How Does TV Networks work in Canada

Markxxx · Jun 18, 2005

Kind of an odd question but I hope I can make myself clear.

Like in the states we have 4 major and 2 minor networks. The networks own and operate some stations but most are affliated. Meaning they carry network shows.

Now I see Canada has networks like the CBC. Does the CBC own their own TV stations or do they have affilates like in the USA?

What networks does Canada have? Do they all cover all of Canada?

I saw on the list some of these networks pick up American shows? Do they pick up other TV shows form other nations?

And are there special networks on CableTV JUST for Canada.

Sorry if I'm not clear enough but maybe if I get some info I can clear my question up a bit.______________
Once I figured out the meaning of life....Then I forgot to write it down.

Rollo-Smokes · Jun 18, 2005

I was going to try to answer this question with a little more depth, but two things have stopped me from doing so:

1) I'm not Canadian, even though I sound like one. I'm just a big Degrassi fan who recently got hooked on Canadian television through satellite. I'll let a real Canadian answer this in detail.

2) Though this website hasn't been updated in quite some time, Nelson Media appears to be a very comprehensive look at the broadcast scene in Canada, both English and French television. Since the last update, some things have/will soon happen up North. If you keep scrolling this board, you'll find out what they are.
______________
"Everybody wants something they'll never give up...Everybody wants something, they'll take your money and never give up!" -- The Zit Remedy, "Degrassi Junior High"

Calgaryperson · Jun 18, 2005

> Kind of an odd question but I hope I can make myself clear.
>
> Like in the states we have 4 major and 2 minor networks. The
> networks own and operate some stations but most are
> affliated. Meaning they carry network shows.
>
> Now I see Canada has networks like the CBC. Does the CBC own
> their own TV stations or do they have affilates like in the
> USA?
>
> What networks does Canada have? Do they all cover all of
> Canada?
>
CBC owns pretty much everything, buying out some of the private affiliates and the master control for the entire network is in Toronto. The other stations are Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Winnipeg, Windsor, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, Fredricton, St. Johns, Yellowknife, Whitehorse and Iqualit. Each of these stations have many many un-manned repeaters. Nelson Media does a fine job listing each of them.

CTV is the next network we have. They have a mix of owned and operated stations(mostly) and some private stations. They have stations in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary/Lethbridge, Regina, Yorkton, Saskatoon and Prince Albert, Winnipeg, a small network based in northern Ontario using the name 'MCTV', Toronto, Kitchener, Ottawa, Montreal and the 'ATV' network with stations in Halifax, Moncton and Sydney. CTV has a basic primetime schedule and all the stations share a pretty similar daytime schedule. You'll mostly find Dr. Phil and Oprah on CTV in the country(there are a few exceptions).

Global is the third network. Everything varies on all their stations. You'd think that they'd all take the Global Ontario schedule in Primetime but some stations cherrypick from the co-owned CH television system. All stations are owned and operated with a few independents buying rights for their local markets(think NTV, the former CTV affiliate). Global have stations in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary/Lethbridge, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax

Then we have some smaller local television systems

CH is owned by Global and is the result of the purchase of a company called WIC. In addition to the Alberta stations they picked up in 2000, they picked up some stations that were in smaller cities of the same market where they already owned stations(Hamilton/Toronto and Victoria/Vancouver). It airs some Global overflow programming but has it's own primetime schedule that the prarie Global stations cherrypick from.

