CKCW-DT

CKCW-TV purchased a rear screen projector to provide realistic backgrounds.

Joan Nelson did on-air work at CKCW-TV. Hubert Button was assistant manager. William Murray was an announcer.

Walter J. Blackburn announced the formation of a co-operative organized to exchange TV news film among CBC and private stations. Founding members of the Canadian Television News Film Co-operative were CFPL-TV, CFQC-TV, CKCW-TV and the CBC. Membership was open to all stations.

CKCW-TV received approval to increase effective radiated power from 5,000 watts video and 3,000 watts audio to 25,000 watts video and 15,000 watts audio.

CKCW-TV was planning 18 hours a week of local programming come the fall.

CKCW-TV’s original tower collapsed.

When CKCW-TV raised its new tower, effective radiated power was increased to 25,000 watts video and 15,000 watts audio.

Ownership of Moncton Broadcasting Limited: F. A. Lynds 69.7%, C. L. Peters 30%, R. M. Palmer 0.1%, C. E. Leger 0.1%, and C. H. Blakeny 0.1%.

Fred A. Lynds was president. Bruce Masters was commercial manager. Joe S. Irvine was program director.

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The station’s afternoon show was “Coffee Chatter”.

CKCW-TV applied for a rebroadcast transmitter at Upsalquitch Lake, operating on channel 12 with an effective radiated power of 141,000 watts video and 77,000 watts audio. A directional antenna would be used with effective height above average terrain of 1,331 feet. The transmitter would serve the Bay of Chaleurs area on the Quebec-New Brunswick boarder. The Campbellton-Dalhousie area along the south side of the bay as well as parts of Quebec Gaspe now received a mixed French and English TV service from CHAU-TV Carleton, QC. The rebroadcaster would extend CKCW-TV’s present English service into this area as well as to the Bathurst-Newcastle area some 50 miles along the coast. Applications for a new station to cover this area came from CHAU Carelton, CHSJ Saint John and CKCW Moncton. CHAU’s president said the English applications from the other two would jeopardize his station’s existing bilingual operation in the area. He proposed that his station turn its existing service into an all-French station while using the same transmitter site atop Mount St. Joseph at Carleton to provide an all-English service to the area on channel 12. CKCW-TV’s Upsalquitch application was approved.

The “Lionel Television System” (with its mascot and logo “Lionel the Lobster”), commenced operation on September 27 with re-broadcaster CKAM-TV, serving the Northern New Brunswick counties of Restigouche, Gloucester and Northumberland with a 130,000 watt transmitter at Upsalquitch Lake.

Ad slogan: We don’t sell time – we sell results – CKCW – CKCW-TV – Moncton, New Brunswick.

CKCW applied to the BBG to serve the Bay of Chaleurs area on the Quebec-New Brunswick boarder. The Campbellton-Dalhousie area along the south side of the bay as well as parts of Quebec’s Gaspe were receiving a mixed French and English TV service from CHAU-TV Carleton, QC. CHSJ Saint John proposed to set up an independent transmitter and studio on the Quebec side of the bay to reach into Campbellton, Dalhousie and Bathurst, with a program schedule integrated with the parent outlet in Saint John. Later, a satellite of this transmitter would extend coverage into the Newcastle area on another channel. Applications for a new station to cover this area came from CHAU Carelton, CHSJ Saint John and CKCW Moncton. CHAU’s president said the English applications from the other two would jeopardize his station’s existing bilingual operation in the area. He proposed that his station turn its existing service into an all-French station while using the same transmitter site atop Mount St. Joseph at Carleton to provide an all-English service to the area on channel 12. CKCW was granted the new transmitter but the mayor and councillors of Dalhouse, N.B., appealed that decision to the federal cabinet. They felt a full TV service should be licenced to their region (not just a satellite).
An 1960 RCA print ad announced that CKAM-TV Moncton would open in August and that the following equipment had been ordered: 1 RCA TT-11AH 11 kW transmitter, one RCA 18-slot Wavestack antenna mounted on a 700 foot tower, and two complete RCA TVM-1A microwave systems.

Basil Cloney was at CKCW-TV at this time. Murray L. Goldsborough was appointed general manager of CKCW-TV and CKAM-TV (Moncton). He joined CKCW in 1958 as assistant general manager. Before coming to Canada, he had worked for a number of American stations, including WJZ-TV Baltimore. Tom Tonner was manager of CKCW Radio and Television.

Print Ad: Most Powerful Satellite On Earth. The Atlantic provinces 1st TV market – CKCW-TV channel 2 Moncton, N.B. / CKAM-TV channel 12 Campbellton, N.B. 141,000 watts average Erp. With the highest tower. On the highest mountain in the Maritimes. 2,800 feet above sea level. We cover a Major Market in Canada And Deliver More Of The Maritimes Than Any Other Station. We reach 605,451 people and 129,031 households. You cannot reach the complete Maritimes without CKCW-TV and CKAM-TV. We don’t sell time – we sell results!

On March 20, CKCW-TV launched rebroadcaster CKCD-TV serving Campbellton and Dalhousie and part of the Gaspe of Quebec with a 2,000 watt transmitter. Later in the year, CKAM-TV-1 was added to enhance reception of the Miramichi region of eastern New Brunswick.

