Media in Thunder Bay explained

This is a list of media outlets in the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.

Television

Thunder Bay receives CTV and Global service from a locally owned twinstick operation rather than network-owned stations, the largest city in Canada and the only one in Ontario with such an arrangement.

Thunder Bay Television usually uses the on-air branding scheme of Thunder Bay Television, and then the name of the network to which the channel is affiliated, except in cases when the channel is airing programming from a network to which it is not affiliated, when the network name is substituted for the channel's call sign.

WBKP channel 5, the CW affiliate in Calumet, Michigan can be received in Thunder Bay with an outdoor roof antenna and a digital-capable television or receiver.

OTA virtual channel (PSIP)OTA actual channelShaw CableCall signNetworkNotes
2.12 (VHF)5CKPR-DTCTVPrivately owned affiliate operated by Dougall Media, branded as "CKPR Thunder Bay"
4.14 (VHF)6CHFD-DTGlobalPrivately owned affiliate operated by Dougall Media, branded as "Global Thunder Bay"
7.17 (VHF)7CTFM-DT-32TVARebroadcaster of CFTM-DT (Montreal)
9.19 (VHF)8CICO-DT-9TVOntarioRebroadcaster of CICA-DT (Toronto)
11.111 (VHF)13CH8192CBC TelevisionCommunity-owned rebroadcaster of CBLT-DT (Toronto)
13.113 (VHF)14CH0272Ici Radio-Canada TéléCommunity-owned rebroadcasters of CBLFT-DT (Toronto) and CBFT-DT (Montreal)
 -  - 10 - Shaw TVCommunity channel for Shaw Cable subscribers

Cable

The cable provider in Thunder Bay is Shaw. The community channel on Shaw Cable is branded as Shaw TV, and airs on cable channel 10.

American network affiliates on cable in Thunder Bay come from Minneapolis–Saint Paul: KSTP-TV (ABC), WCCO-TV (CBS), KARE (NBC), KTCA (PBS/TPT) and KMSP-TV (Fox).

Radio

Thunder Bay is home to 11 radio stations, all of which broadcast on the FM band.

There are four commercial radio stations based in the city - Rock 94.3 and CKPR 91.5, owned by Dougall Media, the parent company of Thunder Bay Television and Thunder Bay's Source, and 99.9 The Bay and Country 105, owned by Acadia Broadcasting Limited. The city receives CBC Radio One as CBQT-FM and CBC Music as CBQ-FM, at 88.3 FM and 101.7 FM respectively. The French Première Chaîne is available as a repeater of Sudbury-based CBON-FM on 89.3 FM. Lakehead University operates a campus radio station, CILU-FM, at 102.7 FM.

On May 16, 2008, the Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada was given approval by the CRTC for a broadcasting licence to operate a specialty low-power FM commercial radio programming undertaking in Pickle Lake and a transmitter in Thunder Bay. The station broadcasts at 96.5 FM in Pickle Lake and has a rebroadcaster at 98.1 FM in Thunder Bay. It airs content in English, Ojibwe, Cree, and Oji-Cree[1]

FrequencyCall signBrandingFormatOwnerNotes
FM 88.3CBQT-FMCBC Radio Onepublic news/talkCanadian Broadcasting CorporationRebroadcast throughout Northwestern Ontario
FM 89.3CBON-FM-20Ici Radio-Canada Premièrepublic news/talkCanadian Broadcasting CorporationFrench, rebroadcaster of CBON-FM (Sudbury)
FM 90.5CKSI-FMThunder Bay Information RadioTourist information, weather, emergency informationThunder Bay Information Radio Inc. (Information Radio) [2]
FM 91.5CKPR-FMCKPR 91.5adult contemporaryDougall MediaFormerly broadcast at AM 580[3]
FM 94.3CJSD-FMRock 94active rockDougall Media
FM 95.1CJOA-FMCJOA 95.1Christian musicUCB Media Canada IncRebroadcast in Nipigon, ON at FM 92.5
FM 97.1CITB-FMtourist informationSuperior Info Radio
FM 98.1CJTL-FM-1First Nations and Christian RadioNative Evangelical Fellowship of CanadaRebroadcast of CJTL-FM Pickle Lake
FM 99.9CJUK-FM99.9 The BayClassic hitsAcadia Broadcasting Limited
FM 101.7CBQ-FMCBC Musicpublic musicCanadian Broadcasting Corporation
FM 102.7CILU-FMLU Radiocampus radioLakehead University
FM 105.3CKTG-FMCountry 105country musicAcadia Broadcasting LimitedCall letters were CJLB until 2005

Out-of-market radio

One station, CFQK, operates outside of Thunder Bay, broadcasting on 104.5 FM in Kaministiquia. The main signal is not widely receivable in Thunder Bay itself, although the station also has a rebroadcaster on 103.5 FM in Shuniah, with the call sign CKED, which can be heard in the northeastern part of Thunder Bay. As of 2020, the station broadcasts a hot adult contemporary format, branded as Energy 103 & 104. CFQK-FM and its rebroadcaster CKED-FM had gone through a number of format changes since the station was launched in 2002.

Print media

Thunder Bay has one daily newspaper, The Chronicle-Journal, which has a circulation of approximately 28,000[4] and has coverage of all of Northwestern Ontario. There are two weekly newspapers - Thunder Bay's Source, operated by Dougall Media, and Canadan Sanomat, a Finnish language paper.

Thunder Bay also has a locally owned monthly arts and culture magazine, The Walleye, which is distributed for free throughout the city and surrounding area. The Walleye is also available online and the website provides insight into the local arts, culture and entertainment scene.[5]

Superior Outdoors is a locally owned outdoor lifestyle magazine that is published twice a year (November and May). The magazine was started in 2007.[6] Lakehead University's student newspaper is called The Argus, and is published weekly during the school year.[7]

The Chronicle Journal publishes a free weekly called Spot every Thursday, focusing on entertainment.

The city produces a bi-monthly publication to citizens titled yourCity, which is also available online in a PDF format.

Netnewsledger is a daily updated website that reproduces press releases and lists current events in Thunder Bay, and allows politicians to connect to their constituents.[8]

Great Expectations Marketing publishes four quarterly community newspapers: Bay & Algoma Community, Current River Times, Simpson & Victoria Place, and Westfort Community. The community newspapers feature various local businesses and also support local charities and nonprofit organizations. The newspapers are delivered to community households.

Notes and References

  1. http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2008/db2008-106.htm Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2008-106
  2. http://www.tbir.ca Thunder Bay Information Radio CKSI 90.5 FM
  3. http://www.northpine.com/broadcast/archive/news0207.html News, Feb 07 - See Ontario
  4. http://www.netnewsledger.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1358&Itemid=2 Sudbury Star and Sault Star part of media buyout
  5. http://www.thewalleye.ca The Walleye home page
  6. http://www.superioroutdoors.ca Superior Outdoors home page
  7. http://argus.theorem.ca/index.php?view=section&iid=9457&sid=1 The Argus
  8. http://www.netnewsledger.com Netnewsledger home page