The buyer for Hamilton’s CHCH-TV promises to “broadcast all news/all day with well known movie favourites in the evening” and to “aggressively pursue” high-definition plans.

Toronto-based Channel Zero, which operates Silver Screen Classics, Movieola, adult channels AOV Adult Movie Channel, XXX Action Clips Channel and MaleFlixxx Television and The Fight Network, has bought the local station, along with a Montreal affiliate for an undisclosed price.

Channel Zero says it will offer jobs to all current employees and one of its conditions is that unionized staff agree to work under a now-expired collective agreement until November 2010, said a Canwest spokesperson.

“These stations have lost millions over the last few years. That’s not sustainable,” said Cal Millar, vice-president and general manager of Channel Zero.

“We’re small but we’re profitable ... We want to give CHCH another 55 years.”

Canwest is being crushed under $4 billion in debt and had lost $1.5 billion in the first four months of this year.

The CHCH deal is subject to approval by the CRTC and hinges on unionized staff accepting cuts to pensions and benefits.

Nick Garbutt, president of the union representing about 100 unionized staff at CHCH, says workers are greatly relieved by the deal and that jobs are safe.

“It’s a wonderful day for CH considering the alternative... There’s lots of relief considering we were two months away from closing.”


Canwest spokesperson John Douglas said the goal is have the deal finalized by Aug. 31. The federal broadcast regulator, CRTC, must approve the agreement.

 “The buyer is playing to the core strength and legacy of CHCH in its news-gathering ability,” said Douglas. “This will represent the best opportunity to the station, the community and the employees.”