CICI-TV

CICI-TV is a Canadian television station based in Sudbury, Ontario. It operates as part of the CTV Television Network and serves as the flagship station of the CTV Northern Ontario regional system. The station produces the system's local programming, including regional news and community-focused content, while some individual markets receive local inserts within broader Northern Ontario newscasts. Its studios are located on Frood Road near Lasalle Boulevard in Sudbury, while its main transmitter is situated near Huron Street. The station began broadcasting on October 25, 1953, under the call sign CKSO-TV. It was launched by Sudbury businessmen George Miller, Jim Cooper and Bill Plaunt, making it the first privately owned television station to begin operation in Canada and the country's fourth television station overall. In its early years, the station was affiliated with CBC Television and initially relied on kinescope-delivered programming. A microwave relay connection to Toronto, introduced in 1956, improved access to network programming. CKSO-TV began with a restricted evening schedule but expanded its broadcast day during its first year. The station was initially associated with the Sudbury Star and CKSO radio. After the newspaper was sold to Thomson Newspapers in 1955, local owners retained the radio and television operations through CKSO Ltd., later renamed Cambrian Broadcasting. During the early 1970s, the structure of television service in Northern Ontario was reorganized. Regulatory proceedings sought to create a coordinated arrangement covering Sudbury, North Bay and Timmins rather than allowing separate applications to undermine the viability of existing stations in the smaller communities. As part of the resulting plan, CKSO-TV ended its CBC affiliation and joined CTV in 1971, while a new CBC station, CKNC-TV, began serving Sudbury. Competition in the small and geographically dispersed markets placed substantial financial pressure on the broadcasters. In 1980, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission approved a merger that created the MCTV twinstick. The television station adopted the CICI-TV call sign after its radio counterpart was separated from the television operation, and the Timmins repeater was converted into the standalone station CITO-TV. Baton Broadcasting acquired the stations in 1990 and obtained full control of CTV in 1997, making CICI-TV a wholly owned and operated CTV station. Bell Media became its owner following Bell Canada's acquisition of full control of CTVglobemedia. CICI-TV has historically operated rebroadcast transmitters, including CICI-TV-1 in Elliot Lake and CKNY-TV-11 in Huntsville. The transmitters faced the broader economic and regulatory pressures affecting over-the-air television in Canada, including declining terrestrial viewership and the costs of maintaining analog facilities. Bell Media sought authorization to delete CICI-TV-1 in its 2016 licence-renewal applications. The company later received permission to close CKNY-TV-11 under a 2019 CRTC decision, and that transmitter ceased operation by October 9, 2020. In addition to news and regular regional programming, the station airs the locally produced CTV Lions Children's Christmas Telethon each December. The station has also been associated with a number of Canadian broadcasting professionals, including weather reporter Judy Jacobson, journalists Francis D'Souza, Sarika Sehgal and Susan Hay, sportscasters Cummy Burton and Frank Salive, and news anchor Brendan Connor. CICI-TV remains an active regional broadcaster whose principal role is to provide CTV programming and locally produced news and community content for Sudbury and Northern Ontario.

CICI-TV originated as CKSO-TV in Sudbury on October 25, 1953. It was established by George Miller, Jim Cooper and Bill Plaunt and became the first privately owned television station to launch in Canada. At the time, it was only the country's fourth television station, following CBC-owned operations in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. The station initially operated with a short evening schedule and was affiliated with CBC Television. Because network distribution infrastructure was limited, early programming was delivered by kinescope. A microwave relay connection to Toronto in 1956 subsequently enabled more reliable access to network programming. The station was connected to the Sudbury Star and CKSO radio operation. Although Thomson Newspapers acquired the newspaper in 1955, the former local owners retained the broadcasting assets under CKSO Ltd. The corporate name later became Cambrian Broadcasting. CKSO-TV remained Sudbury's only television station until CKNC-TV, a new CBC affiliate, launched in 1971. The transition to CTV was part of a larger regulatory effort to organize television service across Northern Ontario. In 1970, several companies and the CBC submitted competing proposals for new Sudbury facilities or rebroadcasters. The CRTC concluded that the proposals, if implemented separately, could damage the viability of existing CBC affiliates in Timmins and North Bay and could prevent an economically sustainable regional arrangement. It therefore directed the incumbent broadcasters to develop a coordinated plan. Under the revised arrangement, CKSO-TV switched from CBC to CTV in 1971, while CKNC-TV assumed the CBC role in Sudbury and related arrangements extended service across the regional market. The economics of operating several stations in relatively small and widely dispersed communities proved difficult. By around 1980, the relevant companies were experiencing serious financial pressure. The CRTC approved a full merger into the MCTV twinstick. Cambrian Broadcasting separated its radio operation from the television business, and the television station changed its call sign from CKSO-TV to CICI-TV. The Timmins rebroadcaster was converted into the independent station CITO-TV. In 1981, a provincial court case concerning alleged failure to meet Canadian-content requirements during the 1979–80 season temporarily challenged the legal basis of the applicable rules. The court's reasoning relied on the relationship between the federal Broadcast Act, the earlier Radio Act and the timing of the regulations. The decision was later overturned on appeal, leaving the regulatory requirements in force. Baton Broadcasting acquired the stations in 1990. When Baton gained full control of CTV in 1997, CICI-TV became a CTV owned-and-operated station. Ownership later moved through CTVglobemedia to Bell Canada, with Bell Media becoming the station's corporate owner. CICI-TV now functions as the flagship of CTV Northern Ontario, producing the regional system's local programming except for certain market-specific news inserts. The station has operated or been associated with rebroadcast facilities in Elliot Lake and Huntsville. Analog transmitters faced declining audiences, limited incremental revenue and rising maintenance costs as cable, satellite and other distribution systems became more prevalent. Bell Media requested deletion of CICI-TV-1 from the licence in 2016. The CRTC approved the closure of CKNY-TV-11 in Huntsville in 2019, and that transmitter was shut down by October 9, 2020. CICI-TV continues to broadcast from Sudbury and maintains a community presence through local news and recurring programming such as the CTV Lions Children's Christmas Telethon.

