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milestones
A History of CTV 1961 CFTO launches. CTV begins its network operations as an informal group of eight independent affiliated stations.
1999 CTV and Bell Canada launch the first website to offer high-speed video news, with live streaming of CTV News 1, which is later renamed CTV Newsnet.
1966 CFTO becomes the flagship station of the CTV Network after the 11 CTV affiliates collectively purchase the assets of the network.
1967 CFTO is the first Canadian television station to broadcast in full color.
1971 Baton Broadcasting Incorporated is created. CFTO is owned by the new company.
1972 Baton Broadcasting Incorporated acquires CFQC
2000 BCE Inc. acquires CTV Inc. CTV wins fall ’99 television season; CTV fall ratings up 15 percent in one of its most successful fall seasons ever. CTV News launches CTVNEWS.com, an interactive website that streams CTV Newsnet and C TV N ews wit h Lloyd R ob ertson and is available on the web simultaneously. Ivan Fecan is named president and CEO of the new media company Bell Globemedia, combining print, broadcast and Internet assets of CTV Inc., The Globe and Mail, Globe Interactive and Sympatico-Lycos.
Radio (later divested) and CFQC Television.
2001 CTV launches six new digital specialty channels: 1988 CTV switches to a satellite delivery system. CTV is the first national Canadian TV network to broadcast in stereo.
Animal Planet, CTV Travel, Discovery Civilization, ESPN Classic Canada, NHL Network and WTSN. CTV acquires broadcast rights to the Juno Awards.
1993 Baton acquires the assets and broadcasting licenses
2002 CTV Inc. becomes the first national conventional broadcaster in Canada to transmit over the air in high definition. A record 2.65 million tune in to watch Ryan Malcolm be crowned the first-ever Canadian Idol on CTV.
of CFPL-London, CKNX-Wingham and the rebroadcasting station CHWI-Wheatley. CTV and its owners enter into a new shareholders agreement, which transforms CTV from a cooperative to a typical business corporation.
1995 Baton enters into a strategic alliance with Electrohome Limited in Southwestern Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta, extending Baton’s reach from 58 percent to 70 percent of English-speaking Canada.
1996 Ivan Fecan becomes president and CEO of Baton and Douglas G. Bassett becomes vice-chairman of the board. Baton acquires CFCN-Calgary and its 14.3 percent of CTV shares. Baton and Electrohome announce a strategic merger agreement in which Baton acquires Electrohome’s broadcasting assets and its equity share in CTV.
Reliable source: Lloyd Robertson has anchored the CTV national newscast for more than 30 years.
1997 Baton becomes the sole owner of CTV. 1998 Baton Broadcasting Incorporated changes its name to CTV Inc.
2004 CTV makes history, finishing as the year’s mostwatched broadcaster in prime time in all three key adult demographics (18–34, 18–49 and 25–54). 2006 CTV launches Canada’s first multichannel broadband service. Bell Globemedia acquires CHUM Ltd. through a C$1.4 billion transaction. Bell Globemedia’s new ownership structure is completed. Shareholders are the Woodbridge Company Limited (40 percent), Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (25 percent), Torstar Corporation (20 percent) and BCE Inc. (15 percent). Bell Globemedia Inc. announces company’s name will change to CTVglobemedia Inc., effective January 1, 2007.
2008 CTV announces rebrand of the A-Channels and ASN. The stations are rebranded as “A” and ACCESS will fold “A” programming into its schedule.
2010 In February, CTV and Rogers provide unprecedented coverage of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. In September, BCE Inc. announces it has agreed to acquire 100 percent of CTV for C$1.3 billion. The transaction has an equity value of C$3.2 billion. Ivan Fecan, president and CEO of CTVglobemedia and CEO of CTV Inc., announces he will retire within the next year. In November, CTV Inc. launches E! channel, one of the world’s most popular brands for celebrity and entertainment news.
2011 On January 1, CTV Toronto celebrates its 50th anniversary. On January 20, CTV Montreal celebrates its 50th anniversary. On January 31, CTV Montreal installs an over-the-air highdefinition transmitter in Montreal. CTV becomes Canada’s only broadcaster to have HD transmitters in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal. 74
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