CKEM-DT

CKEM-DT

City of license	Edmonton, Alberta
Branding	Citytv Edmonton
Slogan	Everywhere!
Channels	Digital: 17 (UHF) Virtual: 51.1 (PSIP)
Translators	4 CKEM-TV-1 Red Deer
Affiliations	Citytv
Owner	Rogers Media (Rogers Broadcasting, Ltd.)
First air date	September 18, 1997
Call letters' meaning	EdMonton
Sister station(s)	CJEO-TV
Former callsigns	CKEM-TV (1997-2011)
Former channel number(s)	51 (Analog, UHF, 1997-2011)
Former affiliations	A-Channel (1997-2005)
Transmitter power	CKEM-DT: 107 kW CKEM-TV-1: 7 kW
Height	CKEM-DT: 294 m CKEM-TV-1: 229.7 m
Transmitter coordinates	CKEM-DT: 53°31′54.7″N 113°46′52.2″W / 53.531861°N 113.781167°W / 53.531861; -113.781167 (CKEM-DT) CKEM-TV-1: 52°14′10″N 113°38′56″W / 52.23611°N 113.64889°W / 52.23611; -113.64889 (CKEM-TV-1)Coordinates: 53°32′28.3″N 113°29′45.6″W / 53.541194°N 113.496°W / 53.541194; -113.496 (Citytv Edmonton)
Website	Citytv Edmonton

CKEM-DT is a television station based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Owned and operated by Rogers Media, it is part of the Citytv system and was formerly the flagship station of Craig Media's A-Channel system between 1997-2005.

A transmitter in Red Deer rebroadcasts the station on channel 4.

History

Logo used as A-Channel, used from 1997-2005.

The station was established by Craig Media Inc., and went on the air for the first time on September 18, 1997 as A-Channel. It promoted itself as a very locally-oriented station, with the slogan "Very independent, very Edmonton!"

In 1999, a letter bomb exploded in the A-Channel Newsroom, injuring the assignment editor and one of the general assignment reporters. A-Channel Edmonton simulcasted the Calgary editions of Live@Five and News@Six while police investigated the bombing. Local Edmonton newscasts resumed later on in the evening. Raymond Neal Best was charged with attempted murder and possession of explosive substances, in connection with the A-Channel letter bomb, and the attempted letter bombings aimed at both Calgary and Edmonton police chiefs.

On September 17, 2003, several employees who were members of the Canadian Energy and Paperworkers Local 1900 went on strike over worry of jobs being lost, wages, and jobs being moved to Calgary (including Master Control operations). The strike lasted 166 days.

CKEM's master control moved in late 2003 to CKAL in Calgary.

In 2004, Craig Media announced a deal to sell the A-Channel stations to CHUM Limited. The sale was approved by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission on November 19, 2004, and became official on December 1. On February 3, 2005, CHUM announced that the A-Channel stations would be relaunched as Citytv by that fall; the changes took effect on August 2.

CTVglobemedia takes over CHUM Limited

On July 12, 2006, the station's local newscasts (with the exception of CityNews at Noon) were immediately cancelled after years of ratings struggle in the Edmonton market. Coincidentally, on that same day, Bell Globemedia (now known as CTVglobemedia) announced plans to take over CHUM Limited, previous parent company of Citytv Edmonton. The local newscasts were replaced by a half-hour news magazine program called Your City at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., along with a national and international newscast called CityNews International (produced in the Citytv's CityNews studios in Toronto, Ontario).

On June 8, 2007, the CRTC announced its approval of CTVglobemedia's purchase of CHUM Limited, but added a condition that CTVglobemedia must sell off CHUM's Citytv stations (including CKEM) to another buyer while keeping the A-Channel stations since they already have CFRN-TV in the same market.^[1] The following Monday, it was announced that Rogers Communications would buy the stations of the Citytv system. The sale was approved by the CRTC on September 28, 2007. The sale was finalized on October 31, 2007.

Layoffs and restructuring at CKEM-TV

On January 19, 2010, CityNews at Noon, Your City along with a national and international newscast called CityNews International were cancelled as part of the Citytv layoffs.^[2]

Current CKEM-TV hosts

• Ryan Jespersen, co-host, Breakfast Television
• Bridget Ryan, co-host, Breakfast Television
• Stacey Brotzel, news anchor, Breakfast Television
• Michele McDougall, co-host, weather specialist, Breakfast Television
• Carla Turner, co-host, traffic reporter, Breakfast Television

Reporters

• Alice Wu, VJ, Breakfast Television
• Nisha Patel, reporter, Breakfast Television
• Courtney Theriault, reporter, Breakfast Television
• Amanda Anderson, VJ, "Breakfast Television"
• Kathy Mueller, VJ, "Breakfast Television"
• Sarah Offin, VJ, Red Deer Bureau, "Breakfast Television"
• Scott Malo, VJ, Red Deer Bureau, "Breakfast Television"

Digital television and high definition

As of May 26, 2010, CKEM-DT began testing and only broadcasted a test loop. On June 29, the station began broadcasting regular programming.^[3] The HD channel is broadcasting on 17.1.

After the analog television shutdown and digital conversion, which takes place on August 31, 2011,^[4] CKEM-TV is required to begin digital broadcasts on its current assigned channel number, 51, however should the station sign-on before the analog shut off date, the station will broadcast on channel 17.^[5] However, through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers will display CKEM-TV's virtual channel as 51.1.

References

1. ^ "CRTC tells CTVglobemedia to sell 5 Citytv stations". cbc.ca via Yahoo! Canada News. 2007-06-08. http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/08062007/3/canada-crtc-tells-ctvglobemedia-sell-5-citytv-stations.html. Retrieved 2007-06-08. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ Citytv Restructures Television Operations To Improve Business and Better Serve Audiences Rogers Media press release via CNW Group, published January 19, 2010.
3. ^ http://digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=108468&page=16
4. ^ http://www.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/oca-bc.nsf/en/ca02336e.html
5. ^ http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2010/2010-234.htm

External links

• Citytv Edmonton
• Canadian Communications Foundation - CKEM-TV History
• Query the REC's Canadian station database for CKEM-TV
• Query TV Fool's coverage map for CKEM