
, from Allan Slaight's Standard Broadcasting
Standard Broadcasting
Slaight Communications is a Canadian radio broadcasting company. The company was first formed as Slaight Broadcasting in 1971, when owner J. Allan Slaight acquired CFGM in Richmond Hill...
.
In 1990, Baton purchased the MCTV
Mid-Canada Communications
Mid-Canada Communications was a Canadian media company, which operated from 1980 to 1990. The company, a division of Northern Cable, had television and radio holdings in Northeastern Ontario.-MCTV:...
system of twinstick
Twinstick
A twinstick, in Canadian broadcasting, is a term for two television stations, broadcasting in the same market, which are owned by the same company...
operations in Pembroke
Pembroke, Ontario
Pembroke is a city in the province of Ontario, Canada, at the confluence of the Muskrat River and the Ottawa River in the Ottawa Valley...
, North Bay
North Bay, Ontario
North Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing.-History:...
, Sudbury, Timmins
Timmins
Timmins is a city in northeastern Ontario, Canada on the Mattagami River. At the time of the Canada 2006 Census, Timmins' population was 42,997...
, and the Huron Broadcasting
Huron Broadcasting
Huron Broadcasting was a Canadian radio and television broadcasting company, active in Sault Ste. Marie from 1976 to 1990.The company first entered the broadcasting business in 1976, when it acquired the assets of the city's prior Highland Broadcasting and Algonquin Broadcasting companies,...
twinstick in Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie is a city on the St. Marys River in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with a population of 74,948. The community was founded as a French religious mission: Sault either means "jump" or "rapids" in...
. In 1993, Baton purchased CFPL-TV
CFPL-TV
CFPL-DT is a television station based in London, Ontario, Canada, owned by Bell Media. Part of the CTV Two television system, the station serves London, Sarnia and much of southwestern Ontario north of London, including Wingham since its former sister station, CKNX-TV which ceased operations and...
London
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, CKNX-TV
CKNX-TV
CKNX-TV was a television station owned by CTVglobemedia which served mid-western Ontario, Canada. It was part of the A television network. The station was broadcast from Wingham and had offices in Wingham...
Wingham
Wingham, Ontario
Wingham is a community located in the municipality of North Huron, Ontario, Canada, which is located in Huron County...
and received a licence for a new independent station, CHWI-TV
CHWI-TV
CHWI-DT is a Canadian television station owned by Bell Media. It is part of the CTV Two system. The station is licensed to Wheatley, Ontario, but operates out of Windsor. CHWI also has offices in Chatham....
, in Windsor
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
.
In 1991, the company launched Ontario Network Television, a secondary affiliation carried by Baton's CTV and independent station
Independent station
An independent station is in the category of television terminology used to describe a television station broadcasting in the United States or Canada that is not affiliated with any television network....
s in Ontario. This was expanded in 1994 into the Baton Broadcast System
Baton Broadcast System
ONT was initiated in 1991, consisting of eight CTV affiliates - seven owned by Baton and Electrohome's CKCO. Initially providing 10.5 hours of common programming each week, this was soon expanded to 35 hours....
, or BBS, which included Baton's Saskatchewan stations. BBS was meant as a backup in case Baton's ongoing acquisitions did not translate into control of CTV itself. CTV had been recently restructured as a traditional private company, meaning that any future acquisitions by Baton would come with all of that affiliate's CTV shares. It was around this time that former CBC executive Ivan Fecan
Ivan Fecan
Ivan Fecan is a retired Canadian media executive. Fecan was the president and CEO of Baton Broadcasting and its successor CTVglobemedia from 1996 to 2011, and CEO of the CTV Television Network from late 1998 to 2011....
joined the company.
Baton-Electrohome alliance
In 1996, the CRTC approved two major deals involving Baton. First was the acquisition of CFCN-TVCFCN-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 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...
from Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications Inc. is one of Canada's largest communications companies, particularly in the field of wireless communications, cable television, home phone and internet with additional telecommunications and mass media assets...
