CISA-TV

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = CISA-TV
city =
station_
station_slogan =
station_branding = Global Lethbridge
analog = 7 (VHF)
digital = "allocated 58 (UHF)"
other_chs = see below
affiliations = Global (secondary 1988-2000, primary since 2000)
network =
airdate = November 20, 1955
location = Lethbridge, Alberta
callsign_meaning = Canadian
Independent
Southern
Alberta
former_callsigns = CJLH-TV (1955-1972)
CJOC-TV (1972-1976)
CFAC-TV-7 (1977-1990)
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Canwest Global Communications Corporation
licensee = Canwest Media, Inc.
sister_stations =
former_affiliations = CBC (1955-1976)
independent (1976-2000)
effective_radiated_power = 325 kW
HAAT = 203.6 m
coordinates = coord|49|46|47|N|112|52|18|W|type:landmark
homepage = [http://www.canada.com/globaltv/lethbridge/ Global Lethbridge]
:"For other meanings of the four-letter initialism, see CISA"CISA-TV is a Canadian television station serving Lethbridge, Alberta. It is owned by Canwest, and is affiliated to their Global Television Network. It is branded as "Global Lethbridge" and transmits on channel 7 and cable channel 9 in Lethbridge.

History

CJLH-TV

The station began as CJLH-TV, broadcasting for the first time on November 20, 1955. It broadcasted on channel 7 with a power output of 167,000 watts visual, and 33,400 aural from a 638 foot tower located at what was the city limits of Lethbridge.

The station was a joint venture between local radio station CJOC (the CJ in the call sign) and the Lethbridge Herald (the LH). It was managed by CJOC's owners, Taylor Pearson and Carson, and began life as an affiliate of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's (CBC) television network. Network programs on kinoscope arrived between a few days to a week after they went to air live in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, or the U.S. networks.

Three months after CJLH went to air, measurement services showed that the station had a potential audience of 9,400 homes, but within a year, that grew to 19,200, and of those, 16,000 had bought TV sets. At the time, CJLH was the only station in the Lethbridge area.

Local programming at the time included:
*Local news, sports and weather
*"Channel 7 Spotlight", showcasing area talent
*"Remember When", a series of programs hosted by Harry Baalim using slides, pictures and relics to tell the history of Southern Alberta. Many old timers were guests on that show, and
*"Home Gardener", featuring many experts in the field demonstrating proper horticultural technique.

These programs (amongst others) earned the station many awards, including seven Liberty Magazine awards in the 1950s and 1960's.

In 1958, the Eastern Time problem the station had in relation to networked programming was eliminated when they were connected to the network and the Calgary time-delay centre. The problem still existed for live sports events, such as hockey and football.

In 1961, CJLH expanded into the Crowsnest Pass area, by opening a repeater station at Burmis on channel 3. In 1967, The Lethbridge Herald sold its 50% holding to Selkirk Holdings Ltd, the successor to Taylor Pearson & Carson. Also that year, an application from CFCN-TV Calgary to open a repeater station in Lethbridge was unsuccessful.

However, a year later in 1968, an agreement was reached between CFCN and CJLH to share space on the CJLH tower and building for technical equipment. On September 3, CFCN went on the air with a repeater station on channel 13. Also in 1968, the station's first 2" black and white video tape recorder was installed, and a repeater in Brooks was made operational, transmitting on channel 3 at low power.

CJOC-TV

In 1970, production was increased significantly when they became a two-camera operation. Two years later, in 1972, CJLH changed its call sign to CJOC-TV, and continued local production with shows such as
*"Time Out"
*"Ski Reports"
*"Our Town"
*"Sunday Hour"
*"Thought for the Day"
*"Focus on University"
*"College Campus"
*and numerous specials

In 1974, CJOC went full colour with two colour cameras and three colour 1" VTRs. CFCN moved out of the CJOC building and into its own that year.

CFAC-TV

In 1975, CFAC-TV in Calgary, also owned by Selkirk, disaffiliated from the CBC, and became an independent station. CFAC and CJOC co-operated to protect local advertisers when CFAC was put on local cable services. In 1976, CJOC disaffiliated from the CBC and became a semi-satellite of CFAC, with the calls CFAC-TV-7. It added a satellite dish to get a news feed from Global Television. The station took on the same branding as CFAC Calgary, known as 2&7 Lethbridge Television. In 1979, the station increased its power to 167,000 watts video and 33,400 watts audio.

Local programming continued to play an important role at the station, with successful shows such as:
*"Sky West", which was syndicated to CHCH-TV Hamilton, BCTV Vancouver and CFCF-TV Montreal. It was also judged best syndicated show in the country at the time.
*"We Won’t Let Him Die", which won the CanPro Founders award in 1983
*"Kids Belong Together" (1990) and "Key to Literacy" (1992), both shows won the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Gold Ribbon Award for community involvement.

CISA-TV

Global affiliationIn 1989, Maclean Hunter bought Selkirk Communications Ltd., and CFAC-TV-7 was purchased by Western International Communications, and joined the Westcom TV Group. A year later, the station became a full-fledged station once again as CISA-TV.

Through the years, CISA's commitment to local programming has continued to reap both industry awards, making it one of the country's most awarded stations, and audience numbers in its local area.

In 1998, the Griffiths family sold WIC to Shaw Communications and Canwest. In 1999, agreements were lodged with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to split WIC assets between Canwest, Corus Radio and Shaw. The CRTC approved the purchase in 2000: WIC Television was sold to Canwest, and CISA-TV became Global Lethbridge on September 4 that year.

CISA was the last Global station to have its website integrated into the canada.com network.

On September 10, 2008, news production for CISA shifted from Lethbridge to Calgary, with the addition of a new virtual set.

Programming

The station produces newscasts originating from Lethbridge at 6:00pm (News Hour) and 11:00pm (News Final).

On weekends, the station's newscasts air at 6:00pm (Evening News) and 11:00pm (News Final).

A local community affairs program is also produced by CISA. "Scene and Heard," is hosted by Mark Campbell, and airs at 12:30pm in place of the 2nd half of the Global Calgary Noon News Hour, and at 6:30pm on weekends.

The station also simulcasts the Morning News, the first half of the Noon News Hour, and the Early News from Global Calgary.

* News Hour (Weeknights 6 p.m.–7 p.m.)
** Amber Schinkel
** Ian McDonald
** Mark Campbell - Weather
** Marty Baceda - Sports
** Elisha Rasmussen - Profile, Senior Savvy

* News Final (Weeknights 11 p.m.–11:30 p.m.)
** Cheryl Oates
** Mark Campbell - Weather
** Marty Baceda - Sports

* Evening News (Weekends 6 p.m.–6:30 p.m.), News Final (Weekends 11 p.m.–11:30 p.m.)
** Danelle Boivin
** Paul Kingsmith - Sports

* Scene & Heard (Weekdays 12:30 p.m.–1:00 p.m.), (Weekends 6:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m.)
** Mark Campbell - Host

Transmitters

Alberta Transmitters

Montana Transmitters

"(All transmitters in Montana are owned either by local governments or television associations.)"

Former staff

*Holly Horton, cohost of TSN "SportsCentre"
*Jackson Proskow, journalist with CIII-TV

External links

* [http://www.canada.com/globaltv/lethbridge/index.html Global Lethbridge]
* [http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/television/histories.php?id=46&historyID=50 Canadian Communications Foundation - CISA-TV History]
*RecnetCanada|CISA-TV
*TVQ|K65BR
*TVQ|K12DJ
*TVQ|K08IU
*TVQ|K63AQ
*TVQ|K36DK