CBC buys CJIC-TV transmitter

CBC has announced it's buying the transmission assets of CJIC-TV, Sault Ste. Marie, from CTV Television Inc.

The Sault station is one of six CBC affiliates in Northern Ontario and Saskatchewan whose transmitters are being bought by the public broadcaster.

The others are CKNC in Sudbury, CFCL in Timmins, CHNB in North Bay, CKBI in Prince Albert, CKOS in Yorkton.

The sale means the CBC's full schedule will now be available in the Sault, subject to approval from the Canada Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

Provenzano pleased

Sault MP Carmen Provenzano is viewing the news as a positive development. "Our city deserves complete CBC network programming and this development is certainly good news," Provenzano said in a written release.

Provenzano says the CBC has made it "abundantly clear" that it has no immediate plans to add a local newscast with its new transmission capability, but the MP believes the sale makes such a development more likely.

"Now we've got something more to work with, and we'll continue with our efforts to convince the CBC to add local news and local programming to its local TV transmissions," Provenzano said.

MCTV expecting few staff changes, if any

Employees at MCTV were told today that the transmitter sale to CBC will mean few, if any staff changes.

MCTV vice-president Scott Lund advised staffers that there will little effect on operations, because all program commitments were moved to the CTV transmitters some time ago.

Full text of CBC announcement *************************************************************************** CBC-TV FILES TO EXTEND FULL SERVICE IN NORTHERN ONTARIO AND SASKATCHEWAN

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) today announced that it will purchase transmission assets associated with six CBC affiliate stations currently owned and operated by CTV Television Inc., subject to usual closing conditions and CRTC approval.

The agreement covers CKBI in Prince Albert; CKOS in Yorkton; CFCL in Timmins; CHNB in North Bay; CKNC in Sudbury; and CJIC in Sault Ste. Marie.

At present, CTV operates its own stations in each of these communities, as well as broadcasting a modified CBC schedule on a second transmitter.

Upon closing of this transaction, the CBC will extend its full schedule on the second transmitter.

Also upon closing, CTV will surrender its licences for the CBC affiliated stations in these communities but will continue to broadcast its full program lineup, including original local programs, on its owned-and-operated CTV affiliates.

"We are very pleased that CBC and CTV have come to this agreement," said Fred Mattocks, CBC's Executive Director of Television Production & Resources.

"Subject to approval of the CRTC, we will extend access to CBC Television's full schedule of high-impact, nation-sharing programming to viewers in these communities. This will take us another step toward our goal, to extend CBC Television service to all parts of Canada and all Canadians."

Alain Gourd, Executive Vice-President, CTV Inc., said: "This agreement is a prime example of co-operation between the public broadcaster and CTV, benefiting Canadian television viewers in Northern Ontario and parts of Saskatchewan, who will continue to receive CIV original local programs on our owned-and-operated affiliates."

CBC viewers in the six communities will now enjoy the complete CBC Television Network lineup, including: CBC's four-hour commercial-free children's Get Set For Life block on weekday mornings; nation-sharing programs such as Life and Times, On the Road Again and Opening Night; innovative new programs such as CBC's high-school quiz show SmartAsk!; and the new Sunday morning news program CBC Sunday.

The schedule will also feature CBC's Canada Now weekdays at 6 p.m., featuring regional, national and international news.

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