CHCO-TV
{{short description|Community TV station in Saint Andrews, New Brunswick}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Advert|date=May 2024}}
{{refimprove|date=August 2023}}
}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign = CHCO-TV
| logo = CHCTsmall 2017.jpg
| logo_size = 200px
| branding = CHCO-TV
| digital = 26 (UHF)
| virtual = 26
| translators =
| affiliations = Independent, Shop LC (overnights)
| founded = {{ubl|{{start date and age|1993|3|13}} (on cable)|{{start date and age|2006|11|1}} (broadcast)}}
| location = Saint Andrews, New Brunswick
| country = Canada
| callsign_meaning = Charlotte County Television
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|CHCT-TV (2006–2012)}}
| owner = St. Andrews Community Channel Inc.
| former_affiliations =
| erp = 0.04 kW
| haat = {{Convert|33|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| coordinates = {{coord|45|4|51|N|67|3|29|W|name=CHCO-TV|type:landmark}}
| licensing_authority = CRTC
| website = {{url|https://chco.tv}}
}}
CHCO-TV (channel 26) is a community television station in Saint Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada, serving the Charlotte County area.{{cite news|first=Adam|last=Huras|title=New Brunswick's only local TV station loses bid to broadcast across province|newspaper=Times & Transcript|date=July 22, 2020}}
CHCO-TV's studios and transmitting antenna are located at the W.{{nbsp}}C. O'Neill Arena Complex on Reed Avenue in Saint Andrews.{{cite news|first=Chuck|last=Brown|title=St. Andrews station gets its wings; Community channel set to expand beyond cable|newspaper=Telegraph-Journal|date=February 15, 2006}} The station also has production facilities in the village of Harvey, and in Grand Manan.
The station is available on digital over-the-air in Saint Andrews proper, Rogers Cable channel 126 in all of Charlotte County, Bell Fibe TV channel 26 in New Brunswick provincewide, and on Bell Satellite channel 539 in New Brunswick and all of Canada.
History
CHCO-TV launched on March 13, 1993, on Fundy Cable channel 4 as "St. Andrews Community Channel". The station subsequently applied for a broadcast license in 2005, which was approved by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) on November 23, 2005, and began operation on UHF channel 26 on November 1, 2006, as CHCT-TV.
The advent of fibre optic technology and digital cable led to the shutdown of almost 30 community channels in New Brunswick, including those in the neighboring communities of St. Stephen and St. George. Long-time volunteer-operated channels in these areas were replaced in August 2010 by the cable operator's distant community channel in Saint John, approximately {{Convert|100|km|mi|0}} away. Although St. George and St. Stephen received cable service from a cable headend in Saint Andrews, Rogers blocked CHCO-TV from being viewed outside Saint Andrews for eight years.
On August 18, 2010, CHCT-TV moved from cable channel 10 to channel 9, launching a new on-air identity as "Truly Local Television." Subsequently, on July 28, 2012, CHCT-TV's call sign was changed to CHCO-TV.
On December 20, 2012, CHCO-TV was added to the Bell TV satellite television service on channel 539, reaching almost 1.6 million subscribers across the country.
On October 24, 2014, CHCO-TV was included in the Bell Aliant Fibe television service on channel 58, available to most of New Brunswick. It was later moved to channel 26 on September 8, 2016, to align with its licensed over-the-air channel.
Finally, on November 21, 2018, CHCO-TV became available to mainland cable subscribers county-wide on channel 126, following a presentation by CHCO-TV volunteers before the CRTC during a Rogers' license renewal hearing the previous month.
Today
CHCO-TV is the first community LPTV station in New Brunswick to operate independently from the cable television provider. It is also the only locally owned and operated television station in the Province of New Brunswick. CHCO-TV broadcasts local events, town council meetings, local sports, and produces such programs as NewsBreak26 with Vicki Hogarth, Good Day from the Bay, Fundy Tidings, NBWA: New Brunswickers Want Action, The Carr Brothers LIVE, Mc & T's Sports Report, The Rob Patry Show, John Higgins LIVE, What's the Call, The Etiquette Guy, Southwest Magazine, Your Town Matters, CHCO-TV Bingo and commentaries with Ross Ingram.
Transition to digital television
On February 15, 2021, CHCO-TV started broadcasting their signal in high definition digital TV and concluded broadcasting their traditional analog/NTSC broadcast on UHF channel 26. On July 23, 2021, Rogers cable began distribution of CHCO-TV in HD.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://chco.tv}}
- {{RecnetCanada|CHCO-TV}}
{{New Brunswick TV}}
{{CanindTVstations}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chco-Tv}}
Category:1993 establishments in New Brunswick
Category:Canadian community channels
Category:Saint Andrews, New Brunswick
Category:Television channels and stations established in 1993