CHUM owns 3 different brands that will become 2 different brands. The first is Citytv. City is known for it's streetfront/storefront studios idea and with the anchors standing up while reading the news. The City stations air a lot of movies and lot of syndicated reruns. They have also been adding some American primetime fare to the schedule(The Bachelor was seen on City). There are 2 of these stations with another 3 re-branding over the summer. The current 2 are in Toronto and Vancouver with Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg taking the name this fall.
CHUM also owns the NewNet brand. These stations are former CBC/CTV private affiliates that went independent. They have a primetime schedule that is similar and with less movies. There are NewNet stations in Barrie ON, London/Windsor/Wingham ON, Ottawa/Pembroke and Victoria. These stations will rebrand as A-Channel's in the fall.
There are currently 3 A-Channel stations. Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg. These were owned by Craig Broadcasting which was purchased by CHUM earlier in the year. They basically follow the Citytv approach with streetfront/storefront studios. They used to follow the same approach with news but finally got a desk in 2002. These stations will be trading the A-Channel name for the Citytv name.

There are some independents, mostly in smaller markets except for 1 in Toronto and 1 in St. Johns and educational stations that are owned by their respective provincial governments or by private broadcasters(Access in Alberta is owned by CHUM).

> I saw on the list some of these networks pick up American
> shows? Do they pick up other TV shows form other nations?
>
CTV and Global do.
> And are there special networks on CableTV JUST for Canada.
>
TSN, family, W, CBC Newsworld, CTV Newsnet, CP24 in Toronto, the score

> Sorry if I'm not clear enough but maybe if I get some info I
> can clear my question up a bit.
>
Nelson Media has lots more information. Another good site is the Canadian Communications Foundation at www.broadcasting-history.ca
______________

Canada TV and College Radio

rugrats1 · Jun 18, 2005

> Now I see Canada has networks like the CBC. Does the CBC own
> their own TV stations or do they have affilates like in the
> USA?

Both -- the CBC owns most of their stations, but there are privately-owned stations in smaller communities in Ontario (Peterborough, Kingston, Thunder Bay), Manitoba (Brandon), Alberta (Medicine Hat, Lloydminster, Red Deer) and BC (various communities outside of southwestern BC).

It should be known that some of these stations will be leaving the CBC soon to strike out on their own, notably in Red Deer and, maybe, Kelowna BC (both those stations are owned by Global, which intend on converting them to "CH" stations).

The programming on CBC may vary on the private stations, as some CBC shows may be pre-empted for local or syndicated programming, notably on Thursday nights, when the CBC's non-commercial cultural programming is presented on its O&Os.

On the French side, Radio-Canada is the same way, though its privates are in the Quebec communities of Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivieres, Saugenay and Rouyn-Noranda. Programming, of course, is all the same, except for local ads.

>
> What networks does Canada have? Do they all cover all of
> Canada?
>
There's also CTV, Global, CH, Citytv and A-Channel. Don't get me started on the last two, as I'll be confusing you. All stations are O&Os, with a few CTV stations owned by others (in Thunder Bay, Kenora and Lloydminster).

All these networks cover the southern Provinces, except for Newfoundland, where the only commercially-owned game in town is NTV.

There are also educational, religious and ethnic channels available in some areas.

In French, Radio-Canada is joined by private networks TVA and TQS -- all those stations are in Quebec and are O&Os (except in some communities like Gatineau / Ottawa, where both of these are owned by another company). TVA is the only French private licensed as a national network, meaning that it's on basic cable on most cable systems in Canada.

mjlarochelle · Jun 18, 2005

> CBC owns pretty much everything, buying out some of the
> private affiliates and the master control for the entire
> network is in Toronto. The other stations are Vancouver,
> Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Winnipeg, Windsor, Ottawa,
> Montreal, Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, Fredricton, St.
> Johns, Yellowknife, Whitehorse and Iqualit. Each of these
> stations have many many un-manned repeaters. Nelson Media
> does a fine job listing each of them.
----------
In essence, the CBC is the Toronto Broadcasting Corporation nowadays. They might as well call all the stations CBLT. There is also a station in Saskatoon, although it broadcasts largely the Regina signal nowadays. Likewise Sydney mainly broadcasts the Halifax signal. Until not long ago there were three stations in Newfoundland: CBNT St. John's, CBYT Corner Brook, and CFLA-TV Goose Bay. CBYT had a local newscast until 1991 when it began broadcasting CBNT's broadcast, and the CBC got the license for CBYT revoked on 5 September 2002. CBYT now rebroadcasts CBNT fully. I am not sure when CFLA-TV became a full repeater of CBNT, but I have seen reference to a local news operation in Goose Bay until 1990.