, which had recently purchased Maclean Hunter. Second, Baton and Electrohome
Electrohome
Electrohome was one of Canada's largest manufacturers of television sets from 1949 to 1984. The company was also involved in television broadcasting....
formed an alliance, under which the companies would share ownership of CFCN, Baton's stations in Saskatchewan and its independent stations in southwestern Ontario, and Electrohome's CKCO-TV
CKCO-TV
CKCO-DT is a television station broadcasting on channel 13 in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Owned and operated by Bell Media, it is a part of the CTV Television Network and has been branded CTV Southwestern Ontario since 2005.-History:...
Kitchener
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
. The deals doubled Baton's own interest in CTV to 28.6%, but also gave it control over Electrohome's shares, for a total of 42.9%.
In January 1997, Baton-Electrohome's "Vancouver Television" proposal emerged as the CRTC's choice for the new independent station in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, beating out four other competitors. The new station, CIVT-TV
CIVT-TV
CIVT-DT is a television station in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Owned by Bell Media, it is part of the CTV Television Network...
, would compete directly with Western International Communications
Western International Communications
WIC Western International Communications Ltd.The apparent occurrence of "RAS syndrome" here was in fact part of the company's legal name. was a Canadian media company that operated from 1982 to 2000, with operations including broadcast and specialty television, radio, and satellite distribution via...
's two CTV affiliates in the market when it was launched that fall.
On February 25, 1997, the Baton-Electrohome alliance and 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...
announced that several stations would be swapped between them, giving Baton control of CTV. Baton-Electrohome would acquire CHUM's Atlantic Television System
CTV Atlantic
CTV Atlantic is a system of four television stations in the Canadian Maritimes, owned and operated by the CTV Television Network, a division of Bell Media...
(ATV), consisting of four CTV affiliates in the Maritimes
Maritimes
The Maritime provinces, also called the Maritimes or the Canadian Maritimes, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. On the Atlantic coast, the Maritimes are a subregion of Atlantic Canada, which also includes the...
, the Atlantic Satellite Network
Atlantic Satellite Network
CTV Two Atlantic is a Canadian English language cable television channel serving Atlantic Canada owned by Bell Media, with its studios located in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It is currently part of Bell Media's secondary CTV Two television system....
(ASN), and a further 14.3% in CTV. CHUM would receive Baton's independent stations in southwestern Ontario, as well as CHRO-TV
CHRO-TV
CHRO-TV is a television station serving the National Capital and Ottawa Valley regions of Ontario, Canada. Owned by Bell Media, it is part of the CTV Two television system....
Pembroke/Ottawa, which had recently disaffiliated from CTV.
Shortly thereafter, Electrohome announced it would sell its broadcasting assets – including its interest in the alliance, its CTV shares, and CFRN-TV
CFRN-TV
CFRN-DT is a Canadian television station, broadcasting in Edmonton, Alberta. It is an owned and operated station of the CTV Television Network....
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...
– to Baton in exchange for shares in Baton. These two deals were approved by the CRTC in August. Baton acquired the remaining CTV shares from WIC and Moffat Communications
Moffat Communications
Moffat Communications was a Canadian cable and broadcasting company. Privately owned by the Moffat family, the company was based in Winnipeg, Manitoba...
, which remained affiliates for the moment, that fall.
The BBS television system was merged with the CTV Television Network, with the company itself being renamed CTV Inc. the following year. The Eatons' remaining shares, representing 41% of Baton, were sold off to the general public in early 1998. By the end of 2001, nearly all CTV stations would be consolidated under network ownership (including one replacement).
CTV Inc. would be acquired by Bell Canada Enterprises
Bell Canada
Bell Canada is a major Canadian telecommunications company. Including its subsidiaries such as Bell Aliant, Northwestel, Télébec, and NorthernTel, it is the incumbent local exchange carrier for telephone and DSL Internet services in most of Canada east of Manitoba and in the northern territories,...
in 2000 (as discussed below); the company continues to operate as the broadcasting subsidiary of CTVglobemedia.
