CHNU-DT

CHNU-DT is an independent television station serving southwestern British Columbia, including Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Victoria and nearby communities. Although its official call sign is CHNU-DT, the station has generally relied on consumer-facing brand names rather than its technical designation. It launched in 2001 as NOWTV, later passed through the Omni Television and CHNU 10 identities, and has operated as Joytv since 2008. The station originated with Trinity Television Inc., which received a Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission licence in July 2000. Trinity had sought the call letters CFVT, associated with Fraser Valley Television, but Industry Canada did not approve that designation. CHNU began broadcasting on September 15, 2001. Its initial model combined religious and faith-oriented programming with advertising and viewer donations. Trinity's charitable structure and the financial demands of operating CHNU, while also preparing a similarly formatted Winnipeg station, limited its ability to obtain outside capital. Those pressures led Trinity to put CHNU and CIIT-TV up for sale in 2004. Rogers Communications acquired the stations after regulatory approval and placed CHNU into the Rogers-owned Omni Television system in September 2005. This was an unusual extension of the Omni identity, which had primarily been associated with multicultural broadcasting. Rogers later became subject to a CRTC divestiture requirement after acquiring former CHUM television assets, because of restrictions on owning multiple stations broadcasting in the same language in a market. CHNU was sold to S-VOX, the owner of VisionTV, in a transaction approved in March 2008 and completed in April and May of that year. S-VOX rebranded the station as Joytv on September 1, 2008. ZoomerMedia acquired S-VOX's broadcasting assets in 2010. The broader Joytv system was discontinued in 2011, but the Joytv name remained in use for CHNU. Over time, the station's schedule shifted from a mixed format that included syndicated sitcoms, dramas and classic television programs toward a more consistently religious schedule. By 2017, general-entertainment syndicated programming had been removed in favor of a traditional religious format, with programming addressing Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh audiences among other faith communities. CHNU has also served as a platform for locally produced discussion and current-affairs programming. The Standard examined national and international issues from religious and spiritual perspectives and featured interviews with prominent public figures. The Daily was a talk program produced during the S-VOX period and also distributed nationally through VisionTV. These productions reflected the station's effort to combine faith-oriented programming with broader public-affairs content. The station broadcasts from facilities on 192 Street near Highway 10 in Surrey, while its main transmitter is located on Mount Seymour. It has also used transmitters serving the Fraser Valley and Victoria. CHNU converted to digital broadcasting in 2011, initially using UHF channel 47 while retaining its former analog channel 66 as its virtual channel identifier. A later spectrum-repacking plan assigned a future physical channel change. CHNU's present identity is therefore both a broadcast licence and a regional programming brand: Joytv provides faith-based, multicultural and community-oriented television to audiences in British Columbia.

CHNU-DT was licensed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission in July 2000 to Trinity Television Inc. The applicant initially proposed the call letters CFVT, intended to evoke Fraser Valley Television, but Industry Canada rejected that request. The station eventually received the CHNU callsign and began broadcasting on September 15, 2001. At launch, the station used the NOWTV brand and pursued a religious independent-station model supported by advertising and viewer donations. Its service area covered communities in and around the Fraser Valley, Greater Vancouver and southwestern British Columbia. Trinity also held the licence for CIIT-TV in Winnipeg, but the cost of operating CHNU and bringing CIIT to air placed pressure on the charitable broadcaster. Trinity stated that its charitable status made it difficult to attract capital from outside investors. In November 2004, it announced an agreement to sell CHNU and CIIT to Rogers Communications. The transaction gave Rogers a television presence in the Vancouver market, subject to regulatory review. Rogers also received approval for a Victoria rebroadcast transmitter. After taking ownership, Rogers announced that CHNU would join Omni Television, a system then primarily identified with multicultural stations. The conversion took place in September 2005. The station later used the name CHNU 10 during the 2007 transition surrounding Rogers' acquisition of the former CHUM television assets. The CRTC required Rogers to dispose of CHNU and CIIT because the enlarged Rogers portfolio raised restrictions concerning multiple same-language television stations in one market. Rogers announced in November 2007 that the stations would be sold to S-VOX, owner of VisionTV. The CRTC approved the transaction on March 31, 2008, and the sale closed on April 30, with S-VOX assuming operational control on May 26. S-VOX subsequently introduced the Joytv brand, and CHNU became Joytv 10 on September 1, 2008. During the S-VOX period, CHNU carried both faith-oriented content and general programming. Its schedule included syndicated sitcoms, dramas and older series, while also maintaining a multifaith emphasis. The station participated in local production through The Standard, a news and current-affairs program that approached national and international topics from religious and spiritual perspectives. The program premiered in 2005, was initially cancelled in 2008, and returned in 2009 in a weekly format hosted by Peter Klein. Another S-VOX-era production, The Daily, debuted in June 2008 as a talk show hosted by Mark Washington and Laura-Lynn Thompson. It was also distributed by VisionTV but ended in April 2009. S-VOX announced the sale of its broadcasting assets to ZoomerMedia in 2009. The CRTC approved the transaction on March 30, 2010, and ZoomerMedia assumed control on June 30. The larger Joytv system was closed in 2011, but CHNU retained the Joytv name. Its Winnipeg counterpart moved into a separate religious identity, while CHNU continued as a regional faith-based station. The station's format later became more explicitly religious. In the fall of 2017, it stopped carrying the earlier general-entertainment mix and adopted a schedule more closely aligned with a traditional religious station. Its programming has included substantial multicultural religious content associated with Christian, Islamic, Hindu and Sikh communities. Technically, CHNU transitioned to digital broadcasting on August 31, 2011. Its digital operation used UHF channel 47, while receivers continued to identify the station through virtual channel 66, corresponding to its former analog allocation. The station has used transmission facilities associated with Abbotsford, Mount Seymour and Victoria. A later spectrum-repacking plan identified UHF channel 24 as a future assignment. CHNU's studios remain in Surrey near 192 Street and Highway 10, and the station continues to serve southwestern British Columbia under the Joytv brand.

