CJON-DT

CJON-DT is an independent television station serving St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, under the NTV brand. Owned by Newfoundland Broadcasting Company Ltd., it is the province's first television station and remains its only privately owned television station. The station operates from studios on Logy Bay Road in St. John's, while its digital transmitter is located in the Shea Heights area. The station began broadcasting on September 6, 1955, after Newfoundland Broadcasting Company Ltd. received a licence for the first television service in Newfoundland. At launch, the company was jointly associated with broadcaster and publisher Geoff Stirling and politician and broadcaster Don Jamieson. CJON initially operated as a CBC Television affiliate. Its first facilities were in the Prince of Wales Building at Buckmaster's Circle, with a transmitter on Kenmount Road. The station's arrival preceded the later expansion of CBC-owned television services in the province. When CBC launched CBNT in St. John's in 1964, CJON became affiliated with CTV. During the 1970s it was sometimes identified on air as NBC, an abbreviation of Newfoundland Broadcasting Company. Because that name could be confused with the American National Broadcasting Company, the station adopted the NTV identity in 1978. The NTV name has remained the principal public-facing brand, while CJON-DT is the station's technical call sign. For much of its first several decades, NTV's schedule was built around CTV programming supplemented by acquired programming from other Canadian distributors. In the 1990s, changes to CTV's schedule and affiliation arrangements led NTV to assemble programming from several suppliers, including CanWest Global, Baton Broadcasting, and WIC. The station was notable for unusually long evening schedules and for overnight broadcasting, practices that helped distinguish it from many other Canadian local stations. A major strategic change occurred in 2002, when NTV ended its full CTV affiliation after disputes over the financial terms for the basic CTV schedule, additional programming costs, and national advertising arrangements. It retained access to selected CTV news programming under a news-content relationship and acquired entertainment programming on a title-by-title or supplier basis. Global became an important source of entertainment programming, while NTV increased its emphasis on local news, locally produced material, archive programming, and distinctive overnight blocks. Local news is central to the station's current identity. NTV produces weekday and Sunday newscasts, including NTV Newsday and the NTV Evening Newshour, and makes its local news available through its website. The station has also carried its newscasts outside Newfoundland, including through distribution arrangements with a station in the Tampa, Florida area. Its non-news schedule has included syndicated and acquired entertainment programs, Canadian programming, reruns from its archive, and unusual specialty blocks such as Captain Atlantis Late Night and Scenes of Newfoundland. CJON-DT completed its transition from analog broadcasting to digital high-definition transmission in 2011. The station's digital signal uses UHF channel 21 as both its physical and virtual channel, replacing its former analog channel 6 identity. NTV subsequently discontinued the remaining network of analog retransmitters, citing aging equipment and the cost of maintaining geographically dispersed facilities. Cable and satellite distribution therefore became increasingly important for viewers outside the St. John's area. The NTV operation has also expanded its digital presence. It streams local newscasts without geographic restrictions through ntv.ca, and in 2022 introduced the NTV+ application, which carries NTV and selected programming from sister radio station CHOZ-FM. The station's positioning combines local news and Newfoundland-focused programming with acquired national and international entertainment, giving it a distinctive role in the province's media landscape.

