Vancouver: Four broadcasters have filed formal proposals to the crtc to provide Vancouver and/or Victoria with a new television licence.

chum, Craig Broadcasting, Rogers and Trinity are still in the race while ctv and CanWest Global have pulled out.

Applicants are still cagey about the details of their bids since deficiencies need to be cleared up before the crtc will make the applications public.

At least two of the applicants, however, are promising more conventional and mainstream over-the-air stations. According to chum’s programming vp Jay Switzer, his company is promising ‘unusual and innovative’ local programming. Craig, meanwhile, promises to put forward ‘new and innovative strategies for both the funding and scheduling of local programming.’

Previously, Rogers proposed a multilingual station. Trinity is a religious broadcaster.

In 1997, the crtc approved the launch of ctv-owned vtv in the Vancouver market.