Citytv
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City-logo.jpg
Citytv Logo
Moses Znaimer, head of Citytv for many years, once described the system's philosophy by saying, "It's not the show, it's the flow."
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History
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The original Citytv station (granted callsign CITY-TV by the CRTC) was founded in Toronto in 1972 and began broadcasting for the first time on September 28 of that year. Known through its first decade as channel 79 on the UHF dial, programming shifted to channel 57 in 1983, where it remains to this day.
In 1987 Citytv moved to its current headquarters at the CHUM-City Building, making it one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city.
Citytv launched a second station in Vancouver when it bought CKVU-TV from Global in 2001.
Programming
Citytv is best known for its unconventional approach to news and local programming. With a lack of a news desk (anchors read the news standing up) and laid-back yet hard-hitting presentation, Citytv's CityPulse news has developed a large following, and other stations around the world have tried to imitate its format to varying degrees of success.
Citytv also produces more local programs than any other television station in Canada, such as Speakers' Corner, CityLine, FashionTelevision and MediaTelevision.
The station also attracted attention and controversy by airing "Baby Blue Movies", or soft-core pornography, on Friday nights after midnight. Although this programming strategy was discontinued in the 1980s, it has recently been reinstated.
See also: List of programs broadcast by Citytv
Citytv stations
On November 19, 2004, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission approved the sale of Craig Media's broadcasting operations to CHUM. Soon thereafter, on February 4, 2005, CHUM announced that the following Craig (A-Channel) stations are to be rebranded as Citytv stations, effective fall 2005.
- CHMI-TV (Portage la Prairie / Winnipeg, Manitoba)
- CKAL-TV (Calgary, Alberta)
- CKEM-TV (Edmonton, Alberta)
The CTV-owned ASN in Atlantic Canada may also be considered a Citytv "affiliate" as it airs a programming mix similar to that planned for the Citytv stations in Alberta and Manitoba for fall 2005.
CHUM also owns the NewNet system and CKX-TV in Brandon, Manitoba, a CBC affiliate formerly owned by Craig, all of which rebroadcast some Citytv programming.
CHUM has also licensed the Citytv name and brand identity to local television stations in Bogotá, Colombia (Citytv Bogotá) and Barcelona, Spain (Citytv Barcelona).
External links
- Citytv Toronto and Vancouver (http://www.citytv.com)
- Citytv Bogota (http://www.citytv.com.co)
- Citytv Barcelona (http://www.citytvweb.com)