CKVU
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| CKVU (Citytv) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Missing image City-logo.jpg image:city-logo.jpg | ||
| Slogan: "Everywhere!" | ||
| Vancouver, British Columbia | ||
| Channel 10 / Cable 13 | ||
| Owner | CHUM Limited | |
| Founded | 1976 | |
| Joined Citytv | 2002 | |
| Signal Radius | 342.7 kW (total) | |
| Callsign Meaning | C K Vancouver UHF | |
| Former Affiliations | Independent (1976-1997) | |
| Citytv System | ||
| CKVU (Vancouver) | CITY (Toronto) | |
CKVU (Citytv Vancouver) is a television station based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Owned by CHUM Limited, it is the second station to become part of the Citytv system in Canada.
History
CKVU's history dates back to 1975, when Western Approaches Ltd. was awarded the third license for a Vancouver television station by the CRTC. The station first went on the air on September 1, 1976, broadcasting a UHF signal on channel 21, the first station in Vancouver to ever transmit such a signal. In its first year of operation, CKVU lost more than $3 million.
In 1979, the station was approaching the break-even point. That same year, Allarcom purchased 5% common stock and 7% of preferred stock in CKVU. CanWest Pacific, a subsidiary of CanWest Broadcasting, loaned $4 million to Western Approaches so they could thwart a takeover attempt from Allarcom. Three years later, CanWest loaned another $8 million to Western Approaches to reduce the station's debt with the condition that CanWest would have the option to purchase Western Approaches' shares in CKVU.
CKVU started broadcasting a VHF signal on February 13, 1985, which improved the station's coverage and ratings. CKVU's terrestrial signal, transmitted from a very high location on Saltspring Island, can be received throughout much of southwest British Columbia and northwest Washington. CKVU's signal can even be received over-the-air in some areas of north Seattle.
On December 6 of that same year, CanWest announced that they had purchased the majority interest in CKVU, subject to CRTC approval. Western Approaches went to court in an attempt to block the sale, which resulted in a dispute between Western Approaches, Allarcom and CanWest that lasted several years.
On June 19, 1987, the Supreme Court of British Columbia ordered Western Approaches to sell their interest in CKVU to CanWest, subject to CRTC approval. Once the sale was approved and all other legal issues were settled, CanWest gained 100% ownership and control of CKVU on July 13, 1988. Under CanWest's ownership, the station's was branded U.TV, and its audience and profits increased. Before U.TV, the station used the brands CKVU 13, VU-13, and CKVU.
In 1997, CKVU was rebranded as Global, joining the CanWest-owned Global television network.
Transition to Citytv
As a result of CanWest's planned purchase of CHAN in Vancouver and CHEK in Victoria, the CRTC issued an order to CanWest on July 6, 2000 that they would have to sell CKVU in order to get their acquisition approved. The CRTC approved the transfer of CKVU to a CanWest subsidiary, CKVU Sub Inc., on December 21, placing the station in trust while CanWest looked for a buyer.
CHUM Limited applied to the CRTC to acquire CKVU Sub Inc. on July 26, 2001, with the intention of making it a Citytv station similar to CITY in Toronto, Ontario. CHUM planned on spending $8.03 million on British Columbia-based independent productions, $5.95 million on local news and information, and $1.37 million on local culture, social policy and talent development over a period of seven years.
A large network shuffle occurred on September 1, when CHAN's contract with CTV expired. CHAN, now owned by CanWest as a result of its 2000 acquisition of Western International Communications, switched affiliations from CTV to Global. As a result, CIVT, an independent station owned by Baton Broadcasting, became a CTV affiliate, while CKVU was rebranded ckvu13.
CHUM acquired CKVU Sub Inc. on October 15, 2001. Because CHUM owned CIVI in Victoria, license conditions were set by the CRTC. CKVU cannot air more than 10% of the programming aired on CIVI, and newscasts must be separately managed.
CKVU remained branded as ckvu13 until 6 a.m. PDT on July 22, 2002, at which point it was rebranded as Citytv Vancouver and joined CITY in the Citytv system.
External links
- Citytv Vancouver (http://vancouver.citytv.com/)
- Citytv Toronto (http://toronto.citytv.com/)