Ontario, Western Ontario

CBET-TV, Windsor, Canadian Broadcasting Corp.

1946
Windsor was to be serviced by American television following an announcement that DuMont receivers would be manufactured for adaptability to 25 cycle power used in certain areas of Canada. The Detroit News, owner of WWDT-TV (later WWJ-TV), revealed that service would be made available to Canadians within 35 miles of WWDT, located in the Penobscot Building in Detroit. ABC's Detroit station (WDLT, later WXYZ) was also nearing completion, giving Windsor another possible station to view. Two downtown Detroit studios were ready for use at the end of the year and a 355 foot tower for FM and TV was available for use.

1953
CKLW submitted a television application to the Department of Transport. The Windsor Chamber of Commerce officially backed the proposal. The chamber told the CBC that while the area was widely served by American TV stations, it was felt the area should have the competitive services of a Canadian station so that telecasts of a Canadian nature may be transmitted within the area as extensively as possible. Western Ontario Broadcasting Co.'s application proposed the use of channel 9 with an effective radiated power of 103,000 watts video and 61,800 watts audio with an antenna 619.5 feet above average terrain. The CBC Board of Governors approved the CKLW proposal, saying it recommended this station for approval on the understanding that it would be fully obligated to carry available national program service at times specified. The proposed station would provide an adequate service in the region it was intended to serve. CKLW president and general manager J.E. Campeau said he had originally applied for a TV licence in 1949 but no action had been taken by the CBC Board. The CBC pointed out that a survey revealed 85% of the station's programs were American. Campeau responded by saying he hoped to have considerable Canadian programming on TV.

The CBC opened Canada's first television stations in September of 1952 - CBFT Montreal, followed two days later by CBLT in Toronto. The corporation had plans for a number of additional stations of its own, across the country. In March, the CBC, which was also the broadcast regulator, recommended for approval (to the Department of Transport), television licences for the private sector at Hamilton, London, Quebec City, Saint John, Sudbury, Sydney and Windsor. An application for Kitchener was denied but approved by the end of the year.

Plans for the development of a national TV network composed of privately-owned and CBC stations were tentatively agreed to in June. Present licensees agreed to carry a minimum of 10 1/2 hours of CBC-produced programs weekly.

CKLW was granted an increase in effective radiated power from 103,000 watts video and 61,800 watts audio to 250,000 watts video and 140,000 watts audio. Maximum power would be 325,000 watts video and 220,000 watts audio. Antenna height would increase from 619 to 631 feet and a directional antenna would be used. The changes would bring Sarnia withing CKLW-TV's coverage area. The technical changes still required American approval.

Ad: By 1954 Canada's most powerful television station - covering the nation's best TV market.

Just before Christmas a joint ground breaking ceremony was held by Canadian and American officials to start the $1,250,000 project to erect the 670 foot CKLW-TV tower in combination with new AM-FM and TV studios on the Windsor waterfront. RCA would supply the new TV tower. Among those on hand for the ceremony were Detroit Mayor Albert E. Cobo, Windsor Mayor Arthur J. Reaume and the Honorable Paul Martin, Minister of National Health and Welfare. Manager J.E. Campeau said he expected CKLW would be on the air seven hours daily from 4 to 11 p.m. starting in July (1954) although no programming plans would be completed until March. He added that much of the current radio personnel and talent would be utilized to build local shows in respect to news, sports and features, all to be augmented by an extensive film program. The new building and tower would be located at Sandwich and Crawford Streets, facing the Detroit River. CKLW-TV would be the first Canadian TV station to operate on maximum allowable power (325,000 watts video ERP). Audio power would be 220,000 watts ERP.

In addition to J.E. Campeau (president and general manager), other members of the CKLW board of directors were Harry Sedgwick, J.E. Rogers, Samuel Rogers, Q.C., and John Campbell. E. Wilson Wardell was commercial manager.

1954
Ted Campeau
          Ted Campeau
In January CFPL-TV became the fourth and newest link in Canada's network of TV stations as the microwave relay system constructed and operated by Canadian National-Canadian Pacific was completed to the city. The network now stretched from Toronto to Montreal, via Ottawa, servicing CBC TV stations in each city, and four new microwave transmitters (Milton, Galt, Woodstock and London) completed the span from Toronto to London. The new transmitters would carry long distance phone calls and some 22 hours of network TV programs a week to CFPL-TV. Plans called for the extension of the system with short hops to CHCH-TV Hamilton and from the Galt unit to Kitchener's CKCO-TV. From London the system would also be extended to CKLW-TV in Windsor. UPDATE: The link to Kitchener was to be completed on February 21. On this date it was expected that CKCO-TV would begin telecasting as a basic station in the CBC's mid-eastern TV network. Completion of the link to CHCH-TV Hamilton was expected in April, and to CKLW-TV Windsor, early next year. There were also plans to link Montreal with CFCM-TV in Quebec City.

