Editing CTV 2 (section)

==History==

===Beginning as NewNet===
[[File:The New VR logo.svg|upright|left|thumb|The logo of [[CKVR-DT|CKVR-TV]] during the "NewNet" era (1995–2005). NewNet stations prominently featured the last two letters of their [[call sign]]s in their branding.]]
The system began to develop in 1995, at [[CKVR-DT|CKVR-TV]] in [[Barrie]], [[Ontario]]. In September of that year, owner [[CHUM Limited]] dropped CKVR's longtime affiliation with [[CBC Television]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://playbackonline.ca/1995/08/28/4635-19950828/ |title=News Briefs: Rogers deal goes to CRTC |date=August 28, 1995 |work=Playback Magazine |access-date=January 3, 2012}}</ref> and relaunched it as an [[Independent station (North America)|independent station]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/1994%5CDB94-745.htm |title=Decision CRTC 94-745 |date=September 14, 1994 |work=Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission |access-date=January 3, 2012}}</ref> with a more youthful image in order to generate interest from viewers in the neighbouring [[Toronto]] market, where CKVR had long been available on basic cable. This included adopting a news format similar to the ''[[CityNews|CityPulse]]'' newscasts on sister station [[CITY-DT|CITY-TV]], replacing its various classic television shows with more contemporary series, and picking up a package of games for the [[Toronto Raptors]], Toronto's then-new [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] franchise.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://playbackonline.ca/1995/12/04/4902-19951204/ |title=Network: A honey of a Raptor |date=December 4, 1995 |work=Playback Magazine |access-date=January 3, 2012}}</ref> The resulting station became known as "The New VR".

The experiment was successful enough that CHUM replicated CKVR's format on stations it had acquired from Baton Broadcasting in 1997, namely [[CHRO-TV|CHRO]] in [[Pembroke, Ontario|Pembroke]], [[CFPL-DT|CFPL-TV]] in [[London, Ontario|London]], [[CKNX-TV]] in [[Wingham, Ontario|Wingham]], and [[CHWI-DT|CHWI-TV]] in [[Windsor, Ontario|Windsor]]. Most of these stations were also former CBC affiliates, and in markets where CKVR's sister station, CITY-TV, was already or subsequently became available on basic cable. [[CIVI-DT]] in [[Victoria, British Columbia]] was added into the system at its launch in October 2001.

CHUM informally referred to these stations as the "NewNet".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://playbackonline.ca/1999/08/09/26373-19990809/ |title=In The Money |date=August 9, 1999 |work=Playback Magazine |access-date=January 3, 2012}}</ref> That name was never used on-air on any of these stations; rather it served as a common identifier for the stations to advertising buyers (it was also used on news vehicles in [[Southwestern Ontario]]). On-air, each station was known as "The New ''XX''", with ''XX'' representing the last two letters of the station's [[Call sign|callsign]] (e.g., "The New WI" for CHWI, "The New RO" for CHRO, "The New PL" for CFPL, etc.)

===A-Channel===
[[File:Achannelnew.svg|upright|thumb|A-Channel's original logo, 2005–2008]]
On March 15, 2005, CHUM announced that the NewNet stations would be relaunched as [[A-Channel (Craig Media)|A-Channel]] by that fall. The rebrand took place on August 2, 2005, the same date that the former A-Channel stations in [[Winnipeg]], [[Edmonton]] and [[Calgary]], recently acquired by CHUM from Craig Media, were relaunched as [[Citytv]].<ref>[http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2005/21/c3383.html CHUM Announcement - Local Stations Being Renamed as A-Channel] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060622184528/http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2005/21/c3383.html |date=2006-06-22 }}</ref> The change reflected a shift towards a more traditional broadcasting model at these stations.

