Canterbury Television began broadcasting to Canterbury in June 1991, as New Zealand's first regional television station. Assistance was provided by TVNZ, who allowed CTV to use it's recently closed production facilities.
CTV produced local news and current affairs, and developed a number of other local shows such as Susan Sells (home-shopping), AMI Motoring World, Jim Hopkins Live, Oderings Home and Garden and The George Balani Show, all rating very well for the station.

TVNZ bought CTV in 1995, making it part of their Horizon regional station network.

In 1997 TVNZ shut down the Horizon network, but within a few months CTV was back on the air with the support of the Canterbury community.
In 2001 a number of celebrities who launched CTV ten years earlier returned to the station for the birthday celebrations, including Jim Hopkins and Rob Cope-Williams.