CHMI-DT

CHMI-DT is a Canadian television station licensed to Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, but primarily serving the Winnipeg market. It operates as a Citytv station within Rogers Sports & Media, the broadcasting division of Rogers Communications. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 13 and maintains its main studios at 8 Forks Market Road near The Forks in downtown Winnipeg. Its transmitter is located near Bohn Road in Cartier, Manitoba. The station began broadcasting on October 17, 1986, under the name Manitoba Television Network, or MTN. It was established by Craig Media after an earlier application for a new Manitoba commercial station had been rejected by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission because of insufficiently specific programming commitments. A subsequent application proposed a stronger local-news operation, including bureaus in Winnipeg, Portage la Prairie, Brandon and Dauphin. The resulting station was licensed in May 1986 and launched later that year on VHF channel 13, the last clear VHF channel available in the region. Although licensed to Portage la Prairie, CHMI was designed to serve Manitoba broadly and developed a strong Winnipeg orientation. Its original licence restricted it from soliciting advertising from Winnipeg businesses, a condition intended to protect incumbent Winnipeg broadcasters. The station nevertheless built its identity around local programming, including Prairie Pulse News, later known as MTN Pulse News and MTN News, the MTN Kids Club and Prime Ticket Movies. Its early positioning emphasized independence and Manitoba-focused coverage, reflected in the slogan “Very independent, very Manitoba!” In 1999, Craig Media moved the station’s production facilities to the refurbished Canadian National Railway Power House at The Forks in Winnipeg and rebranded it as A-Channel. The station became part of a group of Craig-owned non-CBC affiliates that also included stations in Calgary and Edmonton. Its technical operations remained in Portage la Prairie. In 2000, an acquired transmitter formerly associated with IMTV in Dauphin began carrying the A-Channel service, extending the station’s reach into the Parkland region. CHUM Limited announced its acquisition of Craig Media in 2004 for a reported $265 million. After regulatory approval, the Winnipeg station was rebranded Citytv on August 2, 2005, joining CHUM’s established Citytv operations in Toronto and Vancouver. The change brought Citytv programming and presentation conventions to Winnipeg, including Breakfast Television and CityNews-branded local news. The rebranding did not immediately involve a complete overhaul of the station’s local programming. In 2006, CHUM substantially reduced its local news operations in Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton. The cuts eliminated the evening newscast in Winnipeg, while Breakfast Television and a noon newscast continued. CHUM was subsequently acquired by CTVglobemedia, but regulatory approval required the Citytv stations to be divested because CTV already owned competing stations. Rogers Communications agreed to acquire the Citytv group, and the transaction was completed in October 2007. CHMI was briefly associated with Winnipeg religious station CIIT-TV before that station was sold to S-VOX in 2008. The station used the shorter “City” identity in promotional material and on-screen graphics between 2012 and 2018, then returned to the Citytv name. Its local morning television program continued under the Breakfast Television brand until 2015, when it was replaced by a television simulcast of sister radio station CITI-FM’s Wheeler in the Morning. Local television news was expanded again in 2017, with hour-long broadcasts at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. CHMI currently operates as a local Citytv outlet, combining Winnipeg-area news, weather, traffic, community coverage, entertainment and network programming.

CHMI-DT traces its origins to efforts in the early 1980s to establish a new commercial television service for Manitoba. Western Manitoba Broadcasters Ltd., the owner of Brandon station CKX-TV, first presented a proposal in 1980 for a Portage la Prairie-based station with a transmitter near Elie. An initial licence application was rejected by the CRTC in 1981 because the proposed programming commitments were considered vague. The project was also shaped by regulatory disputes involving CKND-TV’s proposed expansion into western Manitoba. Western Manitoba Broadcasters returned to the CRTC in 1985 with a more developed plan. The proposed station would operate on VHF channel 13 and support a substantial local-news operation, with bureaus planned for Winnipeg, Portage la Prairie, Brandon and Dauphin. The CRTC approved the licence on May 8, 1986. The station adopted the call sign CHMI-TV and began broadcasting on October 17, 1986, as the Manitoba Television Network, or MTN. Its launch made it the first new commercial television station in Winnipeg since 1975. CHMI’s licence included a restriction against soliciting advertising from Winnipeg businesses. The condition was intended to limit the effect of the new station on established Winnipeg broadcasters, although the station served the Winnipeg area in practical terms. MTN developed locally produced news and entertainment programs, including Prairie Pulse News, MTN Kids Club and Prime Ticket Movies. Its early news identity was built around Manitoba coverage and an independent, younger presentation style. In 1999, Craig Media reorganized its non-CBC television assets under the A-Channel brand. CHMI’s production facilities moved from Portage la Prairie to the restored Canadian National Railway Power House at The Forks in downtown Winnipeg. The station became A-Channel Winnipeg, while its technical operations remained based in Portage la Prairie. A transmitter associated with the former IMTV service in Dauphin was incorporated into the A-Channel operation in 2000, extending coverage into the Parkland area. CHUM Limited announced its purchase of Craig Media on April 12, 2004. The CRTC approved the acquisition later that year. In 2005, CHUM converted its A-Channel stations in Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton to the Citytv brand. CHMI adopted Citytv on August 2, 2005, and local programming was presented through Citytv formats such as Breakfast Television and CityNews. The Citytv period initially included significant reductions in local programming. On June 13, 2006, CHUM announced cuts affecting news operations in several cities, including Winnipeg. The station’s evening newscast was cancelled, although a noon newscast and morning programming continued. The cuts coincided with the announcement that CTVglobemedia intended to acquire CHUM. Regulatory approval for the CTVglobemedia transaction required the Citytv stations to be sold because CTV already owned stations in overlapping markets. Rogers Communications agreed to acquire the five Citytv stations, and the transaction closed on October 31, 2007. CHMI was briefly paired with Winnipeg religious station CIIT-TV before CIIT was sold to S-VOX in 2008. From 2012 to 2018, the station often shortened its on-air identity to “City.” It subsequently returned to the Citytv name. The local version of Breakfast Television ended in 2015 and was replaced by a television simulcast of CITI-FM’s Wheeler in the Morning, with former television hosts continuing in contributor roles. Local evening news returned in 2017, when CHMI began airing hour-long broadcasts at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. The station also completed Canada’s mandatory-market analog-to-digital transition in 2011 by moving its digital transmission onto VHF channel 13. CHMI-DT remains a Rogers-owned Citytv station serving Winnipeg, Portage la Prairie and surrounding Manitoba communities.