NetStar Communications
NetStar Communications Inc. (previously Labatt Communications Inc., and currently CTV Specialty Television Inc.) was formed by Labatt Brewing CompanyLabatt Brewing Company
Labatt Brewing Company Ltd. is a Canadian beer company founded by John Kinder Labatt in 1847 in London, Ontario. In 1995, it was purchased by Belgian brewer Interbrew; it is now part of Anheuser-Busch InBev...
to hold that firm's broadcasting assets, which included TSN, RDS, Viewers Choice
Viewers Choice
Viewers Choice is a Canadian English language regional pay-per-view and Near Video on Demand service that is designated to operate east of the Manitoba-Ontario border, excluding the territories....
and Discovery Channel. In 1995, when the parent company was sold to the foreign brewing conglomerate Interbrew
Interbrew
Interbrew was a large Belgium-based brewing company which owned many internationally known beers, as well as some smaller local beers. In 2004 Interbrew merged with Brazilian brewer AmBev to form InBev, which is the now largest brewer in the world by volume, with a 13% global market share now...
, a consortium of four Canadian investors - Stephen Bronfman (22.5%), Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec manages public pension plans in the Canadian province of Quebec. It was founded in 1965 by an act of the National Assembly...
(22.5%), Reitmans
Reitmans
Reitmans Limited is a Canadian retailing company, specializing in women's apparel, that was founded in 1926 by Herman and Sarah Reitman, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
(16.5%), and senior management (6.5%) - along with ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, with 32%, took over the company.
After a takeover attempt by CanWest Global that was vetoed by ESPN, CTV announced a friendly bid to take over NetStar Communications in early 1999, with CRTC approval on March 24, 2000.
Under BCE ownership: Bell Globemedia (2000-2006)
At the beginning of the 2000s, CTV (including the NetStar assets) was folded into a new media venture, Bell Globemedia Inc. (abbreviated "BGM"). This was masterminded by former Bell CanadaBell Canada
Bell Canada is a major Canadian telecommunications company. Including its subsidiaries such as Bell Aliant, Northwestel, Télébec, and NorthernTel, it is the incumbent local exchange carrier for telephone and DSL Internet services in most of Canada east of Manitoba and in the northern territories,...
chief executive Jean Monty, largely as a response to Canwest's purchase of the Southam newspaper chain as well as the trend of media convergence, particularly the AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
-Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
merger. Monty believed that, to survive in a changing technological landscape, and in particular to drive subscriptions to satellite television
Satellite television
Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
provider Bell ExpressVu and internet service provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
Bell Sympatico
Bell Sympatico
Bell Internet, originally and frequently called Sympatico, is the residential Internet service provider division of Bell Canada. It was affiliated with MSN. As of June 2009, Bell Internet had over 2 million subscribers in Ontario and Quebec and was the largest ISP in Canada.- History :Sympatico was...
, BCE had to have control over content.
The transaction was structured as follows: In 2000, BCE acquired CTV Inc. in an all-cash transaction valued at $2.3 billion (CAD
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
). Soon after, Monty arranged to have Thomson Corporation
Thomson Corporation
The Thomson Corporation was one of the world's largest information companies.Thomson was active in financial services, healthcare sectors, law, science & technology research, and tax & accounting sectors...
transfer control of The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
, the 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...
-based national newspaper, to BCE in exchange for a significant (20%) interest in the merged CTV/Globe entity. The Thomsons' family holding company, The Woodbridge Company Ltd.
The Woodbridge Company
The Woodbridge Company Limited is a Canadian private holding company and the principal and controlling shareholder of Thomson Reuters...
, invested in the company directly to obtain an additional 9.9% interest, and later bought Thomson Corp.'s interests itself.
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
portal then known as Sympatico-Lycos
Lycos
Lycos, Inc. is a search engine and web portal established in 1994. Lycos also encompasses a network of email, webhosting, social networking, and entertainment websites.-Corporate history:...
(Lycos was later replaced by MSN
MSN
MSN is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95 operating system.The range of services offered by MSN has changed since its...
