CBC Television Networks
The development of television in Canada had been interrupted by WWII. While other countries had taken the lead in post war experimentation, Canada, realizing that television would go through a difficult and costly period, opted for the role of observer. From its studies, the government deemed it wise to delay the introduction of television until it was satisfied that it could adopt a system which would serve the best interests of the country.
1946
That being said, Canadians living next to or near the Canada-USA border were receiving U.S. television programs with relative ease, and others further distant with high antennas could pick them up with varied clarity. But most Canadians had yet to see their first television program - and they were waiting impatiently.
1949
In March, the Government of Canada took its first positive step when it gave the CBC permission to create TV production centers in Toronto and Montreal, and loaned it the money for the purpose.
1950
Despite the fact that Canadian television did not exist, by 1950, 30,000 television sets were purchased in Canada, and by the next year, another 40,000 were sold.
1951
The Royal Commission on National Development in Arts, Letters and Sciences (The Massey-Levesque Commission) recommended to Parliament a plan for the development of Canadian TV which would see the CBC establishing transmitters in a number of large cities of Canada, supplemented by private stations which would act as CBC affiliates.
1952
On September 6th, CBFT Montreal had the honour of being the first Canadian TV station to begin regular broadcasting, programming in both French and English. CBLT Toronto followed two days later. Initially, the two stations offered 18 hours of programming a week - together, capable of reaching 30% of Canadians - a figure well exceeding the number owning TV sets.
1953
A Bell microwave-link between Toronto and Buffalo made it possible for CBLT to carry American programs "live". A link to connect with CBFT in Montreal and to the CBC's newest station CBOT-TV, was completed in time to broadcast the June 2nd coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. CBC's TV weekly programming rose to 30 hours.
Canada's first privately owned television station CKSO-TV (CBC's first private affiliate) came on the air October 25. With infinite ingenuity and lacking a direct source of networked programs, by providing a mixture of locally-produced features, theatrical films and kinescopes (video recordings) of CBC-produced programs shipped by air daily from Toronto, CKSO-TV pioneered a mode of television broadcasting that endured until the microwave system linked the station to Toronto in 1956.
CFPL-TV London, hard on the heels of CKSO-TV, became the second private affiliate on November 28th.
On December 16th, Vancouver's CBUT became the first TV station to be built in western Canada.
1954
The year saw 3 more CBC TV stations in operation - CBC's English language station, CBMT Montreal, (January 10) leaving CBFT to program French language only, CBWT in Winnipeg (May 31) and CBHT in Halifax (December 20th).
Fifteen private affiliates of the CBC came on the air - in Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon, Sault Ste. Marie, Windsor, Kitchener, Hamilton, Kingston, Quebec City, Moncton, Sydney, Saint John, N.B. and Port Arthur (Thunder Bay) and Rimouski.
With 7 CBC stations and 17 privately owned affiliates, the reach of CBC programming rose in two years to 60%, with the number of Canadians owning receivers climbing from 150,000 to almost one million.
1955
Eight more private stations came alive - in Lethbridge, Brandon, North Bay, Wingham, Barrie, Peterborough, Jonquiere and St. Johns.
CBOFT-TV came on the air June 25th, the CBC-owned second French language station.
By March, the Bell Telephone microwave connected stations in Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Peterborough, Kingston, Toronto, Hamilton, Kitchener, London and Windsor. The CBC continued to use kinescope recordings to serve all other cities.
1956
Private stations were born in Victoria, Charlottetown, Timmins and Sherbrooke.
The first television broadcast of the opening of Parliament could have been accessed by 66% of all Canadians.
1957
Television was brought by private stations to Kamloops, Kelowna, Medicine Hat, Swift Current, Red Deer, Noranda and an English station in Quebec City.
The Report of the Royal Commission on Broadcasting established December 2, 1955 by Order in Council, was tabled on March 15th. The "Fowler Report", so-named for its chairman, Robert Fowler, ranged over a wide number of issues and had a significant impact on policy development. Overriding all other recommendations was the separation of the CBC from the role of regulator, and the creation of a single system. All Canadian radio and television stations (and networks), public and private, would be integral parts - regulated and supervised by an agency representing the public interest and responsible to Parliament.
