Business News Network (BNN) is a Canadian English language cable television specialty channel, which airs business news and analysis. The Downtown Toronto-based station is owned by CTV Television Inc., a division of CTVglobemedia. Its day-to-day operations are run by CTV News.
History
As Report on Business Television (ROBTv)
The network was licensed in 1996 to a joint venture of Thomson Corporation (50%), WIC (25%), and Cancom (25%). It began broadcasting on September 1, 1999 under the name Report on Business Television (although using the abbreviation ROBTv), borrowing the name from The Globe and Mail’s financial section “Report on Business”.
In 2000, CanWest Global acquired WIC and its interest in ROBTv. As part of the agreement transferring WIC’s interests in Cancom to Shaw Communications, CanWest acquired Cancom’s share of the channel as well.
That same year, the two partners became in conflict with each other: CanWest acquired the Southam newspaper chain, including the National Post, the Globe’s chief rival. Around the same time, Thomson transferred the Globe and its shares of ROBTv to Bell Globemedia, a newly formed media company which also included CTV, in which Thomson initially held a 20% interest. Following threats of legal action on both sides, CanWest agreed to sell its 50% to BGM, in exchange for Bell ExpressVu agreeing to carry a new CanWest-owned digital business news channel, “Financial Post Television”. The latter channel never materialized.
BGM assumed full control of ROBTv in late 2001. Shortly thereafter, the channel was given a new logo and began to use only the full name of Report on Business Television, dropping “ROBTv”.
As Business News Network (BNN)
On March 12, 2007, since the owner’s name changed from Bell Globemedia to CTVglobemedia, Report on Business Television was renamed “Business News Network”, although no channel format or schedule change occurred. The name change occurred to give exclusive rights to the “Report on Business” name to the Globe and Mail and for the channel to have its own identity. Network executives also stated that they were unhappy that viewers would sometimes pronounce the acronym ROBTv as “rob” TV rather than “r-o-b” TV.
Programming
A large majority of the programing found on BNN is produced in-house, although it also carries content from other sources including Bloomberg Television. Originally it was the Canadian broadcast partner of CNNfn, an American business news channel, which closed in December 2004.
BNN features a televised stock ticker with real-time data from the TSX, NYSE, NASDAQ as well as many international exchanges. Based in Toronto, BNN also has a news bureau located at the NASDAQ Market Site in New York City’s Times Square.
BNN attracts approximately 5,000 regular viewers daily and has a strong viewership outside of the home (in gyms, restaurants, offices, etc.) which is not reflected in its ratings. This is a situation also faced by networks with high out-of-home viewing patterns such as CNBC.
Special programming
The network hosts a series of special presentations throughout the year, including valued specials for tax and RSP seasons. In Fall 2006, Report on Business Television hosted its first “Live On Location” event in Toronto where a studio audience was featured during two of the broadcaster’s most popular shows, Market Call with Jim O’Connell and SqueezePlay with Amanda Lang and Kevin O’Leary. This marked the first time viewers had the opportunity to go live in person with the station during regular programming.
In May 2008, the Network re-launched BNN.ca, featuring their first-ever online contest called The BNN.ca $25,000 Challenge. The updated BNN.ca showcased a new video player allowing investors to search, sort and personalize BNN video; and the new player increased availability of past BNN video by allowing viewers to access content for an unlimited period of time online. Other added features on the site:
- Blogs
- Market Monitor
- Feature Video on the Home Page
- Online Stock Ticker
- Hot Stocks
- Guest Picks
- Indices
- Latest/Popular News tracking
Noted programs
- Market Call
- Talking Tax
- Small Caps
- Stars & Dogs
- workopolis TV
- GetConnectedTV
- SqueezePlay
- The Business News
- MoneyTalk
- Market Call Tonight
- After Hours
- Trading Day
- Strictly Legal
- The Street
- Market Morning
- Berman’s Call
- Lunch Money
- Commodities Report
From 6:00 a.m. EST to 8:00am EST each day, BNN simulcasts Bloomberg Television’s Morning Call
On-air hosts and contributors
- Mike Agerbo
- Paul Bagnell
- Andrew Bell
- Pat Bolland
- Mark Bunting
- Martin (Marty) Cej
- Michael Cochrane
- Jon Erlichman
- Anne Gaviola
- Howard Green
- Michael Hainsworth
- Michael Kane
- Pat Kiernan
- Amanda Lang
- Niall McGee
- Jacquie McNish
- Linda Nazareth
- Kevin O’Leary
- Kim Parlee
- Bruce Sellery
- Linda Sims
- AJ Vickery
- Paul Waldie
- Andy Willis
Logos
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| 1999 – 2002 | 2002 – 2007 | 2007 – present |