• 2018

  Citytv identity restored

  [1]CHMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  After using the shorter “City” identity in station promotion, CHMI returned to the Citytv branding.

• 2017

  Evening local news returns

  [1]CHMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  CHMI reinstated hour-long local newscasts at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.

• 2015

  Local Breakfast Television ends

  [1]CHMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The locally produced morning television program was replaced by a simulcast of CITI-FM’s Wheeler in the Morning.

• 2011

  Digital transition completed

  [1]CHMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station flash-cut its digital signal onto VHF channel 13 as part of Canada’s analog-to-digital transition.

• 2007

  Rogers ownership begins

  [1]CHMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Rogers completed its acquisition of the Citytv stations, including CHMI.

• 2005

  Citytv branding introduced

  [1]CHMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  CHMI adopted the Citytv identity after CHUM acquired Craig Media.

• 2000

  Dauphin transmitter added

  [1]CHMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  A former IMTV transmitter began carrying the A-Channel service, expanding coverage into the Parkland region.

• 1999

  A-Channel rebrand and Winnipeg facility move

  [1]CHMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  CHMI joined Craig Media’s A-Channel group and moved production operations to The Forks in Winnipeg.

• 1986

  CHMI-TV launches as MTN

  [1]CHMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station received its licence in May and began broadcasting on October 17 as the Manitoba Television Network.

• 1985

  Revised application submitted

  [1]CHMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  A revised proposal promised a larger local news department and bureaus across Manitoba.

• 1981

  First licence application rejected

  [1]CHMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The CRTC rejected the initial application because its programming commitments were not sufficiently specific.

• 1980

  Initial proposal for a Portage la Prairie television station

  [1]CHMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Western Manitoba Broadcasters presented an early plan for a new commercial station intended to serve Manitoba, with a proposed transmitter near Elie.

A locally focused, urban-oriented television broadcaster serving Winnipeg and Manitoba through the Citytv network, with an emphasis on accessible news, community coverage, entertainment and live programming.

• Local television news · 2005

  CityNews Winnipeg

  CHMI’s local news service for Winnipeg and nearby Manitoba communities. Its current schedule includes hour-long evening broadcasts at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., covering local politics, public affairs, weather, traffic, community issues and regional events.

• Morning television · 2005

  Breakfast Television Winnipeg

  The station’s former locally produced morning television format. It continued under the Citytv identity after 2005 and was discontinued as a local television program in 2015.

• Local television news · 1986

  MTN News

  The MTN-era local news service, previously known as Prairie Pulse News and MTN Pulse News. It was central to the station’s original Manitoba-focused identity.

• Children’s television · 1986

  MTN Kids Club

  An original locally associated children’s programming property created during the station’s Manitoba Television Network period.

• Film programming · 1986

  Prime Ticket Movies

  A movie presentation format associated with MTN that continued into the station’s A-Channel period.

• 2017

  Reinstatement of evening local newsProduct launch

  Background

  After the earlier reduction of local news, the station expanded its Winnipeg-focused broadcast schedule.

  Action taken

  CHMI introduced hour-long local news broadcasts at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.

  Aftermath

  The broadcasts became part of the station’s continuing local-news service.

  Source

• 2015

  Replacement of local Breakfast TelevisionStrategy

  Background

  The station reassessed its locally produced morning television operation.

  Action taken

  Local Breakfast Television was replaced by a television simulcast of sister radio station CITI-FM’s Wheeler in the Morning.

  Aftermath

  Former Breakfast Television hosts continued to appear as contributors in television-exclusive news and entertainment segments.

  Source

• 2006

  Reduction of local evening newsStrategy

  Background

  CHUM announced broad operational reductions affecting local news production in several Canadian markets.

  Action taken

  CHMI’s evening newscast was cancelled, while morning and noon programming continued.

  Aftermath

  The station later restored evening local news broadcasts in 2017.

  Source

• 2005

  Rebrand from A-Channel to CitytvStrategy

  Background

  CHUM sought to align its Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg stations with the established Citytv network and improve their market identity.

  Action taken

  CHMI adopted the Citytv brand and presented local programming through Citytv-associated formats.

  Aftermath

  The station remained part of the Citytv group and later transferred to Rogers ownership.

  Source

1. 1CHMI-DTen.wikipedia.org
2. 2CHMI-TV at the History of Canadian Broadcastingbroadcasting-history.ca