CJON-DT's history begins with Newfoundland Broadcasting Company Ltd.'s successful application for a television licence in 1955. The company, associated with Geoff Stirling and Don Jamieson, launched the station on September 6 of that year as Newfoundland's first television broadcaster. Its original studios were in the Prince of Wales Building at Buckmaster's Circle, and its initial transmitter was installed on Kenmount Road. The station began as a CBC affiliate at a time when television services in Newfoundland were still developing. The competitive and regulatory environment changed after Newfoundland's first private station went on air. CBC-owned CBYT began serving Corner Brook in 1959, and CBC launched CBNT in St. John's in 1964. Following the arrival of CBNT, CJON affiliated with CTV. For much of the next four decades, CTV programming provided the core of the schedule, although NTV also acquired programs from other distributors. The company later became associated with radio operations, including CJON radio, and its broadcasting interests expanded beyond television. During the 1970s, the television station was often referred to as NBC, reflecting the initials of Newfoundland Broadcasting Company. The label became problematic when an American NBC affiliate became available on Canadian cable systems. To reduce confusion, the station adopted NTV, short for Newfoundland Television, in 1978. In 1977, Stirling and Jamieson ended their partnership, with Jamieson taking the AM radio assets and Stirling retaining the television station and the newly launched CHOZ-FM. In 1983, CJON television and CHOZ-FM moved into a new facility on Logy Bay Road, supported by a new transmitter on the South Side Hills. NTV's programming strategy became increasingly distinctive in the late twentieth century. Until the early 1990s, CTV supplied most of the schedule. When CTV reduced the amount of programming available to affiliates, NTV assembled a broader mix from CanWest Global, Baton Broadcasting, WIC, and other sources. Its schedule frequently devoted more time to prime-time programming than the conventional North American pattern, and the station became known for extensive evening and overnight broadcasting. It also maintained local and archival material, although non-news local production declined compared with the station's early years. The most consequential programming decision came in 2002. CTV sought payment for the base schedule that had previously been supplied under the affiliation relationship and raised the cost of additional programs. Newfoundland Broadcasting Company Ltd. also objected to continuing national advertising arrangements on CTV programs. NTV rejected the revised terms and ended its full affiliation at the close of the 2001–02 season. It retained selected CTV news programs, including CTV National News and Canada AM, in exchange for continuing to provide Newfoundland and Labrador coverage for CTV and CTV News Channel. Entertainment programming was obtained selectively, while Global became the principal program supplier for much of the post-2002 schedule. After disaffiliation, NTV sought to strengthen its local identity. It added or promoted programming from independent local producers, repeated archive productions such as A Little Good News and NTV.ca, and carried programs including Canada in View and Captain Atlantis Late Night. Its overnight schedule developed a mixture of reality-program reruns and Scenes of Newfoundland, which pairs provincial imagery with music by local artists. The station continued producing a substantial local news service, centered on the NTV Evening Newshour and weekday NTV Newsday. The technical footprint changed substantially in the 2010s. NTV announced a digital high-definition transition in 2011, shut down its analog St. John's transmitter in July, and began digital transmission on UHF channel 21 in August. The station then retired transmitters in several Newfoundland communities. Some closures were attributed to aging towers, transmitter failures, and maintenance costs; by July 2013, the remaining over-the-air retransmitters outside the St. John's area had been discontinued. Cable and satellite distribution remained widespread across the province. In the digital era, NTV has used its website to stream local newscasts and to provide a broader access point for its news operation. In 2022, it launched NTV+, an application carrying NTV material alongside programming from CHOZ-FM. CJON-DT therefore continues as an active independent broadcaster whose identity rests on local news, Newfoundland-focused programming, and a flexible acquired-content strategy rather than membership in a major Canadian television network.

• 2022

  NTV+ launches

  [1]CJON-DTen.wikipedia.org

  NTV introduces an application carrying NTV programming and content from CHOZ-FM.

• 2013

  Remaining analog retransmitters discontinued

  [1]CJON-DTen.wikipedia.org

  NTV ends its remaining over-the-air retransmitter service outside the St. John's area after years of closures and maintenance challenges.

• 2011

  Digital high-definition transmission begins

  [1]CJON-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station shuts down its St. John's analog service and begins digital HD transmission on UHF channel 21.

• 2002

  Full CTV affiliation ends

  [1]CJON-DTen.wikipedia.org

  NTV leaves the CTV affiliation arrangement after a dispute over programming fees and advertising terms, retaining selected news access.

• 1983

  Operations move to Logy Bay Road

  [1]CJON-DTen.wikipedia.org

  CJON and CHOZ-FM relocate to their present Logy Bay Road facility, with a new transmitter on the South Side Hills.