Live network arrived in Alberta via microwave in time for the World Series Baseball.
1958
Two more private stations were added to the English TV network - in Prince Albert and Yorkton, and 2 French language stations in Matane and Trois Rivieres.
The CBC English Television Network, now numbering 46 stations (only 6 of which were CBC-owned) and accessible by 91% of Canadians, celebrated its status as the world's longest television network by broadcasting a July 1 program via microwave from links stretching between Victoria, British Columbia and Sydney, Nova Scotia.
Live network service came to CBHT-TV Halifax thanks to microwave.
The CBC's French Network comprised 8 private stations and CBFT-TV Montreal and CBOFT-TV Ottawa providing the Network programming.
On September 6, Bill C-55 was passed by Parliament as The Broadcasting Act, bringing the regulation and supervision of the network and all future networks - and, for that matter, all broadcasting - under the responsibility of the Board of Broadcast Governors (BBG) which was formed on November 10.
1959
Four more private stations began broadcasting in Dawson Creek, Moose Jaw, Carleton, Que., and Cornwall.
The CBC established CBY-TV in Cornerbrook.
CBHT Halifax added re-broadcast transmitters at Liverpool, Shelbourne and Yarmouth.
1960
A private station started operations in Lloydminster and the CBC added CBWFT-TV Winnipeg to its French Network.
The Board of Broadcast Governors (BBG) held hearings for "second" private stations in eight of the largest cities in Canada. The first of these stations came on the air in Calgary and Vancouver.
The arrival of the microwave brought live CBC Network programming to British Columbia.
1961
More "second" stations came on the air in Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax.
Efforts began to form a network involving these stations and eventually came to fruition when the BBG granted a licence to CTN the Canadian Television Network to be operated by a consortium headed by Spence Caldwell, a failed applicant for the "second " TV licence in Toronto. (see The History of the CTV Network).
After much negotiation, CTN started in the fall.
The CBC established its own transmitter to serve Edmonton (CBXT-TV) and CFRN-TV switched to CTN.
One private station started in Prince George, B.C.
1962
One more private station came on the air in Terrace, B.C.
1964
CBVT-TV Quebec City came on the air as the CBC's fourth French station joining CBFT-TV Montreal, CBOFT-TV Ottawa, CBWFT-TV Winnipeg and 9 private affiliates.
CBC launched CBNT-TV in St John's Newfoundland, leaving CJON-TV to join CTN.
1966
Colour TV came to Canada when the CBC was authorized to spend an initial $15-million to convert its facilities, equipment and transmitters to the specifications needed for colour TV.
1967
CBC was host broadcaster for Expo ’67, the World’s Fair called Man And His World, which ran for six months on a group of man-made islands on the St. Lawrence River in Montreal to mark the 100th Anniversary of Canada’s Confederation. Over 650,000,000 viewers in 70 countries were estimated to have watched the Opening Ceremonies on April 28th, and scores of radio and television crews from all over the world used the CBC’s International Broadcast Centre at Expo ’67 to send coverage back to their respective countries.
In July, the CBC was also the host broadcaster for the Pan-American Games, which were held over a two-week period in Winnipeg.
1968
The CBC English Network was now broadcasting 30 hours per week of colour programming, and the CBC French Network was originating approximately 15 hours.
By an act of Parliament (The Broadcasting Act) proclaimed April 1, the Canadian Radio-Television Commission (CRTC) succeeded the Board of Broadcast Governors (BBG) as the regulator and supervisor of public and private broadcasting.
1969
CFCY-TV Charlottetown, which had been founded in 1955 by the family of Col. Keith Rogers, became an owned-and-operated station of the CBC - the call letters changing to CBCT-TV.
The CBC Network's aim to serve Canadians everywhere was re-enforced when Telesat Corporation (Telestat Canada) was created, with a mandate toward providing the first synchronous-orbit satellite designed to add improved efficiency for domestic communications.