). Fecan was named the combined firm's president and CEO, a role he remained in for the duration of the BGM / CTVgm era. After Monty resigned and was replaced by Michael Sabia
Michael Sabia
Michael John Sabia, is a Canadian businessman. He is the current CEO of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. Sabia formerly served as CEO of Bell Canada from 2002 through 2008.-Personal life:...
in 2002, it became clear that Monty's vision was not producing anything near the desired results, notwithstanding the good results for the individual units, particularly the CTV network.
The following years provided a few cosmetic changes in BGM's assets. In 2001, CTV acquired 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....
in Winnipeg
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...
and CFCF-TV
CFCF-TV
CFCF-DT is a CTV-owned and operated station located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
in Montreal, and moved the CTV affiliation in British Columbia to CIVT, replacing two affiliates that had been purchased by Canwest. That fall also brought the launch of the first digital specialty channel
Specialty channel
A specialty channel can be a commercial broadcasting or non-commercial television channel which consists of television programming focused on a single genre, subject or targeted television market at a specific demographic....
s, including several owned by CTV.
The company acquired partial ownership in TQS in 2002, the Sympatico portal was sold back to Bell Canada, while a further investment from the Thomsons (whose ownership increased to 31.5%) funded the acquisition of 15% of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. However, beginning in 2003, BCE management began to refer to BGM as a non-core asset; as a result, much attention was given to the likely sale of the company, and potentially a breakup into several different pieces.
Reorganization and CHUM Limited merger (2006-2010)
On December 2, 2005, Bell Canada EnterprisesBell Canada
Bell Canada is a major Canadian telecommunications company. Including its subsidiaries such as Bell Aliant, Northwestel, Télébec, and NorthernTel, it is the incumbent local exchange carrier for telephone and DSL Internet services in most of Canada east of Manitoba and in the northern territories,...
(BCE) announced it would sell an 8.5% interest to Woodbridge (increasing their total ownership to 40%), a 20% interest to Torstar
Torstar
Torstar Corporation is an independently-owned Canadian broadly based media company that is named after its principal holding, the Toronto Star daily newspaper....
, and a 20% interest to the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan , commonly referred to as Teachers, is the organization responsible for administering pensions for public school teachers of the Canadian province of Ontario. The OTPP also invests the plan's pension fund, making it one of the largest and most powerful investment...
. BCE retained 20% of the group - a condition that ensured that Bell TV, Sympatico, and other Bell units continued to have access to Globemedia content. The transaction closed on August 30, 2006.
This deal put to rest any rumours about a possible breakup of the company. However, Torstar's involvement led to additional media concentration concerns, mainly from media union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
s. Torstar insisted it was committed to maintaining the editorial independence
Editorial independence
Editorial independence is the freedom of editors to make decisions without interference from the owners of a publication. Editorial independence is tested, for instance, if a newspaper runs articles that may be unpopular with its advertising clientele....
of the Globe and its own Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
, and ultimately there were no major regulatory hurdles due to this.
On July 12, 2006, BGM announced a friendly bid to take over 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...
for an estimated $1.7 billion. The acquisition would bring the secondary broadcast system (Citytv
Citytv
Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
), other stations including CablePulse24, MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
, Star!, Bravo!, and Space, and all of CHUM's radio stations, into the BGM fold. BGM originally announced that CHUM's A-Channel stations, Access
Access (TV channel)
CTV Two Alberta is a Canadian English language entertainment, information, and educational television channel in the province of Alberta...
, CKX-TV
CKX-TV
CKX-TV was a television station in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, formerly affiliated with CBC Television. Owned and operated by CTVglobemedia, it was the first privately owned television station in Manitoba...
, MusiquePlus
MusiquePlus
MusiquePlus is a Canadian French language Category A specialty channel owned by Astral Media operating from Montreal, Quebec.MusiquePlus is devoted to music and music related programming from various genres including pop, rock, RnB and focuses on a younger demographic than its sister station, MusiMax...
, MusiMax
MusiMax
MusiMax is a Canadian French language Category A specialty channel owned by Astral Media operating out of Montreal, Quebec.MusiMax is devoted to music and music related programming focusing more on adult contemporary, soft-rock, classic rock and lighter music than its sister station, MusiquePlus...
, Canadian Learning Television
Canadian Learning Television
Oprah Winfrey Network is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. OWN is a specialty television service targeted to women, offering a blend of lifestyle, information, and entertainment programming....
