Rogers buys Access

[Julio]

For the media geeks out there:

Rogers Media is expanding its television presence as the firm said Monday it is buying 10 stations and channels from CTVglobemedia Inc. for $137.5 million.

The stations and channels are held in trust for CHUM Ltd. CTVglobemedia said it would sell the assets as part of its takeover of CHUM.

The sale includes:

* A-Channel stations in Barrie, Ottawa, London, Windsor, Wingham and Victoria.
* CKX Television, an over-the-air CBC affiliate in Brandon.
* ACCESS Alberta, an educational service.
* CLT (Canadian Learning Television).
* SexTV, a digital specialty channel.

Wonder if they are going to turn Access into an OMNI station, like they have in TO and Van.

[Bobblehead]

I wonder why they didn't grab the A-Channel stations from the West?

And the London/Windsor/Wingham stations may as well be considered 1 station - everything is out of London(CFPL).

[Deelow]

Rogers has desperately been trying to expand the TV side but cannot get the CRTC to grant any licences. The solution? Buy their way in!!!

[Deelow]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

I wonder why they didn't grab the A-Channel stations from the West?

And the London/Windsor/Wingham stations may as well be considered 1 station - everything is out of London(CFPL).

I think Victoria is the only reamining Western A-Channel. CHUM had re-organized the A-CHannel brand to be for secondary markets only.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Deelow

Rogers has desperately been trying to expand the TV side but cannot get the CRTC to grant any licences. The solution? Buy their way in!!!

I don't have a problem with that. It seems silly for CTV to have 2 affiliates in many places, even if they do brand them and run them (somewhat) differently.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Deelow

I think Victoria is the only reamining Western A-Channel. CHUM had re-organized the A-CHannel brand to be for secondary markets only.

Calgary and Edmonton also still have A-Channels. That is silly because there are also CTV stations there, so it is duplication. I thought it may be because of Rogers' eastern base, but they have lots of radio stations in the west, so I'm not sure wht TV would be different (they do have RSN). Unless it would have been too much to attempt to take on at one fell swoop.

[Prototype]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Calgary and Edmonton also still have A-Channels.

When CHUM bought them, they turned most of their eastern "City TV" channels into "A-Channel", and vise versa for the western channels. There is currently no "A-Cannel" in Calgary.

[ken0042]

Just to clarify- CityTV Vancouver and Toronto remained CityTV.
Existing A Channels became CityTVs
What are now A-Channels used to be "The New XX." For example The New VI is now A-Channel Victoria.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Prottotype

When CHUM bought them, they turned most of their eastern "City TV" channels into "A-Channel", and vise versa for the western channels. There is currently no "A-Cannel" in Calgary.

Oh right. Oops.

I just still consider them relatively independant, and A-Channel has always been very similar to CityTV. They seem to both play the same syndicated shows and have similar independant "feel".

[Deelow]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Oh right. Oops.

I just still consider them relatively independant, and A-Channel has always been very similar to CityTV. They seem to both play the same syndicated shows and have similar independant "feel".

Right. The difference is the value of a station in Calgary or Edmonton would be wuite a bit more than one in Kitchener. It looks like Bell Globe is giving away its garbage and Rogers is taking it just to get a foot in the door.

[Bobblehead]

Since I was initially from London, I've followed CFPL from CBC affiliate -> independant -> Baton Broadcasting -> NewPL (which is what it was when I moved to Calgary) -> A-Channel -> whatever it will be called now.

[Burninator]

So for someone who isn't as familar with the channels and broadcasters of the nation what does this mean for television viewers in Calgary?

[Deelow]

Originally Posted by Burninator

So for someone who isn't as familar with the channels and broadcasters of the nation what does this mean for television viewers in Calgary?

Nothing. Unless you watch Access. Who knows what they'll do to that.

[Julio]

Originally Posted by Burninator

So for someone who isn't as familar with the channels and broadcasters of the nation what does this mean for television viewers in Calgary?

Depending on what limitations Rogers has on changes because of any agreements signed when the Alberta gov't sold off Access, it could end up an an 'Omni' station, which has a mix of ethnic programming (think channel 70 with better production values) and old reruns...here is an Omni programming lineup:

http://www.omnibc.ca/tv/

[Ford Prefect]

Boy, I'm sure glad CKUA radio got out from under the Access umbrella long before this went down.

[Deelow]

Originally Posted by Julio

Depending on what limitations Rogers has on changes because of any agreements signed when the Alberta gov't sold off Access, it could end up an an 'Omni' station, which has a mix of ethnic programming (think channel 70 with better production values) and old reruns...here is an Omni programming lineup:

http://www.omnibc.ca/tv/

Ya.
That's probably what we can count on.

[Hack&Lube]

Just what the heck is Access TV supposed to be anyway? Educational? It hasn't been educational since the 80s with that cool logo (looks like the Ambulance logo) and Harriet's Hats.

Last time I checked in with access, they were playing box office movies and Conan O'Brien. What, does Athabasca University have a Late Night Talk-Show course now?