Editing Baton Broadcast System (section)

===Ontario Network Television: 1991-1994===
{{Infobox broadcasting network |
network_name = Ontario Network Television |
network_logo = [[Image:ontlogo.png|ONT logo|180px]] |
country      = Canada |
network_type = Defunct [[Terrestrial television|broadcast]] [[television system]] |
available    = Semi-national; urban areas of [[Ontario]] |
owner        = [[Baton Broadcasting]]|
affiliation  = [[CTV Television Network]]|
key_people   = |
launch_date  = {{start date and age|1991|9}} |
closure_date =  {{end date and age|1994|10}} (merged into BBS) |
founder      = |
brand       =  |
}}

ONT was initiated in 1991, consisting of eight CTV affiliates &ndash; seven owned by Baton ([[CFTO-DT|CFTO]], [[CJOH-DT|CJOH]], [[CHRO-TV|CHRO]], and the [[CTV Northern Ontario|MCTV]] stations) and [[Electrohome]]'s [[CKCO-DT|CKCO]]. Initially providing 10.5 hours of common programming each week, this was soon expanded to 35 hours.

While ONT was a secondary affiliation and not a separate network from CTV, some claimed it was a first step towards the Baton stations becoming a separate network. Indeed, Baton began to bid against CTV for the rights to new U.S. series. However, Baton's president at the time, [[Douglas Bassett (media executive)|Douglas Bassett]], contended it was merely a "marketing vehicle" to compete with CanWest Global's [[CIII-TV]], a single station which served almost all of Ontario.<ref name="gittins">''CTV: The Television Wars'', Susan Gittins, Toronto: Stoddart Publishing, 1999</ref>

In 1993, Baton acquired two independent stations, [[CFPL-TV|CFPL]] and [[CKNX-TV|CKNX]], and launched a third, [[CHWI-TV|CHWI]]. These stations replaced CKCO within ONT. In response, CKCO and WIC's [[CHCH-TV]] [[Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton]] announced a joint initiative of their own, known as "Market One Television";<ref>[http://www.strategymag.com/articles/magazine/19930712/7543.html Stations join forces], David Chilton, ''[[Strategy (magazine)|Strategy]]'', July 12, 1993</ref>{{Better source needed|date=June 2022}} however, this partnership was short-lived.

In addition to the CTV affiliates and independent stations, some ONT (and later BBS) programming may have aired on Baton's [[CBC Television|CBC]] affiliates, part of [[twinstick]] operations in northern Ontario. In the rest of Canada, Baton sublicensed its programming to individual stations, usually CTV affiliates. Even the ONT brand was seen from time to time in the rest of Canada, mainly through Baton-produced [[Toronto Blue Jays]] games.