On July 12, 2006, Bell Globemedia announced a friendly takeover bid to buy CHUM Limited. The company initially intended to keep CHUM's [[Citytv]] system, while divesting the A-Channel and Access stations in order for the [[Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission]] (CRTC) to approve the acquisition.<ref name=takeover>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/bell-globemedia-makes-1-7b-bid-for-chum-1.583543|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110908083837/http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2006/07/12/chum-bell.html|url-status=live|archive-date=September 8, 2011|title=Bell Globemedia makes $1.7B bid for CHUM|publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=2006-07-12|access-date=2006-07-12}}</ref>

On April 9, 2007, [[Rogers Communications]] announced an agreement to purchase the A-Channel stations, along with the CBC Television affiliate in [[Brandon, Manitoba]] ([[CKX-TV]]) and several cable channels being put up for sale as part of the CTV transaction.<ref name=Rogers>{{cite web|url=http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/technology_rogers_ctvglobemedia |title=CRTC expected to OK Rogers' $137.5M buy of CTVglobemedia TV channels |publisher=[[Canadian Press]] via Yahoo! Canada News |date=2007-04-09 |access-date=2007-04-09 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><!-- Note that CTV was NOT the stations' owner at the time of this transaction; it is thus incorrect to say that CTV itself was putting them up for sale. --> The CRTC announced its approval of the purchase of CHUM Limited by what was now known as CTVglobemedia, on June 8 of the same year, but added a condition that CTVgm must sell off CHUM's Citytv stations to another buyer. At the same time, it was permitted to keep the A-Channel stations, in effect cancelling the planned sale of A-Channel to Rogers.<ref name=CTV>{{cite web|url=http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/08062007/3/canada-crtc-tells-ctvglobemedia-sell-5-citytv-stations.html |title=CRTC tells CTVglobemedia to sell 5 Citytv stations |publisher=cbc.ca via Yahoo! Canada News |date=2007-06-08 |access-date=2007-06-08 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name=CTV2>{{cite web|url=http://www.channelcanada.com/Article1879.html|title=C.R.T.C. approves the purchase of CHUM Ltd. by CTVGlobemedia, excluding Citytv stations|publisher=Channel Canada|date=2007-06-08|access-date=2007-06-08|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927031232/http://www.channelcanada.com/Article1879.html|archive-date=2007-09-27}}</ref>

On June 22, 2007, CTVglobemedia finalized its purchase of the CHUM Limited stations, while the Citytv stations were sold to Rogers. The company initially intended to keep the A-Channel stations' branding and programming independent from the [[CTV Television Network]]. However, as with the relationship between [[Global Television Network|Global]] and [[E! (Canadian TV system)|E!]], CTV radically adjusted A-Channel's announced schedule over the summer of 2007 to make room for several series that could not be accommodated on the main network's fall schedule. Notably, A-Channel picked up CTV's rights to ''[[30 Rock]]'', ''[[Scrubs (TV series)|Scrubs]]'', ''[[Two and a Half Men]]'', ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'' and ''[[Jeff Ltd.]]'' In October, CTV also moved ''[[Dirty Sexy Money]]'' and ''[[Big Shots (TV series)|Big Shots]]'', both of which had originally premiered on the main network, to A-Channel.

Later in the fall, CTV also replaced A-Channel's daily entertainment newscast, ''[[Star! Daily]]'', with ''[[MTV e2]]'' and strip reruns of ''[[Degrassi: The Next Generation]]'', although new episodes of that series continued to air on CTV.

On July 26, 2007, CTVglobemedia named Richard Gray the head of news for the A-Channel stations and [[CKX-TV]]. Gray would report to the CTVgm corporate group, not CTV News, to preserve independent news presentation and management. Gray began to oversee the news departments for CKVR, CHRO, CFPL, CKNX, CHWI, CIVI and CKX.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://micro.newswire.ca/release.cgi?rkey=1507269890&view=39118-0&Start=0|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018152141/http://micro.newswire.ca/release.cgi?rkey=1507269890&view=39118-0&Start=0|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 October 2015|title=CTVglobemedia|date=18 October 2015|access-date=21 March 2018}}</ref>

[[File:A logo.svg|Final A logo, 2008 to 2011|thumb|upright|left]]
Shortly after CTV took control of A-Channel and most of the other assets owned by CHUM, media analysts began to speculate that the A-Channel stations would be renamed in 2008.<ref name=rebrand>{{cite web|url=http://www.friends.ca/News/Friends_News/archives/articles06130703.asp|title=CTV expected to rebrand A Channel|publisher=[[Friends of Canadian Broadcasting]]|date=2006-06-13|access-date=2006-07-05|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927182017/http://www.friends.ca/News/Friends_News/archives/articles06130703.asp|archive-date=2007-09-27}}</ref> Viewer surveys in 2007 and 2008 suggested that the names "Much TV"<ref>[https://survey2.securestudies.com/wix/p17142820.aspx A-Channel Survey]{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and "CHUM TV" were under consideration.