• 2017

  Format becomes primarily religious

  [1]CHNU-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station removed its general-entertainment syndicated schedule and concentrated more heavily on religious programming.

• 2011

  Digital transition completed

  [1]CHNU-DTen.wikipedia.org

  CHNU flash-cut to digital broadcasting on UHF channel 47 while retaining virtual channel 66.

• 2010

  ZoomerMedia becomes owner

  [1]CHNU-DTen.wikipedia.org

  ZoomerMedia assumed control of S-VOX's broadcasting assets, including CHNU.

• 2008

  S-VOX assumes control

  [1]CHNU-DTen.wikipedia.org

  After CRTC approval, S-VOX completed its acquisition of CHNU and introduced the Joytv identity later that year.

• 2005

  CHNU joins Omni Television

  [1]CHNU-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Rogers rebranded CHNU as the third station in its Omni Television system.

• 2004

  Trinity announces sale process

  [1]CHNU-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Financial pressure led Trinity Television to announce the planned sale of CHNU and Winnipeg station CIIT-TV to Rogers.

• 2001

  Station launches as NOWTV

  [1]CHNU-DTen.wikipedia.org

  CHNU began broadcasting on September 15 under the CHNU callsign and the consumer-facing NOWTV identity.

• 2000

  CHNU receives its broadcast licence

  [1]CHNU-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The CRTC licensed Trinity Television Inc. to operate a religious independent station serving the Fraser Valley and surrounding British Columbia communities.

A regional independent broadcaster centered on religious, multifaith and community-oriented television, with programming spanning Christian, Islamic, Hindu and Sikh perspectives.

• Television station brand · 2008

  Joytv

  The principal on-air identity of CHNU since 2008. Joytv presents the station as a regional destination for religious, multifaith and community-oriented television in southwestern British Columbia. The wider Joytv system was discontinued in 2011, but CHNU retained the name.

• News and current affairs program · 2005

  The Standard

  A locally produced program that examined Canadian and international issues through religious and spiritual perspectives. It premiered in 2005, featured interviews with public figures and specialists, was later cancelled, and returned in a weekly format in 2009. Peter Klein was its final host.

• Talk show · 2008

  The Daily

  A talk program introduced during the S-VOX ownership period. Hosted by Mark Washington and Laura-Lynn Thompson, it was produced from Vancouver facilities and also aired nationally on VisionTV. The program ended in 2009.

• 2017

  Return to a traditional religious formatStrategy

  Background

  CHNU had previously combined religious programming with syndicated general entertainment.

  Action taken

  The station dropped its general-entertainment syndicated schedule and increased its focus on religious programming.

  Aftermath

  CHNU's schedule became more closely aligned with its multifaith religious positioning.

  Source

• 2011

  Conversion from analog to digital broadcastingGeneration change

  Background

  Canadian television stations in designated mandatory markets were required to transition from analog transmission.

  Action taken

  CHNU began digital transmission on UHF channel 47 while preserving virtual channel 66 for viewers.

  Aftermath

  The station expanded its effective digital coverage compared with its earlier analog operation.

  Source

• 2010

  ZoomerMedia acquisition of broadcasting assetsM&A

  Background

  S-VOX decided to sell its broadcasting assets, including CHNU.

  Action taken

  ZoomerMedia acquired the assets after CRTC approval and assumed control on June 30, 2010.

  Aftermath

  The Joytv system was later closed, but CHNU continued using the Joytv name as a standalone regional station.

  Source

• 2008

  Sale from Rogers to S-VOXM&A

  Background

  Rogers was required to sell CHNU after its acquisition of former CHUM television assets created a same-language ownership issue under Canadian broadcasting rules.

  Action taken

  Rogers sold CHNU and CIIT-TV to S-VOX after CRTC approval.

  Aftermath

  S-VOX assumed control in May 2008 and rebranded CHNU as Joytv later that year.

  Source

• 2005

  Move into the Omni Television systemStrategy

  Background

  After Rogers acquired CHNU from Trinity Television, it sought to place the station within its developing Omni network.

  Action taken

  CHNU adopted the Omni Television identity in September 2005.

  Aftermath

  The Omni branding was later removed as Rogers prepared to transfer the Omni identity to another Vancouver station and divest CHNU.

  Source

1. 1CHNU-DTen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Joytv official websitejoytv.ca