• 2020

  CKNY-TV-11 shuts down

  [1]CICI-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The Huntsville rebroadcaster ceases operation.

• 2019

  Huntsville transmitter closure approved

  [2]Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2019-268crtc.gc.ca

  The CRTC authorizes Bell Media to close CKNY-TV-11.

• 1997

  Becomes a CTV owned-and-operated station

  [1]CICI-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Baton's acquisition of full control of CTV changes CICI-TV's status within the network.

• 1990

  Baton Broadcasting acquisition

  [1]CICI-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Baton acquires the station group.

• 1980

  MCTV merger and call-sign change

  [1]CICI-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station enters the MCTV twinstick structure and becomes CICI-TV.

• 1971

  Affiliation changes from CBC to CTV

  [1]CICI-TVen.wikipedia.org

  CKSO-TV joins CTV as part of a coordinated Northern Ontario broadcasting plan.

• 1956

  Microwave relay connection reaches the station

  [1]CICI-TVen.wikipedia.org

  A microwave link to Toronto improves the station's access to network programming.

• 1953

  CKSO-TV launches in Sudbury

  [1]CICI-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station begins broadcasting as Canada's first privately owned television station.

A regional commercial television broadcaster and CTV network flagship serving Sudbury and Northern Ontario through locally produced news, community programming and network programming.

• Television news

  CTV Northern Ontario local news

  CICI-TV produces the principal local and regional news programming for the CTV Northern Ontario system. The service is centered on Sudbury and may include market-specific inserts for other communities. Its role combines local reporting, weather, sports and community coverage with the wider CTV regional presentation.

• Community programming

  CTV Lions Children's Christmas Telethon

  An annual locally produced December telethon associated with CICI-TV and the CTV Lions partnership. The program provides a recurring community-service and fundraising format distinct from the station's daily news output.

• Network television · 1971

  CTV network programming

  As a CTV owned-and-operated station, CICI-TV carries programming supplied by the national CTV network alongside its locally produced output. The station's local schedule is integrated with national entertainment, news and public-affairs programming.

• CTV Lions Children's Christmas Telethon

  Sudbury · Northern Ontario

  CICI-TV airs this locally produced Christmas telethon each December as a recurring community-oriented broadcast.

  Source

• 2019

  Closure of the Huntsville transmitterStrategy

  Background

  Bell Media sought to discontinue an analog rebroadcaster that provided no distinct programming and faced the economic pressures affecting terrestrial transmission.

  Action taken

  The CRTC granted permission to close CKNY-TV-11 in Huntsville.

  Aftermath

  The transmitter shut down by October 9, 2020.

  Source

• 2016

  Application to delete an analog rebroadcasterStrategy

  Background

  Bell Media cited limited incremental revenue, low over-the-air viewership and the expense of maintaining analog transmitters.

  Action taken

  Bell Media applied to remove CICI-TV-1 in Elliot Lake from the station's licence.

  Aftermath

  The application formed part of a broader rationalization of CTV analog rebroadcast facilities.

  Source

• 1980

  Participation in the MCTV mergerM&A

  Background

  Financial pressure made independent operation of the Northern Ontario stations difficult.

  Action taken

  The CRTC approved a full merger into the MCTV twinstick, and the television station adopted the CICI-TV call sign.

  Aftermath

  The merger reshaped ownership and regional operations and separated the television station from the CKSO radio business.

  Source

• 1971

  Switch from CBC affiliation to CTVStrategy

  Background

  The CRTC sought a coordinated solution for television service in Sudbury, North Bay and Timmins that would preserve viable CBC service while allowing CTV to expand.

  Action taken

  CKSO-TV ended its CBC affiliation and joined CTV, while a new CBC affiliate launched in Sudbury.

  Aftermath

  The change established the station's long-term identity within the CTV Northern Ontario system.

  Source

1. 1CICI-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2019-268crtc.gc.ca