===A===
At its fall [[Upfront (advertising)|upfront]]s presentation on June 2, 2008, CTV announced that it would reformat the A-Channel stations with a new look and new logo, becoming known as simply "A" (originally stylized as "<nowiki>'A'</nowiki>", then as "/A\" to mimic the visual style of its logo). In anticipation of the format change, A-Channel's press materials began using the "A" name that same month, and on-air personalities began referring to the local newscasts as ''[[A News (TV series)|A News]]'' instead of ''A-Channel News''.

The on-air relaunch from A-Channel to A took place on August 11, 2008. On that same date, [[Atlantic Canada]]'s Atlantic Satellite Network also joined the A television system as [[CTV 2 Atlantic|A Atlantic]], and began to carry the entire A program lineup. In addition, [[Alberta]]'s [[CTV Two Alberta|Access]] also adopted a new A-styled logo and began to feature the A lineup in certain prime time hours.<ref>[http://www.ctvmedia.ca/achannel/releases/release.asp?id=10564&yyyy=2008 "A New Beginning: Fresh New Look for A Unveiled Today"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706175241/http://www.ctvmedia.ca/achannel/releases/release.asp?id=10564&yyyy=2008 |date=2011-07-06 }}, CTVglobemedia press release, August 11, 2008.</ref>

====Financial problems====
On February 25, 2009, CTV announced that, given what it saw as ongoing structural problems facing the conventional television sector in Canada and the current [[2008 financial crisis]], it would not seek to renew the licences of [[Wheatley, Ontario|Wheatley]]'s [[CHWI-DT|CHWI-TV]] (and its rebroadcaster in [[Windsor, Ontario|Windsor]]) and [[Wingham, Ontario|Wingham]]'s [[CKNX-TV]].<ref>[http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2009/25/c3691.html 'A' Television Stations in Wingham and Windsor to be Shut Down] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609224821/http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2009/25/c3691.html |date=2011-06-09 }}, CTVglobemedia press release via [[Canada NewsWire]], February 25, 2009</ref> The stations were not expected to be converted to [[Broadcast relay station|rebroadcasters]] of London's A station ([[CFPL-DT|CFPL]]) upon the expirations of their existing licences in August 2009; however, CTV had said news coverage for both areas would be provided by CFPL and [[CKCO-DT|CKCO]]. In addition, CTV also announced on February 19, 2009, that it would not apply to renew the licence of [[Brandon, Manitoba|Brandon's]] [[CKX-TV]] beyond its August 31, 2009 expiration.<ref name="ctv-offer">[http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2009/19/c2188.html CTV Inc. places CKX-TV Brandon Up for Sale], CTVglobemedia press release via [[Canada NewsWire]], February 19, 2009</ref>

CTV announced further cuts on March 3, 2009. The ''[[A Morning]]'' programs produced separately at CKVR and CFPL were cancelled outright effective March 4 and were replaced by repeats of the previous evening's newscasts, while CIVI replaced its ''A Morning'' show with a simulcast of CTVglobemedia's Victoria-based radio station [[CFAX]] (1070 AM), although those stations retain their evening newscasts. On the other hand, CHRO saw its ''A Morning'' program expanded from three hours daily to four hours daily, and launched a two-hour Saturday edition of ''A Morning'', while cancelling its evening newscasts (which trailed those of CTV network station [[CJOH-DT|CJOH-TV]]). In all, 118 people, or 23% of all A employees, were laid off.<ref name="ctv-cuts">[http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2009/03/c5505.html CTV press release], March 3, 2009</ref> No cuts were announced for A Atlantic, which is already tightly integrated with [[CTV Atlantic]].

