In 1984, three groups responded to the
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission's (CRTC) call for applications to bring an additional television service to Saskatchewan. CanWest Capital Corporation, owner of the
Global Television Network in Ontario and
CKND-TV in
Winnipeg, triggered the call with its bid, which proposed a station to be known as SaskWest in the planning phase and as STV on the air. Allarcom Limited, owner of
CITV in
Edmonton, and Saskatchewan Television Network, a consortium of Harvard Communications (owner of
CKCK-TV, locally known as "CKTV") and private stations in
Yorkton,
Prince Albert, and
Swift Current. Their proposals were as follows: • CanWest proposed separately staffed stations in
Regina and
Saskatoon, which would each offer local news, alternative entertainment programming, and local drama support much as CanWest had at CKND. • Allarcom's proposal called for a service to be known as Saskatchewan Independent Television with separate studios in Regina and Saskatoon. The Regina studio would be outfitted for drama production, while news and other local programs were promised. • Saskatchewan Television Network proposed to make its service available by broadcast transmitters at Regina and Saskatoon and by cable in 50 other provincial communities using the
SaskTel fibre optic network. The network would be used to distribute educational programming throughout the province. Within five years, STN pledged to start a local operation in Moose Jaw. STN also proposed a variety of local programs covering arts, country music, and the Saskatchewan legislature. One of the main problems facing the applicants at the outset was the availability of an additional channel at Regina. STV intended to broadcast on channel 13 in Regina, to be made available by the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation building a new transmitter site at
Belle Plaine and consolidating channels used for broadcast in Regina and
Moose Jaw, but the federal government cancelled the funding that was to be used to build the facility; the CRTC postponed a hearing for the applications, and the tower project was formally cancelled in early 1985. Saskatchewan Television Network merged its bid with Allarcom in April 1985. One notable condition of the combined application was that the proposed service would not be available on broadcast TV in Saskatoon, only in Regina. By contrast, SaskWest's application had only changed the proposed channel for Regina, from 13 to 11. Hearings opened in Regina on June 18, 1985, with the SaskWest bid being presented to the CRTC first. The Harvard–Allarcom bid was modified, in a move that frustrated CanWest chairman
Izzy Asper but answered complaints from commissioners, to specify a more independent news service from CKCK-TV and a commitment to start over-the-air broadcasting within five years, but it would otherwise mostly consist of programming from CITV. Asper considered the final Harvard–Allarcom proposal inadequate under the definition of a "third service", while backers of the Harvard–Allarcom bid questioned whether Saskatchewan's TV advertising market could support the station established in the SaskWest/STV plan. On September 12, 1985, the CRTC awarded the third-service licences to SaskWest based on its experience operating CKND, CanWest's financial resources, and its promised local programming. At the time, STV was slated to launch by September 1, 1986. Harvard and Allarcom moved to challenge the ruling in the
Federal Court of Appeal and appealed to the federal cabinet with Harvard believing that any downturn in the profits from CKCK-TV could cause the company to fall into "financial jeopardy" because, despite being diversified into real estate, insurance, and oil and natural gas, the broadcasting division was responsible for more than half its total revenues. The federal cabinet, agreeing with Harvard, remanded the applications to the CRTC for reconsideration on November 8, overturning the commission's initial decision. The decision was based on two questions: whether Regina and Saskatoon were combined or separate TV markets and whether they could support the introduction of a third television service. The news was a disappointment to SaskWest and its backers, faced with a setback in construction plans, who immediately suspected political lobbying had something to do with the ruling; Harvard chairman Fred Hill was noted for his closeness with the Conservatives, then in federal government. MPs representing Saskatoon admitted they had been lobbied by several groups; the entire 14-member Saskatchewan delegation to Parliament supported the Harvard appeal. SaskWest campaigned publicly as well as with the CRTC to rally support for its bid. Several provincial politicians bucked their federal parties to support SaskWest, including in the
New Democratic Party and the
Progressive Conservatives. A second round of hearings opened in Regina on February 11, 1986. The primary topic of contention was whether existing stations such as CKCK-TV could withstand the introduction of a new service. SaskWest cited the profits CKCK-TV had reported to the CRTC in recent years, while Harvard and Allarcom believed a downturn in the economy was already occurring and hurting the stations. The CRTC in April ruled in favor of SaskWest and reaffirmed its original decision, noting that although Regina and Saskatoon were indeed separate markets, the stations there could economically withstand a new competitor. ==Construction and launch==