CTV 2 Alberta

"Access TV" redirects here. For the American infomercial channel, see Access Television Network.

CTV Two Alberta

Country	Canada
Network	CTV Two Former affiliations: Independent (1973–2011)
Headquarters	Edmonton, Alberta
Ownership
Owner	Bell Media (Learning and Skills Television of Alberta Limited)

CTV Two Alberta (formerly Access) is a Canadian English language, educational television channel in the province of Alberta. It is owned by Bell Media.

The channel is primarily designated as "satellite-to-cable undertaking" serving the whole of Alberta, and is therefore carried throughout the province on cable, but it also operates two terrestrial transmitters, CJAL-TV (channel 9) in Edmonton, where the channel's main studios are located, and CIAN-TV (channel 13) in Calgary. Access is also available on the Bell TV satellite service on Channel 267, and on Shaw Direct Channel 351.

CTV Two Alberta airs a variety of educational and informative programs along with entertainment programs all of which include children's programs, documentaries, feature films, talk shows, dramas, comedies and more. Since August 2008, CTV Two Alberta (known then as Access) has aired programming from Bell's secondary television system A (and additionally modified its branding to more closely resemble A's), while maintaining its educational mandate. It was announced in June 2011 that Access would re-launch along with the rest of the A system as CTV Two later in the year.

History

Access was launched on June 30, 1973 by the Alberta government through the Alberta Educational Communications Corporation (AECC) alongside CKUA Radio. Prior to this point, English-language educational programs were airing on Radio-Canada television station CBXFT in Edmonton. At this time Access was only available through cable and not over-the-air.

File:ACCESS TV former logo.png

Former logo used during the early 2000s

On January 9, 1984, AECC was granted a licence from the CRTC for a television station in Calgary (CIAN) and on December 1, 1986, AECC was granted another licence for a television station in Edmonton (CJAL) to rebroadcast the programs from CIAN.

In 1993, the Government of Alberta undertook a re-evaluation of all provincially-funded activities, and announced that it would not provide direct funding for Access beyond 1994.

In 1995, Access was privatized and sold to Learning and Skills Television of Alberta Limited (60% owned by CHUM Limited) and in February 2005, CHUM Limited acquired the remaining 40% interest in Learning & Skills Television of Alberta Ltd. (and renamed it Access Media Group), giving the company 100% of its shares including Access.

File:Access Television.png

Former logo, 2006-2008.

On July 12, 2006, CTVglobemedia announced that it would make a friendly takeover bid to buy CHUM Limited. Due to CTVgm's plans to keep CTV and Citytv, Rogers Communications was expected to purchase Access (along with CHUM's A-Channel stations, CKX-TV in Brandon, Canadian Learning Television and SexTV: The Channel) as announced on April 9, 2007, pending Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approval (and approval of CTV's purchase). With the CRTC electing to force CTV to sell the Citytv stations instead, the Rogers deal was rendered void and as such CTV retained Access along with CHUM's A-Channel stations, CKX-TV in Brandon and all of CHUM's specialty channels, and sold the Citytv stations to Rogers. The takeover transaction was finalized on June 22, 2007. In 2008, Access additionally began airing programming from CTV's A-Channel system (which was also acquired by CTV in its purchase of CHUM).

Logo from 2008-2011

On June 8, 2011, alongside the announcement of additional news programming at CFRN, it was revealed that Access would be re-launched (as part of Bell Media's rebranding of the A system) as CTV Two Alberta on August 29, 2011.

Programming

Access logo from the 1970s

CTV Two produces, promotes and delivers television-based multimedia learning opportunities to learners of all ages, in partnership with Alberta Learning, educational institutions and educators. Many of the programs, including all of the dramas, are connected to and promote formal courses of study offered by the province's universities and colleges or the formal learning objectives of Alberta Learning.

The above programming includes primetime series from CTV Two, as well as syndicated shows, much of which must be related to some sort of educational aim. For example, in fall 2008, Access broadcast Mad Men and Pushing Daisies, tied to an English course at Mount Royal College titled "Reading the Popular", as well as Fringe as part of Lethbridge Community College's "Basic Television Production" course.

Starting March 9, 2009, Access began airing a province-wide news and current affairs magazine program called Alberta Primetime, from the CTV/Access studios in Edmonton. Resources from CFRN-TV and CFCN-TV will be used to produce the program.

Digital television and high definition

Transmitters in Calgary and Edmonton are required to go digital or be taken off the air by the transition deadline of August 31, 2011. CTV Two Alberta has analog over-the-air transmitters serving both Calgary and Edmonton. CTV states that it is "not in a position to invest in CTV Two Alberta’s digital transition at this time, nor is such an investment required given CTV Two Alberta's licence status as a satellite-to-cable undertaking."

See also

• List of Canadian television channels

External links

• CTV Two Alberta
• Canadian Communications Foundation - CJAL-TV History
• Canadian Communications Foundation - CIAN-TV History
• CJAL-TV in the REC Canadian station database
• CIAN-TV in the REC Canadian station database
• Template:TV Fool
• Template:TV Fool