CBC bought CHRE-TV Moose Jaw / Regina which became CBKT-TV, with CKCK-TV switching to CTN.
1972
CBC's networks began to be carried on the newly-established Anik-1 satellite, aiding in expanding the scope of CBC's reach, particularly to areas of the far north that formerly were dependent on receiving CBC's national prime-time programming via Frontier Coverage Packages.
1971
CHUM purchased CJCB-TV Sydney in March 1971 and CKCW-TV Moncton, New Brunswick and both switched to CTV when the CBC's CBIT-TV Sydney went on the air.
1974
The Accelerated Coverage Plan proposed by the CBC, was approved by the government. The plan required the underserved Canadian communities of over 500 people to receive service efficiently and in the appropriate language.
1975
In December, the CBC's Northern Service began to use the Anik satellite for its broadcasts, which allowed for a wide range of service supplied by production centres in Montreal, Frobisher Bay, Inuvik and Yellowknife.
CBC opened its own TV station in Calgary (CBRT-TV), and on September 1, CFAC-TV disaffiliated from the network and became an independent.
1976
The Canadian Radio-Television Commission was re-named The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission.
1988
CFPL-TV London and CKNX-TV Wingham dropped their affiliation with the CBC Network.
As a result, the Corporation opened re-broadcasting transmitters in Chatham, Kitchener, Paris, Wiarton, Simcoe, Sarnia and Wingham, effectively covering all of South-Western Ontario with programming from CBLT Toronto.
1994
The last CBC Television broadcast from the old Studio One (where the station's first broadcast took place) occurred on March 18.
All of CBC Toronto's operations moved to the new Canadian Broadcasting Centre at 250 Front Street West.
On August 29, CBC affiliate CHSJ-TV Saint John, New Brunswick ceased to exist. It became CBAT, owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. New Brunswick had been the only province not served by a CBC owned and operated English language TV station. CBAT uses its existing facility in Fredericton as the main studio.
CBAT had re-broadcasters at Bon Accord, Moncton, Chatham/Newcastle, Campbellton, Doaktown and Boisetown.
Between 1984 and 1994, the CBC had suffered 5 major spending cuts representing 30% of its grants from the Federal Government and resulting in staff reductions from 1,200 to just over 9,000. Many of the secondary market owned and operated stations were forced to cut out local production entirely or it was severely restricted.
1995
On September 1st, CKVR-TV Barrie dropped its affiliation with the CBC Network to go Independent.
On that date, CBLT opened three re-broadcasters in Barrie, Huntsville and Parry Sound.
2002
The CBC purchased the MCTV CBC affiliated stations in Northern Ontario from CTV Inc. CFCL-TV-3 Kapuskasing. CFCL-TV-2 Kearns, CHNB-TV North Bay, CJIC-TV Sault Ste. Marie, CKNC-TV Sudbury and CFCL-TV Timmins, became rebroadcasters of CBLT.
In Saskatchewan the CBC purchased CJFB-TV Swift Current from the Forst family, CKOS-TV Yorkton and CKBI-TV Prince Albert from CTV Inc.
2005
CBLT began digital operations on channel 20 from the CN Tower. The inaugural weekend schedule on March 5 and 6 included a premiere of the Nature of Things: Nature Bites Back – The Case of the Sea Otter. CBC HD then broadcast highlights from past and upcoming HD projects, including Hockey: A People's History (still in production). HD programming is based on the regular network schedule, with HD and wide-screen programming simulcast when available.
At 12:01am on August 15th, the CBC and Radio-Canada locked out their 5500 employees. Months of negotiations had failed to achieve agreement between the Corporation and the Canadian Media Guild on the key matter of the Corporation’s wish to significantly increase the number of contract employees to replace staff as attrition occurred. When the membership tentatively ratified a new Agreement in the first week of October, it appeared that the Corporation had fallen far short of what it had hoped to achieve.
|
