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CHAN-DT

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CHAN-TV (otherwise known as Global BC, and until recently known as BCTV) is the Global Television Network's owned-and-operated station in Vancouver, British Columbia. Its studios are in the nearby city of Burnaby. It broadcasts on OTA (Over the Air) channel 8. The signal is broadcast on cable channel 11 in the Vancouver area.

History

CHAN began broadcasting on October 30, 1960 as an independent station, joining CTV upon the new network's launch on October 1, 1961. Temporary studios were housed in downtown Vancouver, at 500 Davie Street, until the studios at 7850 Enterprise Street, in Burnaby were completed. Soon after launch, the station began installing many relay transmitters, and, according to the station, can reach 97 per cent of British Columbia. Via OTA channel 8, CHAN also reaches an American audience in neighbouring Whatcom County, Washington.

In 1963, local entrepreneur Frank Griffiths purchased the station, along with nearby CBC affiliate station CHEK-TV, based in Victoria on Vancouver Island.

In 1975, CHAN took on the on-air name BCTV, which it used until 2001, when it became Global BC ("BCTV" was retained for its local news programs up until February 2006). Also in 1975, the current newsroom was constructed. In 1982, the station became part of Selkirk subsidiary Western Broadcasting Inc., and in 1989, was acquired by WIC subsidiary Westcom TV Group.

Hostility with CTV

Although CHAN was one of the backbones of the CTV network for many years, its management was very unfriendly toward the network. Management believed that the network's flagship station, CFTO in Toronto, was given undue favoritism in the production of CTV's Canadian programming in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In the 1990s, CHAN's goal became a new, early-evening national newscast from its studios, and in fact CTV produced several newscast pilots that suggested the network was seriously considering such a move. However, that newscast never materialized; instead, CHAN began producing Canada Tonight, which aired on most WIC-owned stations beginning in the mid-nineties.

Nonetheless, until 1997, CHAN bought the B.C. rights to several popular series from CFTO's parent company, Baton Broadcasting. However, tensions were exacerbated that year when Baton both won a licence for a new station in Vancouver, CIVT. After Baton bought majority control of CTV, it became an open secret that CIVT would become the new CTV affiliate for Vancouver. CHAN had signed a long-term contract several years prior that would not expire until 2001. However, outside of the 40 hours of programming per week that this allowed for, and CHAN's own local news, the station had to rely on lower-profile programming supplied by parent company WIC.

The affiliation shakeup of 2001

In 2000, WIC's stations were purchased by CanWest Global, and as a result, CHAN would become the British Columbia affiliate of the Global Television Network. When BCTV's affiliation with CTV expired on September 1, 2001, a major shakeup in British Columbia television occurred:

  • The CTV affiliation, jointly held by CHAN and sister station CHEK, moved to CTV-owned independent station CIVT, which briefly became known as "BC CTV" (later simply "CTV").
  • The Global affiliation, held by CKVU, a former CanWest station that was in the process of being sold to CHUM Limited, moved to CHAN, which became "Global BC".
  • Most of BCTV's former WIC programming, now part of CanWest's CH system, moved to CHEK (where other WIC programs already aired). The station was rebranded "CH Vancouver Island".
  • Finally, CKVU adopted the "ckvu13" brand and became an independent station carrying CHUM programming, some of which had aired on KVOS the previous season. The station became Citytv Vancouver several months later, after the sale to CHUM was approved.
  • A CHUM-owned NewNet station in Victoria, CIVI, also launched around this time, as did religious station CHNU.

Previous logos

As CHAN-TV

As BCTV

News

CHAN's news operation is well respected in the industry. Ever since the station decided to produce a one hour news bulletin in the late 1960s, a major part of the station's cash flow has gone into its news programming, and has garnered high ratings and major awards since then. The station's on-air news style was even used as an inspiration for Ted Turner's CNN, as both use the newsroom as a backdrop during the broadcast.

In addition to its various local newscasts, CHAN also produced Canada Tonight, an early-evening newscast focusing on national news. Two versions were produced: one for BC itself, hosted by CKNW radio commentator Bill Good (now at CIVT, CTV's current Vancouver O&O station) and a national version, hosted by Tony Parsons, who also presented (and continues to anchor) CHAN's nightly news program, the News Hour. When CanWest Global purchased CHAN, the stories that were once sourced from CTV's other affiliates throughout the country, were replaced by stories sourced from Global's affiliates.

From 2001, when the station became Global BC, the news organization underwent a minor name change - BCTV News on Global. CHAN opted to keep the BCTV name for their newscast, as it was still a widely-recognised name in BC; also, to keep CIVT from using the name itself, as it contained the letters "CTV". In addition, CHAN became home to Global's national news centre and a new national newscast, Global National, anchored by former ABC reporter and presenter, Kevin Newman. The program goes live from tape from Vancouver at 5:30 PM (Pacific Time Zone), and is followed by the News Hour at 6:00 PM with Tony Parsons. Tara Nelson anchors the weekend edition of Global National, and is also the primary substitute anchor for the weekday editions.

CHAN's other news programs include:

Squire Barnes anchors the sports on the Noon News Hour and the News Hour. Wayne Cox is the evening weather anchor.

The BCTV brand was finally dropped when Global launched its new look on February 6, 2006. "Global BC" is now CHAN's local news brand, and BCTV's news program names were expanded to other Global stations (which all went by the name Global News).

Reporters

(2006 Current)

  • Marisa Taylor-Thomas
  • Mike Chisholm
  • Anne Drewa
  • Ron Zimmerman
  • Rumina Daya
  • Michelle Miller
  • Catherine Urquhart
  • Harvey Oberfeld
  • Ted Chernecki
  • Linda Aylesworth
  • John L. Daly
  • Brian Coxford
  • Catherine Pope

Programming

For the most part, CHAN-TV airs a typical Global network schedule, but with a few differences:

  • Programs that are pushed from the CHAN schedule for its news programs, such as Days of Our Lives, and Sports Page (until its cancellation in September 2005), are shown on CHEK.
  • CHAN owns the British Columbia rights to The Oprah Winfrey Show, dating back to its days as a CTV affiliate. In every other market that CTV owns a station, CTV owns the local rights to Oprah.
  • CHAN normally airs Saturday Night Live reruns (that were originally aired from 1975 to 1980) during its late night programming hours on weekdays, as does CIII.

Previously aired US programs

Transmitters

Main article: [[:List of transmitters of CHAN-TV]]

CHAN operates the single largest private transmitter network in North America, with roughly one hundred transmitters (some of which are community-owned) serving 97 percent of British Columbia.

Videotape Format

CHAN-TV uses Betacam SP analogue videotape for all of its local advertisments and non-live parts of their newscasts. MPEG-2 transmission is used in nearly all non-local broadcasts.

Station Management

  • General Manager: Roy Gardner
  • Senior Vice President of News: Steve Wyatt
  • Vice President of News: Tony Parsons
  • News Director: Ian Haysom

Slogans

  • 1960: CHAN-O-RAMA (Used in Newscasts)
  • 1986: First Of All BCTV
  • 1994: TV for BC
  • 1994: Your Choice BCTV
  • 1994: Coverage. We Go All The Way
  • 2001: Global's Got It!
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