On April 30, 2009, [[Shaw Communications]] announced that it would purchase CKX, CKNX, and CHWI for a dollar each, pending approval by the CRTC.<ref name="shaw">[https://web.archive.org/web/20090610065013/http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2301992 CTV accepts Shaw's offer to buy local stations], April 30, 2009</ref> However, it was reported on June 30, 2009, that Shaw had backed out of the deal and declined to complete the purchase, putting the stations' futures in serious doubt.<ref>Grant Robertson, [https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/shaw-cancels-deal-for-3-ctv-stations/article1202528/ "Shaw cancels deal for 3 CTV stations"]. ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', June 30, 2009.</ref>

On July 8, 2009, CTV announced that it would keep CHWI open after the CRTC announced policy changes to increase funding for small-market television stations, and following lobbying efforts by the [[Windsor City Council]], local Members of Provincial Parliament [[Sandra Pupatello]] and [[Dwight Duncan]], and federal [[House of Commons of Canada|Members of Parliament]] [[Brian Masse]] and [[Joe Comartin]] to keep the only local privately owned television station in Windsor on air. In the same announcement, CTV indicated its intention to file an application with the CRTC to convert CKNX into a rebroadcaster of CFPL once that station shut down on August 31.<ref name="CNW2009July8">[http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2009/08/c4869.html /A\ Windsor Station to Remain Open] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610000116/http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2009/08/c4869.html |date=2011-06-10 }}, CTVglobemedia press release, July 8, 2009</ref> On July 16, CTV announced that it would sell CKX-TV to Bluepoint Investment Corporation for a dollar. The deal was expected to close by December 31, 2009, pending CRTC approval; however, it was rejected on October 1, prompting the station to cease operations the following day.<ref name="bluepoint">[http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2009/16/c6860.html CTV Secures Sale of CKX-TV Brandon] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719075556/http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2009/16/c6860.html |date=2009-07-19 }}, CTVglobemedia press release, July 16, 2009</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brandonsun.com/story.php?story_id=161531|title=BREAKING NEWS - Bluepoint walks away from CKX-TV - Brandon Sun|website=brandonsun.com|access-date=21 March 2018|archive-date=6 October 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091006051134/http://www.brandonsun.com/story.php?story_id=161531|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===CTV Two/CTV 2===
On September 10, 2010, [[Bell Canada]] announced it re-acquire the assets of CTVglobemedia and the A system for $3.2 billion. The overall deal was approved by the CRTC on March 7, 2011 and was finalized on April 1, 2011 when it was relaunched as Bell Media.<ref name="bell-pr-2010">{{cite web|url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2010/10/c8677.html|title=Bell to acquire 100% of Canada's No.1 media company CTV|publisher=CNW Group|author=Bell Canada|date=2010-09-10|access-date=2010-09-10}}</ref>

[[File:CTV Two.svg|thumb|CTV Two logo, used from 2011 to 2018]]
On May 30, 2011, Bell Media (in conjunction with its contractor, the Troika Design Group) announced that it would extend the CTV brand to the A television system<!--A/CTV Two is not a network, much like how Citytv isn't a network-->, for the start of the 2011-12 television season. As such, A was relaunched as CTV Two on August 29, 2011, with local newscasts in most markets rebranded from ''A News'' to ''[[CTV News]]'', and the morning shows produced in [[CHRO-TV|Ottawa]] and [[CTV Two Atlantic|Atlantic Canada]] becoming ''[[CTV Morning Live]]'', ending nearly three years of the "A" brand. Additionally, an [[High-definition television|HD]] feed for the system launched on August 31, 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://adsalescdn.bellmedia.ca/Press%20Releases/Conventional/0530-CTVTwo.pdf|title=Bell Media's /A\ Network to Become "CTV Two" This Fall|website=bellmedia.ca|access-date=21 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326030614/http://adsalescdn.bellmedia.ca/Press%20Releases/Conventional/0530-CTVTwo.pdf|archive-date=2012-03-26|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=CTVTwo>[http://ctvmedia.ca/ctv/releases/release.asp?id=13828&yyyy=2011 Bell Media Press Release: "Bell Media’s /A\ Network to Become "CTV Two" This Fall", May 30, 2011.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727124349/http://ctvmedia.ca/ctv/releases/release.asp?id=13828&yyyy=2011 |date=July 27, 2011 }}</ref><ref name=THR05302011>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bell-media-unveils-ctv-two-193065|title=Bell Media Unveils CTV Two For Fall TV Season|website=hollywoodreporter.com|date=May 30, 2011 |access-date=21 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bellmediapr.ca/ctv/releases/release.asp?id=14080&yyyy=2011|title=CTV – Bell Media|website=www.bellmediapr.ca|access-date=21 March 2018}}</ref>

