CHEK Republic: A Revolution in Local Television

“CHEK Republic is a gripping tale of corporate intrigue, executive intransigence and employee persistence. It provides a needed counterpoise to the gloom and doom that beset Canada’s
television industry during the ownership upheaval that attended the recent recession. It
would be especially useful reading for courses in television or media management.”
                                                                     ~ Marc Edge, Canadian Journal of Communication, 2016

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In 2009, Victoria’s CHEK-TV became the first employee-owned television station in North America after corporate owner CanWest Global threatened to shut it down. The David-and-Goliath story made national headlines and reawakened a belief in local, independent broadcasting.

In the five years since the employee purchase of the station, CHEK has weathered the challenges of independent ownership and remains proudly local, in every sense of the word. While the future of media is unpredictable and the feasibility of local television continues to be challenged, CHEK Republic is, at its core, a success story, chronicling the long history, near downfall, and rebirth of a truly one-of-a-kind media outlet.


Book categories: Adult and Non-Fiction