> CTV is the next network we have. They have a mix of owned
> and operated stations(mostly) and some private stations.
> They have stations in Vancouver, Edmonton,
> Calgary/Lethbridge, Regina, Yorkton, Saskatoon and Prince
> Albert, Winnipeg, a small network based in northern Ontario
> using the name 'MCTV', Toronto, Kitchener, Ottawa, Montreal
> and the 'ATV' network with stations in Halifax, Moncton and
> Sydney. CTV has a basic primetime schedule and all the
> stations share a pretty similar daytime schedule. You'll
> mostly find Dr. Phil and Oprah on CTV in the country(there
> are a few exceptions).
----------
Don't forget, there are also stations in Lethbridge (separate from Calgary), Whitecourt, Ashmont-St. Paul, Red Deer, Sarnia, and Saint John. Some say these are repeaters but the CRTC considers them separate stations.

> Global is the third network. Everything varies on all their
> stations. You'd think that they'd all take the Global
> Ontario schedule in Primetime but some stations cherrypick
> from the co-owned CH television system. All stations are
> owned and operated with a few independents buying rights for
> their local markets(think NTV, the former CTV affiliate).
> Global have stations in Vancouver, Edmonton,
> Calgary/Lethbridge, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto,
> Montreal and Halifax
-----------
I believe Calgary and Lethbridge are separate operations.

Calgaryperson · Jun 19, 2005

> > CBC owns pretty much everything, buying out some of the
> > private affiliates and the master control for the entire
> > network is in Toronto. The other stations are Vancouver,
> > Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Winnipeg, Windsor, Ottawa,
> > Montreal, Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, Fredricton, St.
> > Johns, Yellowknife, Whitehorse and Iqualit. Each of these
>
> > stations have many many un-manned repeaters. Nelson Media
>
> > does a fine job listing each of them.
> ----------
> In essence, the CBC is the Toronto Broadcasting Corporation
> nowadays. They might as well call all the stations CBLT.
> There is also a station in Saskatoon, although it broadcasts
> largely the Regina signal nowadays. Likewise Sydney mainly
> broadcasts the Halifax signal. Until not long ago there
> were three stations in Newfoundland: CBNT St. John's, CBYT
> Corner Brook, and CFLA-TV Goose Bay. CBYT had a local
> newscast until 1991 when it began broadcasting CBNT's
> broadcast, and the CBC got the license for CBYT revoked on 5
> September 2002. CBYT now rebroadcasts CBNT fully. I am not
> sure when CFLA-TV became a full repeater of CBNT, but I have
> seen reference to a local news operation in Goose Bay until
> 1990.
>
> > CTV is the next network we have. They have a mix of owned
>
> > and operated stations(mostly) and some private stations.
> > They have stations in Vancouver, Edmonton,
> > Calgary/Lethbridge, Regina, Yorkton, Saskatoon and Prince
> > Albert, Winnipeg, a small network based in northern
> Ontario
> > using the name 'MCTV', Toronto, Kitchener, Ottawa,
> Montreal
> > and the 'ATV' network with stations in Halifax, Moncton
> and
> > Sydney. CTV has a basic primetime schedule and all the
> > stations share a pretty similar daytime schedule. You'll
> > mostly find Dr. Phil and Oprah on CTV in the country(there
>
> > are a few exceptions).
> ----------
> Don't forget, there are also stations in Lethbridge
> (separate from Calgary), Whitecourt, Ashmont-St. Paul, Red
> Deer, Sarnia, and Saint John. Some say these are repeaters
> but the CRTC considers them separate stations.
>
> > Global is the third network. Everything varies on all
> their
> > stations. You'd think that they'd all take the Global
> > Ontario schedule in Primetime but some stations cherrypick
>
> > from the co-owned CH television system. All stations are
> > owned and operated with a few independents buying rights
> for
> > their local markets(think NTV, the former CTV affiliate).
>
> > Global have stations in Vancouver, Edmonton,
> > Calgary/Lethbridge, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto,
> > Montreal and Halifax
> -----------
> I believe Calgary and Lethbridge are separate operations.
>
Calgary and Lethbridge do have seperate call letters(CICT Calgary and CISA Lethbridge), but Lethbridge run's the Calgary morning news, noon newscast, 5 and 5:30 newscasts on weekdays.