S. Campbell Ritchie, for several years program director of CKLW, was appointed director of operations for CKLW and CKLW-TV, which was planning to debut in early September. The appointment was announced by J.E. (Ted) Campeau, president. Arthur MacColl, film director at WJBK-TV Detroit assumed the same position with CKLW-TV. Don Sharon would be his assistant. Bruce Chick, continuity director for radio, was now TV traffic director. Don Grant, assistant chief photographer for the Windsor Daily News for 15 years was named TV news photographer. These TV directors were named: Al Venning, Charles Broadhead and Bernard Holland. Frank Quinn, formerly of Chrysler Corp., was assigned to TV production. Charles Knight would be art director and Giles McMahon would devote a large part of his time to program promotion. John Gordon was transferred from chief announcer to radio program director. Margaret Marshall would be in charge of CKLW traffic and continuity. Art Turnbull, staff announcer for the past 12 years, would assume responsibilities as director of production facilities. W.J. (Bill) Carter was director of engineering for CKLW Radio and Television.

CKLW-TV signed on the air on September 16. Studios, offices, antenna and transmitter were located at 825 Sandwich Street West (later became 825 Riverside Drive). The station's 650 foot tubular tower was the tallest structure in South Western Ontario. The tower was a new design that saw the actual tower conducting power to the top of the mast, cutting out the need for transmission lines. The antenna was an RCA 12-slot high gain Wavestack. RCA supplied all transmitter and studio equipment.

1956
RKO Distributing became primary owner of the CKLW stations. through Western Ontario Broadcasting Co. Ltd. when the transfer of a one-third interest in Western Ontario was approved on condition that there be no further transfers to non-Canadian control, specifically that the company gives an undertaking that any change in the distribution of shares of affiliated Essex Broadcasters Inc. be submitted for approval.

1957
CKLW Channel 9 had an effective radiated power of 178,000 watts video and 107,000 watts audio. It was a CBC basic affiliate.

Ownership of Western Ontario Broadcasting Co. Ltd.: RKO Distributing Corporation of Canada Ltd. 33.4%, Essex Broadcasters Inc. 32.4%, Estate of E. S. Rogers 11.8%, Estate of M. G. Campbell 6.5%, J. E. Campeau 5.9%, S. Rogers 3.2%, S. C. Ritchie 0.4%, J. L. Labow 0.1%, K. Laird 0.1%, A. D. Rogers 0.1%, 15 other shareholders 6.1%. Ownership of RKO Distributing Corp. of Canada Ltd.: RKO Teleradio Pictures Inc. 92.0%, J. Miller Walker 1.0%, William H. Clark 1.0%, Joseph J. Lamb 1.0%, Garrett Van Wagner 1.0%, 4 other shareholders 4.0%. Essex Broadcasters Inc. - Subsidiary company incorporated in the United States and owned in direct proportion by all shareholders of licensee company.

W. J. (Bill) Carter retired after 25 years in the business. He designed and built CKLW and Toronto's CFRB. He had been chief engineer and director of engineering for CKLW Radio & Television. Carter was replaced by Stewart Clark who had been with CKLW since 1937, working in technical and maintenance supervisory capacities.

 
                    
J. E. Campeau was president of the company and manager of the CKLW stations. S. Campbell Ritchie was operations manager. Wally Townsend was music director, Austin Grand was news director and Stewart Clark was director of engineering.

A station ad promoted CKLW-TV's effective radiated power of 325,000 watts video and 180,000 watts audio.

1961
CKLW Radio and Television started self-selling its commercial time in the United States rather than using a sales representation firm.

1965
CKLW Radio-TV dropped All-Canada Radio & Television as its national sales rep firm and opened its own sales office in Toronto. This was based on the huge success of selling its own ad time in the U.S. since 1961.

At the same time, S. C. Ritchie, President of Western Ontario Broadcasting Co.
Cam Ritchie
                 Cam Ritchie
Ltd. announced the appointments of Edwin C. Metcalfe as general manager of CKLW-TV and Bob Buss (formerly of CHAT-TV Medicine Hat), GM of CKLW-AM-FM.

1968
LeGrand S. Fedfield resigned as GSM and was replaced by Paul R. Litt, former account executive with RKO national sales in Chicago.

1969
The Canadian Radio-Television Commission introduced foreign ownership regulations. CKLW Radio & Television were owned by Western Ontario Broadcasting Co. Ltd., which was owned by RKO Distributing Corp. of Canada Ltd. That company was owned by RKO General Inc. of the U.S. RKO in turn was owned by Akron, Ohio based General Tire & Rubber Co. As a result, Western Ontario Broadcasting was not an eligible corporation for licence. CKLW-AM-FM and TV had their licences renewed only until September 1, 1970. They had until that time to conform to the new   rules as their petition for exemption from the foreign ownership rules was denied.
 
