From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ZBM-TV
Channels
Branding
  • ZBM TV 9 (general)
  • ZBM 9 News (newscasts)
Programming
Affiliations CBS (since 1960)
Ownership
Owner Bermuda Broadcasting Company Ltd.
ZFB-TV
History
Founded1958 (66 years ago) (1958)
Former channel number(s)
Analogue: 10 ( VHF, 1958–1982), 9 (VHF, 1982–2016)
Technical information
Licensing authority
Regulatory Authority of Bermuda (RAB)
Links
Website bermudabroadcasting.com

ZBM-TV (channel 9) is a television station in Hamilton, Bermuda, serving the British territory as an affiliate of CBS. It is owned by the Bermuda Broadcasting Company alongside ABC affiliate ZFB-TV (channel 7). The two stations share studios on Fort Hill Road in Devonshire Parish.

History

ZBM-TV was founded in 1958 by Bermuda Broadcasting Company as the first local television station in Bermuda. Before then, residents living near Kindley Field at the East End of Bermuda could watch television via unauthorized reception of the TV signal on base. The station affiliated with CBS in 1960, making it one of the few American network affiliates outside of the United States and its territories. The station transitioned to colour in 1968, possibly the first colour television service on the island of Bermuda. Originally, ZBM-TV broadcast on channel 10, but in 1982, Capital Broadcasting Company merged with Bermuda Broadcasting Company, and ZBM-TV was moved to channel 9.[ citation needed]

Technical information

Subchannel

Subchannel of ZBM-TV
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
20.9 720p 16:9 CBS CBS

Analogue-to-digital conversion

On the week of 9 March 2016, [1] Bermuda Broadcasting ended analogue broadcasts and converted ZFB-TV and ZBM-TV to digital using ATSC, with both services sharing a multiplex on channel 20. The transmitter was knocked out of service some time later when lightning struck the transmitter. In 2017, in time for the America's Cup, Bermuda Broadcasting completed an upgrade that added a second transmitter for ZFB, using virtual channel 19.7, allowing both ZFB and ZBM to broadcast in HD; it also replaced its radio transmitters. [2] With the upgrade, ZBM began using virtual channel 20.9.

References

  1. ^ "BBC's All-Digital TV Output Plans "On Course" - Bernews.com". 9 March 2016.
  2. ^ "BBC terrestrial TV service to return — in HD". Bernews. 10 April 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2019.

External links