CHBC-DT (channel 2) is a television station in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, part of the Global Television Network. It is owned and operated by network parent Corus Entertainment, and maintains studios on Leon Avenue (near Water Street) in Downtown Kelowna; its main transmitter is located near Lambly Creek Road in Central Okanagan.
Since the dismantling of the former E! television system and its switch to Global, CHBC has largely acted as a de facto semi-satellite of sister station CHAN-DT in Vancouver, airing the majority of its programming in pattern, but with evening newscasts covering the Okanagan region.
History
As a CBC affiliate
The station first signed on the air on September 21, 1957, originally operating as a CBC affiliate. Its signal covered the central Okanagan, broadcasting at 3,700 watts of power from its main studios and transmitter in Kelowna. The station was founded by three local radio stations: CKOV-AM (now CKQQ-FM) in Kelowna, CKOK (now CKOR) in Penticton and CJIB (now CKIZ-FM) in Vernon. Due to the mountainous terrain of the area, which impaired the primary signal in certain areas, the station began operating repeaters a few weeks later in Vernon (broadcasting on VHF channel 7, at 310 watts) and Penticton (broadcasting on VHF channel 13, at 300 watts). At the time of the station's sign-on, only 500 homes in the area had television receivers, but that amount rose to 10,000 the following year. The station had ordered two studio cameras, but due to the number of television stations that started up in North America during that period, the station had to make do with one camera on loan for a year until the order was filled. They also relied on 16 mm film, which was developed first by a local photo lab, and then again in-house.
All network programs were originally received on kinescope and 16 mm film, with regular programs airing on a week delay after their airing on CBC stations in other markets, with the National News airing on a day-behind basis. In 1960, the station began receiving programs from the CBC via its microwave link. Local programs and advertisements were produced live to air. Locally produced programs during the station's early days included Kids Bids, The Three R's, Romper Room, Let's Visit, Midday, Focus and Okanagan Magazine. In 1964, CHBC received its first videotape machine, which aided the production of local programming and commercials. Two years later, the station began airing programming in colour via the network, and the station gradually installed more equipment for colour production and transmission, as well as telecine and videotape.
In the late 1960s, CHBC and fellow CBC affiliate CFJC-TV in Kamloops formed BCI-TV (standing for British Columbia Interior Television), an internal company headed by CHBC for programming and sales of the combined Okanagan/Kamloops markets. The national sales were delegated to All Canada Sales, which provided advertising sales for both stations as a single unit under the name "BCI TV". For years, both stations carried virtually identical programming schedules, apart from local newscasts. In 1970, CHAN-TV in Vancouver reached an agreement with CHBC to provide CTV programming to the area, via a protective service, which protected local advertisers from Vancouver advertisers with cut-ins on the second station. The full conversion to colour broadcasts was completed in 1971, when CHBC purchased a colour studio camera.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the ownership of the station changed, beginning with the purchase of CKOK's one-third ownership by general manager Roy Chapman, which he later sold to CHAN. Selkirk Communications brought CJIB, and along with it, its 33% stake. CKOV sold its stake in equal parts to both CHAN and Selkirk, which resulted in both companies each owning 50% of the station. In 1987, CHBC president and general manager Ron Evans spearheaded a campaign as part of its adopted branding as "The Okanagan's Very Own CHBC", in order to compete with the 40 television station signals that were being distributed by cable operators within the market. As a result, the station increased its local programming and advertisements, and CHBC increased its involvement in the 55 communities that it served. This commitment has been recognized and rewarded through the improvement of its ratings and nods from many industry awards; CHBC was often held-up as a Canadian model for its ability to identify with the community it served during this era.