• 1978

  NTV brand adopted

  [1]CJON-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station moves away from the NBC identity to avoid confusion with an American NBC affiliate available by cable.

• 1977

  Stirling and Jamieson partnership ends

  [1]CJON-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The partners divide their broadcasting interests; Stirling retains the television station and CHOZ-FM.

• 1964

  Affiliation changes to CTV

  [1]CJON-DTen.wikipedia.org

  After CBC launches CBNT in St. John's, CJON becomes a CTV affiliate.

• 1955

  CJON begins broadcasting

  [1]CJON-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Newfoundland Broadcasting Company Ltd. launches CJON on September 6 as Newfoundland's first television station and a CBC affiliate.

A privately owned Newfoundland broadcaster centered on local news, provincial identity, and distinctive independent programming, supplemented by acquired Canadian and international entertainment content.

• Television news · 1955

  NTV local news

  The station's principal owned programming consists of locally produced news, including the NTV Evening Newshour, weekday NTV Newsday, and recurring rebroadcasts. Coverage focuses on St. John's and events across Newfoundland and Labrador. NTV also supplies selected regional reports to CTV news services under its continuing news relationship.

• Television programming · 2002

  NTV acquired entertainment schedule

  After ending its full CTV affiliation, NTV assembled entertainment programming through agreements and individual rights purchases. Global has been a major supplier, while earlier schedules also drew from CanWest, Baton, WIC, and other distributors. The mix has included scripted series, reality programming, daytime shows, and selected specials.

• Regional specialty programming

  Scenes of Newfoundland

  An overnight NTV presentation featuring filmed scenes from Newfoundland and Labrador accompanied by traditional music from local artists. The program reinforces the station's provincial identity and fills part of the overnight schedule.

• Specialty television block

  Captain Atlantis Late Night

  A freeform Saturday programming block built around speeches, interviews, archival material, and other unusual specials associated with Geoff Stirling's Captain Atlantis concept. Its contents have varied over time and can include historic Newfoundland material, entertainment specials, and other retrospective programming.

• Streaming application · 2022

  NTV+

  A digital application introduced in 2022 that carries NTV programming together with content from sister radio station CHOZ-FM, extending the broadcaster's presence beyond conventional television distribution.

• 2022

  Launch of NTV+Product launch

  Background

  The broadcaster sought to extend access to its television and related radio content through digital distribution.

  Action taken

  NTV launched the NTV+ application with NTV and CHOZ-FM programming.

  Aftermath

  The service added an owned digital access point alongside the station's website streaming operation.

  Source

• 2013

  Closure of remaining analog retransmittersStrategy

  Background

  Maintaining aging transmitters across widely dispersed Newfoundland communities became increasingly costly, and cable and satellite penetration was high.

  Action taken

  NTV discontinued its remaining over-the-air retransmitters outside the St. John's area by July 31.

  Aftermath

  The station's provincial reach increasingly depended on cable, satellite, and digital distribution rather than its own terrestrial retransmitter network.

  Source

• 2011

  Analog-to-digital conversionOther

  Background

  The station planned to replace its analog St. John's transmission with a digital high-definition service.

  Action taken

  CJON shut down its analog transmitter in July and began digital transmission on UHF channel 21 in August.

  Aftermath

  The station continued as a digital broadcaster using channel 21 as its virtual channel, rather than retaining its former analog channel 6 identity.

  Source

• 2002

  End of full CTV affiliationStrategy

  Background

  CTV sought payment for its base schedule and increased charges for additional programming, while Newfoundland Broadcasting Company Ltd. objected to national advertising arrangements.

  Action taken

  CJON declined the revised terms and ended its full CTV affiliation after the 2001–02 season. It retained selected CTV news programming and shifted entertainment sourcing toward Global and other arrangements.

  Aftermath

  NTV became an independent station with a more flexible schedule and greater emphasis on local production, while continuing to acquire selected national and international programs.

  Source

1. 1CJON-DTen.wikipedia.org
2. 2CJON-DT at The History of Canadian Broadcastingbroadcasting-history.ca