As part of the relaunch, Bell expanded the system's coverage area. Alberta's provincial education channel Access (which had aired a limited amount of A programming) was renamed [[CTV 2 Alberta|CTV Two Alberta]] and began carrying the full CTV Two primetime lineup excluding local CTV News programming.<ref name="ctvtwo-edm">{{cite web|title=CTV News unveils expansion of news programming in Edmonton|date=June 8, 2011 |url=https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/ctv-news-unveils-expansion-of-news-programming-in-edmonton-1.654416|publisher=CTV Edmonton|access-date=18 June 2011}}</ref> On June 17, 2011, Bell also filed an application with the CRTC and [[Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada|Industry Canada]] to establish additional repeaters for [[CKVR-DT]] to expand its signal farther into the [[Golden Horseshoe]] area; on UHF 42 in [[Fonthill, Ontario|Fonthill]], serving [[Niagara Falls, Ontario|Niagara Falls]], [[Fort Erie, Ontario|Fort Erie]] and [[St. Catharines]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://services.crtc.gc.ca/pub/DocWebBroker/OpenDocument.aspx?AppNo=201109439 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2011-06-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190413075813/https://services.crtc.gc.ca/pub/DocWebBroker/OpenDocument.aspx%3FAppNo%3D201109439 |archive-date=2019-04-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and a repeater on UHF 35 on [[CHCH-DT]]'s [[CHCH Television Tower|Tower]], serving [[Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton]], [[Oakville, Ontario|Oakville]], [[Haldimand County]], [[Caledonia, Ontario|Caledonia]], [[Brantford]], [[Milton, Ontario|Milton]] and [[Cambridge, Ontario|Cambridge]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://services.crtc.gc.ca/pub/DocWebBroker/OpenDocument.aspx?AppNo=201109421 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2011-06-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118201024/https://services.crtc.gc.ca/pub/DocWebBroker/OpenDocument.aspx?AppNo=201109421 |archive-date=2018-11-18 |url-status=dead }}</ref> These applications were later approved by the CRTC.

On October 28, 2015, the CRTC made public an application by Bell to disaffiliate [[CJDC-TV]] and [[CFTK-TV]] from [[CBC Television]] effective February 22. Bell and the CBC agreed to an early termination of the affiliation agreements on October 5.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://services.crtc.gc.ca/pub/DocWebBroker/OpenDocument.aspx?AppNo=201512260|format=ZIP|title=CRTC Application 2015-1226-0|author=Bell Media Radio G.P.|publisher=Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission|date=2015-10-28|access-date=2015-10-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106145843/https://services.crtc.gc.ca/pub/DocWebBroker/OpenDocument.aspx?AppNo=201512260|archive-date=2016-01-06|url-status=dead}}</ref> Programming from CTV Two began on the date of disaffiliation from CBC.

Beginning the 2018-19 television season, the network re-branded as "CTV 2" under CTV's new brand identity.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jeevan |first1=Brar |title=CTV & CTV2's Fall Schedule 2018 - The TV Watercooler |url=https://www.thetvwatercooler.com/2018/06/ctv-and-ctv2-fall-schedule-2018/ |website=The TV Watercooler |access-date=30 September 2018 |date=10 June 2018 |quote=Bell Media announced the programming lineups for CTV and CTV2 (previously stylized as CTV Two) on Thursday, June 7.}}</ref>