The bigger-is-better broadcasting trend is driving growth at Craig Broadcast Systems as president Drew Craig and his two brothers take over the privately held, family-owned business following the Oct. 30 death of their father, chairman and ceo Stuart Craig.

‘With continuing consolidation of the bigger players, we need to grow as well to be competitive,’ says Craig, from the company’s Brandon, Man. home base. ‘We are going to seek out new opportunities in television throughout Canada – through acquisitions and through new licences. At the end of the day, Craig needs to be a bigger player.’

In addition to filing to the crtc for a new Vancouver/Victoria tv station, Craig Broadcast Systems has also submitted an application to bring its digital wireless cable system, SkyCable, to b.c. A hearing is scheduled for next February. LookTv is also contending for the licence. The technology to set up the system involves transmitter stations in Vancouver and other parts of b.c. and subscribers require a digital set-top box and antenna.

The company currently operates SkyCable in Manitoba and California, with another system to be rolled out in New Zealand within the next 12 months. The multichannel, multipoint distribution system uses microwave transmitters. SkyCable currently has 6,000 subscribers in southern Manitoba and 3,000 in California.

‘The most exciting thing is the capability to deliver high-speed Internet service to the home in addition to the digital video service, so we are, in effect, providing a digital pipe into the home,’ explains Craig. ‘There are huge opportunities for this technology internationally and we are pursuing them.’

While the company has not yet entered the specialty channel arena, Craig says it will file several applications when the next round of specialty hearings begins.

As for the need for capital investment to grow the company, Craig confirms the business will continue to be controlled by the family.

‘We are not for sale,’ he says. ‘We are 100% family owned at this point in time and it is our intention to keep our company headed in the path we have taken as a private company.’

On the Canadian broadcasting front, b.c. is a priority. Although he won’t give details, Craig says the application before the crtc for a Vancouver/Victoria licence promises a station similar to the local news/entertainment/movie format Craig has built in Alberta with its two independent stations, A-Channel Edmonton and Calgary. Both were licensed by the crtc in November 1996. Also vying for the Vancouver licence are Chum Ltd., Rogers and Trinity, a religious broadcaster.

Most recently, Craig Broadcasting revamped its Winnipeg station along the A-Channel model and built a new digital facility to house its operations. Craig also owns the cbc affiliate ckx-tv Brandon.

‘From a positioning point of view,’ says Craig, ‘it made sense to build on the same brand we established with A-Channel Calgary and Edmonton and expand the brand into the existing operation in Manitoba.’

Street-level news and entertainment and local magazine-style programming are combined with long-form dramatic programming on the A-Channel all-digital stations.

The Shaw/CanWest deal to divide up wic, if approved as-is by the crtc, will give wic’s Edmonton station itv to CanWest. Craig says this will not cause any programming strategy changes at A-Channel.

‘Effectively, CanWest is already here [in Alberta] by virtue of the program arrangement they have with the wic stations,’ says Craig, explaining that since the wic stations have access to wic and Global product, CanWest can put together a ‘best of’ scenario.

‘So in essence, the deal may even create some programming opportunities because Global will only have their own programs after the deal goes through.’

A-Channel will continue its movie format as opposed to a schedule stocked with series, says Craig. ‘We believe by providing an alternative of films we can continue to track large audiences.’

The CanWest/Shaw deal will also likely lead to CanWest’s owning three Vancouver stations, one of which it will have to divest. As to Craig Broadcast’s plans, Craig says, ‘our preference is to do our own thing, and at this point in time there are no stations for sale in Vancouver or anywhere else.’