Branding MCTV - CBC Affiliations CBC | Channels Analog: 5 (VHF) First air date November 28, 1955 | |
City Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Owner Hyland Broadcasting (1955 - 1976)
Huron Broadcasting (1976 - 1990)
Baton Broadcasting/CTV Inc. (1990 - 2002) | ||
CJIC-TV was a television station in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. The station was in operation from 1955 to 2002 as a private affiliate of CBC Television.
Contents
History
CJIC began broadcasting on Channel 2 on November 28, 1955, owned by Hyland Broadcasting along with CJIC radio (AM 1490, later CFYN at AM 1500 and now silent). Hyland introduced television to the Sault, first with kinescopes and live programming. Later, the microwave brought the live CBC network feed, then colour on the network, and finally to the studio, along with video tape that greatly enhanced production. CJIC also introduced television to the eastern part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula in the United States; the American television networks didn't arrive there until WPBN-TV, the NBC affiliate in Traverse City, signed on a satellite station in 1959 (WTOM) to bring its programming to the Upper Peninsula.
In 1976, Hyland merged with Algonquin Broadcasting, owner of the other radio stations on the Canadian side of the locks, to form Huron Broadcasting. Soon after taking control, Huron established a twinstick station, CKCY, affiliated with the CTV Television Network. CKCY adopted the new callsign CHBX-TV in 1988. CJIC moved to channel 5 when CKCY signed on, taking over channel 2. The move of CJIC to channel 5 caused much interference for viewers trying to tune in WNEM-TV from Bay City, Michigan, which was seen on area cable systems on cable channel 5.
Merger into MCTV
In 1990, Baton Broadcasting acquired both Huron Broadcasting and the MCTV twinstick in Sudbury, North Bay and Timmins. Following the purchases, CJIC and CHBX were merged into the MCTV system. Baton Broadcasting became the sole corporate owner of CTV in 1997.
End of operations
CTV subsequently sold its four CBC affiliates in Northern Ontario — CJIC, CHNB-TV in North Bay, CKNC-TV in Sudbury and CFCL-TV in Timmins — directly to the CBC in 2002. All four ceased to exist as separate stations on October 27, 2002, becoming rebroadcasters of Toronto's CBLT, with CJIC's call sign changed to CBLT-5. These translators would close on July 31, 2012, due to budget cuts affecting the CBC.