1970
Baton Broadcasting Ltd & Maclean-Hunter Ltd. had proposed to jointly buy CKLW-TV (50% each). The CRTC turned the application down. Instead, the CRTC awarded a licence jointly to Baton and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. A five year licence was granted to St. Clair River Broadcasting Ltd. (25% interest, owned by CBC) and Baton (75%). The CBC would become full owner of the station prior to the expiration of this licence. CKLW-TV was to remain affiliated with the CBC, but could add CTV and other programs to complete its schedule. It was June 24 that the CRTC approved this arrangement.

1972
CKLW-AM and FM received approval to move to new facilities at 1640 Ouelette Avenue. CKLW-TV remained at 825 Riverside Drive West.

1974
On May 31, St. Clair River Broadcasting Ltd. (CBC) was authorized to acquire the interest in CKLW-TV held by CFTO-TV Ltd. (Baton). 

1975
On July 18, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (formerly known in this case as St. Clair River Broadcasting Ltd.) was authorized to acquire 100% of CKLW-TV as of September 1, and to change the combined CBC-CTV affiliation to CBC only.

The CBC took full ownership of CKLW on September 1 and changed the call sign to CBET-TV. Full programming service was now available to the Windsor area. CTV programming would soon be available to the area via a rebroadcast transmitter of CKCO-TV in Kitchener. 

1976
Global Television had to apply to the CRTC for permission to run slides when certain U.S. programming aired on its Cottam (Windsor) transmitter. It was noted at this time that the CBC also could not carry many of its programs on CBET because program contracts protected the Detroit market. This included many hockey games and even some Canadian productions considered suitable for distribution in the U.S.

1983
Sue Prestedge left CBET for CBC Sports.

1984
Neil Stevens left CBET to handle anchor duties at CFPL-TV in London.

1985
Budget cuts forced the elimination of locally-produced weekend news and other programs. The 90-minute weekday early evening local news package remained. The late-evening weekend newscast now originated out of CBLT Toronto. CBET did retain  reporters and crews to provide coverage of weekend happenings.

1986
Retired CKLW Radio and Television chief engineer Stuart Clark passed away May 13 at the age of 73. Before joining the CKLW stations, Clark worked for CFCO Chatham (starting in 1929), CFPL London, CKTB St. Catharines and CKOC Hamilton. He joined CKLW Radio in 1937, and moved to television in 1953 with the construction of CKLW-TV. Clark became director of engineering for CKLW-TV in 1957. He retired in 1973, two years before CKLW-TV became CBET.

1987
Norma Kent left CBET as a news anchor to join the CBC network's "Market Place".

1989
At the station’s licence renewal hearing, it was noted that CBET offered station-acquired Canadian and foreign programs to replace the CBC-acquired U.S. programs that are protected by U.S. broadcast rights and may not be aired on CBET because Detroit, Michigan is located within its coverage area.

1991
S. Campbell Ritchie passed away at age 75. The former president of the C.A.B. joined CKLW in 1936 as a staff singer, later becoming an announcer. He eventually became operations manager for CKLW and, later, CKLW-TV, becoming president and general manager in 1961.

On December 5, 1990, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation announced its intention to implement, effective immediately, various reductions in service and other measures intended to address an estimated budget shortfall of approximately $108 million for the coming fiscal year. Among the cuts announced was the elimination of local programming on CBET Windsor. It would receive its programming from CBLT Toronto. The CRTC approved these changes on June 28, 1991.

1994
In October, CBET resumed production of a local newscast totaling 2 hours and 30 minutes per week. An agreement with CWSG and NABET will allow news people to combine reporting and camera work. CBET newscasts had ended in December of 1990 due to budget cuts.

Toby David died at the age of 79. He joined CKLW Radio in the 1930's and became "Captain Jolly", a popular children's program personality on CKLW-TV when it went on the air in 1954.

1995
It was announced that the CBC would equip CBET with state-of-the-art news gathering, editing and production equipment, and that new staff will be added to the Windsor operation.

1996
On September 6, CBET began operating from a new transmitter site at McGregor, northwest of Amherstburg and southwest of Essex (CBEFT tower).

On October 29, CBET was authorized to decrease effective radiated power from 182,000 watts to 80,700 watts. This change was due to the CBC’s plan to relocate the existing CBET broadcasting facility from downtown Windsor to co-site with sister station CBEFT, located near McGregor.  

2009
On May 12 the CRTC renewed CBET's licence.

                                                   Written by Bill Dulmage - Updated June, 2010