The Lethbridge CTV station runs the Calgary news except at 5pm when they produce their own hour of news. Even CTV lists the station as Calgary/Lethbridge.______________

Canada TV and College Radio

mjlarochelle · Jun 19, 2005

> The Lethbridge CTV station runs the Calgary news except at
> 5pm when they produce their own hour of news. Even CTV
> lists the station as Calgary/Lethbridge.
---------
What is the arrangement between CFRN Edmonton and the stations in Ashmont-St. Paul, Whitecourt, and Red Deer?

rugrats1 · Jun 19, 2005

> What is the arrangement between CFRN Edmonton and the
> stations in Ashmont-St. Paul, Whitecourt, and Red Deer?
>
Where Red Deer is concerned, I recalled CFRN doing a separate, pre-recorded news segment for Red Deer viewers during the 6PM and 11:30PM newscasts. This was around 2000 at the earliest; don't know if they still have separate segments for some viewers.

What's especially unusual is that all viewers of CFRN on ExpressVu got the Red Deer CFRN, instead of the original signal from Edmonton.

Calgaryperson · Jun 22, 2005

> > What is the arrangement between CFRN Edmonton and the
> > stations in Ashmont-St. Paul, Whitecourt, and Red Deer?
> >
> Where Red Deer is concerned, I recalled CFRN doing a
> separate, pre-recorded news segment for Red Deer viewers
> during the 6PM and 11:30PM newscasts. This was around 2000
> at the earliest; don't know if they still have separate
> segments for some viewers.
>
> What's especially unusual is that all viewers of CFRN on
> ExpressVu got the Red Deer CFRN, instead of the original
> signal from Edmonton.
>
CKRD also got to sell local commercials in the area, as well as on CITV's repeaters.______________

Canada TV and College Radio

CentralFLEagle · Aug 3, 2005

I'm not Canadian, but like to keep up with the scene north of the border. Thus, I'll add a couple of things here that may have not been touched upon or clarify some:

1) CBC and Radio-Canada (French language service) are owned and operated by the Canadian government. They are full service networks, but would be closer in comparison to PBS here. As a matter of fact, some PBS stations air CBC's comedy programme "The Red Green Show".

2) I believe all the Canadian networks air some American network programmes, but there is a strict limit to the percentage of foreign-originated programming to protect the Canadian television/radio production industry. May be seeing a little more programming done for US audiences since British Columbia is a hotbed for production because of the lower costs (because they are produced in BC, it counts as Canadian content).

3) Far and away the best Canadian news programme is CBC Television's "The National". Peter Mansbridge is the type of anchorman I would love to see behind one of the US network's desks: Straightfoward, without a lot of hype. The hour length is also a plus, allowing time for more meaningful coverage of major stories and mini-documentary length features on stories and issues that would usually not be touched upon here. Sadly, I have to watch it on delay online now since the demise of NWI.______________
Robert Charles Pickering
Lakeland, Florida

How Does TV Networks work in Canada

Markxxx

Rollo-Smokes

Calgaryperson

Guest

rugrats1

mjlarochelle

Calgaryperson

Guest

mjlarochelle

rugrats1

Calgaryperson

Guest

CentralFLEagle

Guest