It initially focused on airing programs from the U.S. broadcast networks that could not fit on Global's own schedule, in order to avail of simultaneous substitution opportunities.

: Entertainment Television, although it continued to air much of the same American network series in primetime and the afternoon.

Following corporate financial difficulties, which eventually led to the company filing for bankruptcy protection and the sale of their properties to Shaw Media, Canwest announced in early 2009 it would look to either sell or close its E!

ceased operations on August 31, 2009: two stations (CHCH and CJNT-TV Montreal) were sold to Channel Zero; CHEK-TV Victoria was sold to a consortium of local investors and station employees; CHBC-TV Kelowna was converted to a Global O&O; and CHCA-TV Red Deer was shut down entirely.

The three Pattison-owned affiliates subsequently joined Rogers Media's City network, as did CJNT several years later.

Even so, during the 1990s, WIC had been stepping up its acquisitions of American programming, eventually acquiring shows such as Everybody Loves Raymond, Will & Grace, Suddenly Susan, Just Shoot Me!, and Touched by an Angel.

Similarly, in Alberta, Global or WIC programs that could not fit onto the schedules of WIC's Calgary or Edmonton stations would instead air on Red Deer CBC affiliate CKRD, available on cable in much of the province, in non-network timeslots.

Its plan to keep all of the WIC stations, save CFCF-TV in Montreal, faced strong opposition from competitors and advocacy groups.

However, Canwest convinced the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) that such twinstick operations would allow the company to support the "underserved" communities these stations were originally intended to serve,[1] arguing that no other company could provide the same level of support (CJNT would not be sustainable financially, while the other stations would turn their focus to larger neighbouring markets such as Toronto or Vancouver).

For instance, Canwest promised to relaunch CHCH as a station with a renewed focus on Hamilton.

CKRD joined in 2005 after disaffiliating from the CBC (having carried CH programming in non-CBC timeslots like it did during the WIC era prior to this), and reverted to its original call letters (CHCA) in the process.

[4] Kelowna's CHBC and Kamloops's CFJC, the latter owned by the Jim Pattison Group, also disaffiliated from the CBC in February 2006 and joined CH.

Although CFJC was not owned by Canwest, its joint sales agreement with CHBC necessitated its affiliation switch.

programming had aired on Star!, which was launched in 1999 as the Canadian specialty channel with genre exclusivity for the entertainment / celebrity niche.

Despite the rebranding and increased coverage, the system continued to trail in the ratings, and ultimately remained unprofitable.

On February 5, 2009, amid rising debt and increasing pressure from creditors, Canwest announced it would explore "strategic options", including possible sale or closure, for its E!

O&Os, saying "a second conventional TV network is no longer key to the long-term success" of the company.

stations as of fall 2009,[12] and in late July announced the rebranding of CHBC, and the closure of CHCA and CHEK, all effective September 1.

[4][13] However, as discussed below, the CHEK decision was later reversed, with an agreement to sell the station to a local consortium.

In fall 2010, CTVglobemedia (later renamed Bell Media after its purchase by BCE Inc.) reached a new deal with Comcast to move E!

Following their respective sales, CHCH and CHEK both began airing a line-up consisting primarily of rolling news during the daytime hours, and a featured movie each evening.

Since September 2010, CHCH, CJNT and CHEK have once again carried some of the same programming on the same date, having each acquired regional rights to various U.S. series, such as Smallville, Supernatural, Everybody Hates Chris, Chuck, Nightline, 20/20, 60 Minutes, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, 48 Hours Mystery, and selected NBA on ABC season and playoff games, most of which were shed by Sun TV as part of its transition to the Sun News Network.

However, the stations retain their existing ownership and branding, and are expected to continue scheduling movies and selling advertising independently.

Initially, it was not uncommon for Global, which was carried in more cities nationwide, to cherry-pick some of CH's hits and air them on the main network.

Similar network-based branding practices have been common at most local TV stations in Canada, including the O&Os of Canwest's primary Global network, since the late 1990s.

branding was downplayed somewhat during sports programming such as PGA Tour coverage, when the system's bug was not seen.

The bug was, however, used during some shows outside of the "entertainment" genre, such as lifestyle programming aired during the daytime schedule.