, SexTV: The Channel
SexTV: The Channel
W Movies is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel which focuses on films and film-related series aimed at women. It is a spinoff channel of W Network and is owned by Corus Entertainment.-As SexTV: The Channel:...
and BGM's own OLN would not be retained.
On September 7, 2006, in order to pay for the CHUM acquisition, BGM sold additional shares to its existing shareholders. BCE did not participate in the refinancing; the net effect was an increase in Teachers' ownership to 25%, while BCE's interest was reduced to 15%. As a result of BCE's reduced ownership, the company was renamed as CTVglobemedia as of January 1, 2007.
In April 2007, Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications Inc. is one of Canada's largest communications companies, particularly in the field of wireless communications, cable television, home phone and internet with additional telecommunications and mass media assets...
announced a tentative deal to purchase A-Channel, CKX-TV, Access Alberta, Canadian Learning Television, and SexTV: The Channel from CTVglobemedia, if its purchase of CHUM was approved. Astral Media
Astral Media
Astral Media Inc. is a Canadian media corporation. It is Canada's largest radio broadcaster with 83 radio stations in eight provinces, and is a major player in premium and specialty television in Canada, including The Movie Network, Super Écran, Family, Teletoon, Canal D, Canal Vie, VRAK.TV,...
made a similar deal for CHUM's 50% interest in MusiMax and MusiquePlus.
That June, the CRTC approved the CHUM takeover, on condition that CTV sell off the Citytv stations, because of the CTV network's O&O stations serving the very same cities. CTV ultimately chose to keep the A-Channel stations along with the rest of CHUM assets it had previously said it would sell, except for MusiquePlus/MusiMax. Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications Inc. is one of Canada's largest communications companies, particularly in the field of wireless communications, cable television, home phone and internet with additional telecommunications and mass media assets...
was announced as the buyer of the Citytv stations on June 11, 2007, and the CHUM acquisition was finalized on June 22.
Since then, CTVglobemedia has sold off its interests in various non-core channels. Rogers has purchased several of these assets, including CTV's 33% interest in OLN in late 2007, as well as radio stations CHST-FM
CHST-FM
CHST-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 102.3 FM in London, Ontario. The station uses the on-air brand and format Bob FM. BOB FM broadcasts with an average effective radiated power of 5.84 kW from the CFPL-TV tower in Southwest London...
in London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
and CHBN-FM
CHBN-FM
CHBN-FM is a contemporary hit radio station based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The station, which is jointly owned by Rogers Radio, operates at 91.7 MHz with an ERP of 100 kW.-History:...
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...
, 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...
in 2010. Corus Entertainment
Corus Entertainment
Corus Entertainment Inc. is a publicly traded Canadian media and entertainment conglomerate.Corus is a leading Canadian specialty television and radio producer, with additional assets in pay television, advertising services, television broadcasting, children's book publishing and children's...
would acquire Canadian Learning Television
Canadian Learning Television
Oprah Winfrey Network is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. OWN is a specialty television service targeted to women, offering a blend of lifestyle, information, and entertainment programming....
, SexTV: The Channel
SexTV: The Channel
W Movies is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel which focuses on films and film-related series aimed at women. It is a spinoff channel of W Network and is owned by Corus Entertainment.-As SexTV: The Channel:...
, and Drive-In Classics
Drive-In Classics
Sundance Channel is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. Sundance Channel airs programming focused on independent films, documentaries, music-series', dramas and more.-As Drive-In Classics:...
for a combined $113 million. TQS entered bankruptcy protection and was ultimately acquired by Remstar (which renamed the network "V"). Meanwhile, Glassbox Television
Glassbox Television
Glassbox Television is an independent Canadian broadcasting and media company specializing in the operation of multi-platform broadcast and video-on-demand channels, content production, and digital publishing....
acquired travel + escape in late 2010. In two cases where operations were closed down, specifically CBC affiliate CKX-TV
CKX-TV
CKX-TV was a television station in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, formerly affiliated with CBC Television. Owned and operated by CTVglobemedia, it was the first privately owned television station in Manitoba...
in Brandon, Manitoba
Brandon, Manitoba
Brandon is the second largest city in Manitoba, Canada, and is located in the southwestern area of the province. Brandon is the largest city in the Westman region of Manitoba. The city is located along the Assiniboine River. Spruce Woods Provincial Park and CFB Shilo are a relatively short distance...
