Television system

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A television system is a Canadian term for a group of television stations which share common ownership, branding, and programming, but are not legally considered a full television network. Systems may be informally referred to as networks by some people, but are not true networks under current Canadian broadcasting regulations.

In current practice, a television system may be either a small group of stations with common branding, such as E!, A or Citytv, or a regional group of stations within a larger network, such as CTV Atlantic, CTV Northern Ontario, or CBC North, which are legally licensed as multiple stations but effectively act as a single station for programming, branding, and advertising sales purposes. The former type of system has largely, although not entirely, replaced independent stations in the Canadian broadcast landscape.

Systems are differentiated from networks primarily by their less extensive service area — while a network will serve most Canadian broadcast markets in some form, a system will typically serve only a few markets. As well, a system may or may not offer some classes of programming, such as a national newscast, which are typically provided by a network.

Television systems should not be confused with twinsticks, although some individual stations might be part of both types of operations simultaneously.

History

The term likely originated in the early 1990s when CanWest Global Communications, then a fledgling owner of independent stations airing common programming, began using "CanWest Global System" as a secondary brand for its various stations. Soon after, the Baton Broadcast System launched as a secondary "affiliation" linking another station group. In that sense the term "system" was intended to give the impression of a full network service without any of the additional regulatory responsibilities, such as enhanced Canadian content requirements, associated with a Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)-issued network licence. Much like today's systems, however, both CGS and BBS operated in relatively few markets compared to full "networks" such as CBC or CTV.

CGS was subsequently rebranded as the Global Television Network but never applied for a network licence from the CRTC. In 2001, CTV surrendered its own network licence. Indeed, as defined in Canada's Broadcasting Act a "network" is an operation whereby the programming of a station is controlled by a different company.^[1] As both CTV and Global now own stations serving virtually all markets, a national network licence would be redundant. Nevertheless, such "station groups" are now regulated in much the same way networks were regulated in the past.

Based on their national reach and the very limited differences in programming between stations, CTV and Global are both considered "networks" by the media and by the general public, notwithstanding the legal definition.

In the few markets where CTV does not own its own stations, programming is provided through a network licence that applies only to the applicable markets.^[2] Global, meanwhile, simply sublicenses its broadcast rights to local stations (i.e., stations pay for programming, as opposed to the traditional North American model of networks paying stations).

Systems

Primary

• A
• Citytv
• Crossroads Television System
• Joytv
• Omni Television

Regional network subsystems

• CBC North
• CTV Atlantic
• CTV Northern Ontario
• Great West Television

Defunct

• A-Channel (Craig Media)
• Baton Broadcast System
• E!
• MCTV
• Northern Television

References