CP24
Country | Canada |
---|---|
Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario |
Ownership | |
Owner | CTVglobemedia CTV Limited |
CablePulse 24 (commonly known as CP24) is a Canadian English language cable television specialty news channel owned and operated by CTVglobemedia. Based in Toronto, it focuses on local news from the Greater Toronto Area and Southern Ontario, although it also covers national and international news. It is distributed through cable in southern Ontario and direct broadcast satellite nationally.
History
The channel was licensed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) as Pulse 24 in 1996 (as a connection to the former name of CITY-TV's newscasts, CityPulse)[1] and was launched as CablePulse 24 (CP24) on March 30, 1998, under the ownership of CHUM Limited and minority partner Sun Media, owner of the Toronto Sun daily newspaper. Sun writers and commentators were featured regularly on the channel.
On December 1, 2004 CHUM Limited acquired the remaining interest in CP24 (giving it 100% of its shares), when the Sun's owners sold their 29.9% share in CP24 after acquiring its independent broadcast station CKXT, the same day when CHUM Limited took control of Craig Media and its assets.
On June 22, 2007, CTVglobemedia took control of CP24 as a result of a buyout of CHUM Limited.
In December 2008, CP24 replaced its simulcast of Citytv Toronto's CityNews at Six with CTV Toronto's CTV News at Six and removed all other CityNews programming (with the exception of Breakfast Television) from the schedule of CP24, in anticipation of the CRTC approval of an application by Rogers to launch a 24-hour news channel for the GTA called "CityNews Toronto" which would eventually see CityNews programming being transferred to that channel.[2] [3]
Format
As of November, 2008, CP24's newsroom has windows facing Queen Street West. Unlike CTV-owned MuchMusic (which is based on the first floor facing Queen Street West), CP24's newsroom is based on the second floor of 299 Queen Street West, making it unlikely for passers-by to appear on camera. Previously, CP24 shared the newsroom on the first floor with Citytv Toronto, which is now owned by Rogers Communications. [4] [5]
CP24 also shares news resources with other CTV-owned outlets, such as entertainment news anchored by Star!'s Husein Madhavji, and traffic coverage with the newsrooms of CTVglobemedia's CHUM Radio stations (CHUM and CHUM-FM) in the city.
CP24's visual format is a window using about two-thirds of the screen, where news and information programs are broadcast; the surrounding space contains weather and traffic information, along with scrolling news headlines and other details. This format has been described as more closely resembling a website than a conventional television channel.
Carriage
Most cable companies that carry the channel, air it on cable channel 24. The station does not air on any analogue cable system outside of Central or Southern Ontario, although CP24 is available on direct broadcast satellite and IPTV television provider MTS in some markets. The channel is available across Canada on Bell TV, on which the station is part of the service's "News" package. It is also available in the "FYI" package provided to Star Choice customers. There have been at least tentative plans to launch localized versions of CP24 for other markets on the same channel, such as Vancouver, Ottawa and Barrie, and the other cities where the Citytv and A-Channel (now A) stations exist.
Ratings
On average, the news station draws in an average of 10,000 viewers at any given point during the day. The highest ratings CP24 has ever achieved came on August 10, 2008 when 2 million viewers tuned into the station after a series of propane explosions in Toronto.[6] Two other highly rated days came on December 16, 2007 and March 8, 2008 when 1.9 million and 1.7 million viewers, respectively, tuned into the channel during winter snowstorms in the local area.[7]
Noted programs
- Animal Housecalls
- hosted by Ann Rohmer. A phone-in show with guests about animals.
- Arts & Minds
- AutoShop
- a phone-in show about automobiles. Hosted by Hugh Burrill
- Careers TV
- CTV News at 6
- The six o'clock news anchored by Christine Bentley and Ken Shaw
- CTV News at 6 Weekend
- The six o'clock news anchored by Andria Case and Tom Hayes
- Fashion Television
- a fashion show, hosted by FashionTelevisionChannel's Jeanne Beker
- HelpTV!
- Home Page
- a technology television show. Primarily hosted by Jee-Yun Lee, formerly hosted by David Onley.
- Hot Property
- a real estate show hosted by Ann Rohmer
- Legal Briefs
- hosted by Lorne Honickman, a civil litigation lawyer, who was a reporter for CityPulse from 1981-1992.
- In Fashion
- a fashion newsmagazine, hosted by FashionTelevisionChannel's Glen Baxter.
- Live at 5
- Toronto's 5:00 p.m. news program with commuter information. Hosted by Ann Rohmer and George Lagogianes
- On the Quarter
- hosted by Ann Rohmer and TD Waterhouse money expert Patricia Lovett Reid, aired once every three months.
- TalkTV
- a weekly Monday show with Dr. Karl Kabasele on health matters
- The NewMusic
- a weekly music and culture television news magazine.
- The Mayor
- usually hosted by Anne Mroczkowski, with Toronto mayor David Miller; originally Mel Lastman.
- Wylde on Health
- hosted by homeopath Bryce Wylde, weekly on Thursdays.
Remote camera use
In addition to the Freeway Management System - COMPASS and RESCU cameras, CP24 operates Bell EYES cameras located at:
- CN Tower
- Yorkdale
- Toronto Pearson International Airport
- Dome
- East
- Don Valley Parkway
- Polson Street 1
- 1 Not a Bell EYES camera, but operated by CTV Toronto, CP24 has used this camera location since January 2008, although this camera location does not appear in CP24's enriched screen traffic box.
Chopper 24
Since January 2008, CP24 has used aerial news footage from the CTV Toronto news chopper under the guise of "Chopper 24".
Personalities
(In alphabetical order.)
- Rubina Ahmed, anchor (weekend evenings)
- Nathan Downer, reporter/anchor
- Nneka Elliott, traffic and weather specialist
- Melissa Grelo, anchor/reporter
- Pooja Handa, traffic/weather specialist
- Lorne Honickman host, Legal Briefs
- Karl Kabasele, medical specialist and host of TalkTV on Health
- Teresa Kruze, anchor (weekend daytime)
- George Lagogianes, remote anchor and co-host of Live at 5
- Jee-Yun Lee, consumer specialist and host of HomePage
- Amber MacArthur, new media specialist
- Chris Potter, meteorologist
- Ann Rohmer, lead anchor (weekdays), host of Hot Property, Animal Housecalls and Live at 5
- Omar Sachedina, anchor/reporter
- Sue Sgambati, crime specialist
- Nalini Sharma, reporter/weather specialist
- Stephanie Smyth, breaking news producer
- Cam Woolley, traffic and safety specialist