, which left the air in October 2009 after a deal to sell that station to Bluepoint Investment Corporation fell through and the A station in Wingham, CKNX-TV
CKNX-TV
CKNX-TV was a television station owned by CTVglobemedia which served mid-western Ontario, Canada. It was part of the A television network. The station was broadcast from Wingham and had offices in Wingham...
which left the air one month prior to CKX and is now a rebroadcaster of the A station in London, CFPL-TV
CFPL-TV
CFPL-DT is a television station based in London, Ontario, Canada, owned by Bell Media. Part of the CTV Two television system, the station serves London, Sarnia and much of southwestern Ontario north of London, including Wingham since its former sister station, CKNX-TV which ceased operations and...
.
CTVglobemedia has only announced one major purchase since its acquisition of CHUM, namely Toronto station CFXJ-FM
CFXJ-FM
CFXJ-FM is a Canadian radio station in Toronto, Ontario, which uses the on-air brand FLOW 93.5. It first aired in 2001 as Canada's first urban music station...
from Milestone Radio
Milestone Radio
Milestone Radio Incorporated was a Canadian radio broadcasting company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. They were the only broadcasting company in Canada that was owned and operated by Black Canadians. The company's president was Denham Jolly....
, which it announced it would purchase in June 2010 (pending CRTC approval).
BCE reacquires CTVglobemedia (2010-present)
On September 10, 2010, BCE announced plans to re-acquire 100% of the company's broadcasting arm, including CTV Inc. Under the deal, Woodbridge, Torstar, and Teachers' will together receive $1.3 billion in either cash or equity in BCE, while BCE will also assume $1.7 billion in debt (BCE's existing equity interest is $200 million, for a total transaction value of $3.2 billion). Woodbridge will also regain majority control of the Globe and Mail Inc., with Bell retaining a 15% interest. The overall deal is expected to close by April 2011. However, the sale of the Globe, which does not require CRTC approval, was completed in late December 2010.Shortly after the deal was announced, CTVglobemedia president Ivan Fecan said he would retire once Bell's acquisition is completed. On October 6, 2010, the company announced that Kevin Crull, previously an executive with Bell Canada, would join CTVglobemedia as the company's chief operating officer
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
, he was initially expected to assume this role on January 1, 2011, however, according to CTVglobemedia's website, this date was moved up to November 1, 2010. Crull will become CTV's new president upon Fecan's retirement (it has since been announced that most of the CTV executives will be resigning as well) when Bell completes its purchase of CTV in late March or early April 2011. The deal was approved by the CRTC on March 7, 2011.
CTVglobemedia ceased full operations on April 1, 2011, and was replaced by Bell Canada's new business unit, Bell Media. On that same date CTVglobemedia's television divisions such as CTV Limited, CTV Television Inc. were replaced with CTV Inc, while its radio division, CHUM Radio, became Bell Media Radio.
See also
- Bell CanadaBell CanadaBell Canada is a major Canadian telecommunications company. Including its subsidiaries such as Bell Aliant, Northwestel, Télébec, and NorthernTel, it is the incumbent local exchange carrier for telephone and DSL Internet services in most of Canada east of Manitoba and in the northern territories,...
- Bell Media
- CHUM LimitedCHUM LimitedCHUM 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...
- Torstar Corporation
- Ontario Teachers' Pension PlanOntario Teachers' Pension PlanThe Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan , commonly referred to as Teachers, is the organization responsible for administering pensions for public school teachers of the Canadian province of Ontario. The OTPP also invests the plan's pension fund, making it one of the largest and most powerful investment...
External links
- CTVglobemedia website (now redirects to the Bell Media site)
- Restructuring announcement
- CRTC Chart of CTVglobemedia's assets (PDF)