1996
* Ivan Fecan becomes president and CEO of Baton Broadcasting, and Douglas Bassett becomes vice chair.
* Baton acquires CFCN Calgary and 14.3% of CTV shares from Rogers Communications.
* Baton and Electrohome announce a joint venture allowing Baton to acquire Electrohome’s broadcasting assets and its 14.3% equity share in CTV.

1997
* The CRTC approves the Baton/Electrohome and CHUM exchange of equally valued television assets in Ontario and the Atlantic provinces, as well as Baton’s acquisition of CHUM’s 14.3% share of CTV for $10 million. This gives Baton the majority of shares, setting off a scenario whereby remaining affiliates can sell their CTV shares and still keep their stations. The CRTC also approves the Baton and Electrohome merger.
* Specialties The Comedy Network, Outdoor Life Network, CTV News 1 and History Television launch.
* Baton becomes full owner of the CTV network.

1998
* CTV Sportsnet is launched.
* Baton changes its name to CTV Inc.

1999
* CTV acquires (in trust) a 68.5% controlling interest in NetStar Communications, owner of TSN, RDS, Discovery Channel, Dome Productions, St. Clair Group, TSN SportsRadio and NTN Canada.
* CTV and Bell Canada launch the first website to offer high-speed video news, with live streaming of CTV News 1.
* CTV News 1 is renamed CTV Newsnet.
* CTV wins the fall television season. Its fall ratings are up 15% in one of its most successful fall seasons ever.

2000
* Bell Canada Enterprises announces its takeover bid for CTV. CTV retains financial advisors, and its board votes to support the BCE bid.
* The CRTC approves CTV’s acquisition of a majority stake in NetStar, subject to CTV making plans to divest itself of CTV Sportsnet.
* BCE acquires CTV in trust. The acquisition offer is accompanied by a broadcasting record $230-million benefits package. CTV stock is delisted.
* CTV News launches ctvnews.com, an interactive website that streams CTV Newsnet and CTV News with Lloyd Robertson, available on air and online simultaneously.
* The CRTC awards digital specialty licences. CTV has interests in three of the Category 1 licences awarded, including Women’s Sports Network, and 19 Category 2 licences, including Animal Planet.
* Fecan is named president and CEO of the newly created Bell Globemedia, which will combine the print, broadcast and Internet assets of CTV, The Globe and Mail, Globe Interactive, and Sympatico-Lycos.

2001
* CTV acquires CFCF Montreal and CKY 5 Winnipeg.
* CTV fully acquires Report on Business Television.
* CTV launches six new digital specialty channels: Animal Planet, CTV Travel, Discovery Civilization, ESPN Classic Canada, NHL Network and WTSN.
* CTV sells off its interests in Sportsnet to Rogers Communications.
* Cogeco and Bell Globemedia acquire TQS Network.
* CTV’s Degrassi: The Next Generation debuts Oct. 14.

2002
* RDS announces an agreement with Radio-Canada to broadcast NHL games on Saturday night.
* CTV becomes the first national conventional broadcaster in Canada to transmit over the air in high definition.
* TSN and Discovery Channel become the first two Canadian specialty channels to broadcast in HD.
* A record 2.5 million tune in to CTV to watch Ryan Malcolm named the first winner of Canadian Idol.

2004
* On Jan. 22, the comedy Corner Gas premieres to 1.15 million viewers. To date, the show’s audience has never dipped below one million.
* CTV finishes as the year’s most-watched broadcaster in primetime in all three key adult demographics.

2005
* CTV and MTV Networks International announce a multi-platform partnership to build the MTV brand in Canada.
* The CRTC approves Discovery HD – Canada’s first 24-hour HD specialty service. Discovery HD launches.
* BCE announces it is selling 48.5% of Bell Globemedia and retaining its 20% stake. Torstar Corp. and the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan will each acquire 20% of the shares, while the Thomson family’s Woodbridge Co. will raise its holding to 40% from 31.5%.

2006
* TSN’s SportsCentre is first in Canada to deliver news programming in HD.
* MTV Canada launches.
* CTV launches Canada’s first multi-channel broadband service.
* CTV and Bell Canada launch a mobile video news service for CTV News and ROBTv.
* Bell Globemedia acquires CHUM Ltd., in trust and subject to regulatory approval, through a $1.4-billion transaction.
* The CRTC approves BGM’s new ownership restructuring, which does not lead to a benefits package, as Canadian producers had hoped. The changes, which see OTPP picking up additional equity from BCE, are completed by Aug. 20. The current ownership has Woodbridge with 40%, OTPP with 25%, Torstar with 20%, and BCE with 15%.