Largely through the personal efforts of CKCW-TV President Fred Lynds, CKCW was recognized by the Association Canadienne de la Radio et de la Télévision de Langue Française for its contribution toward a better exposure of French culture as a factor of Canadian unity.

CKCW-TV received approval to move studios and offices from Gordon Street to 191-195 Halifax Street.

CJCH-TV Halifax had plans to enter the Moncton market with its CTV network service. CKCW-TV did not think their market was ready for alternative TV service but if the BBG ruled it was, then the station was ready to operate two channels (CBC and CTV). If a licence was granted, CKCW would switch to CTV on channel 6 and handle CBC on channel 2. If CTV was not available because another station (like CJCH) was allowed to enter the market then CKCW would go independent and still handle CBC on channel 2. The CBC emphasized the economic situations of stations like CKCW in markets where alternate service was being planned. They hoped if a licence was granted to CBC, CKCW would join CTV. The CBC was also opposed to CJCH’s planned use of channel 8 because it would block the CBC’s plans to use channel 7 in Moncton. The BBG denied the CJCH application to enter Moncton and would decide later on CKCW’s application to offer alternative service.

On December 20, the CRTC announced some major changes regarding television service in the Maritimes. CKCW-TV Moncton would fully affiliate with the CTV network, with rebroadcaster at Saint John/Fredericton. Present CKCW-TV rebroadcast facilities at Campbellton and Upsalquitch and of CKAM-TV-1 Newcastle would remain licenced to Moncton Broadcasting Ltd. and remain affiliated with the CBC, supplemented by local CKCW programs. The CBC would be expected to establish transmitters at Fredericton. CHSJ-TV Saint John would remain affiliated with the CBC and would establish a rebroadcaster at Moncton.

CJCH-TV Halifax, a CTV affiliate, would extend service to cover fully the southern part of Nova Scotia, namely the counties of Lunenberg, Queens, Shelburne, Yarmouth and Digby.

CJCB-TV Sydney would extend service to Prince Edward Island and would be fully affiliated with CTV. The CBC would be expected to establish rebroadcasters to cover Antigonish and areas of Cape Breton presently serviced by CJCB-TV. Radio-Canada would be expected to extend service to Yarmouth, Saint John-Fredericton, Halifax and Cape Breton.

CKCW had the following transmitters at this time: CKAM-TV Newcastle, CKAM-TV-1 North Shore, CKCD-TV Campbellton, CFGW-TV-1 Gaspe South, CKCW-TV-2 Perce and CKMV-TV-1 Murdochville.

The CRTC said channel 8 would be used at a later time for second television service to Prince Edward Island. The channel had been used to rebroadcast CJCH-TV in the Amherst area until September 14, one week before two-channel television service was introduced in the Moncton area. On September 21, CKCW-TV, now a CTV affiliate (had been CBC), began transmitting its signal into the Saint John area over CKLT-TV. At the same time, CHSJ-TV, now a full CBC affiliate beamed its service into Moncton, via CHMT-TV on channel 7. CKLT-TV Saint John operated on channel 9 with an effective radiated power of 160,000 watts video and 32,000 watts audio, using a directional signal. It received programming from CKCW-TV via microwave.

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Upgrading of studios at Halifax, Sydney and Moncton was completed. The Halifax studios were now operational in full colour.

Coverage expanded to Prince Edward Island via CKCW-TV-1, Channel 8, using an effective radiated power of 28,000 watts.

ATV’s entire system was now broadcasting in colour as of the summer as colour equipment had now been installed at CJCB-TV Sydney.

The CRTC hoped it was on the way to solving long-standing reception problems in part of New Brunswick. It gave CHSJ-TV (Saint John) permission for rebroadcasters at Campbellton and Newcastle/Chatham to provide CBC service. Moncton Broadcasting’s rebroadcasters in the same areas (channels 7 and 12) would switch from CBC to CTV. Both companies were urged to improve their coverage in the Miramichi Valley area.

Coverage of the Woodstock and Florenceville area in Western New Brunswick was added via CKLT-TV-1 Channel 3. It broadcast from Oakland Mountain with a power of 35,000 watts

ATV New Brunswick Ltd. won approval for a power increase for CKCW-TV Moncton, from 25,000 watts to 56,000 watts video and for establishment of a studio at Saint John. In renewing ATV’s eleven licences, the CRTC commended the company for its efforts to extend services, including local news for CKLT-TV Saint John and its two rebroadcasters. The Commission also called for local programming for northern New Brunswick and a greater contribution from ATV to the CTV national network.

Renewal was also granted for the three stations rebroadcasting CKAM-TV Upsalquitch Lake – which switched from CBC to CTV network affiliation over a year ago. As a result of the switch, the three communities, Murdochville, Gaspe and Perce, Q.C., no longer received CBC service. Murdochville would continue to carry CBC, but could move from channel 2 to channel 7 to facilitate establishment of a CBC rebroadcaster; whereas Gaspe and Perce were to change their program source to CHCR-TV Campbellton, a CBC affiliate.

The CKAM-TV tower at Upsalquitch Lake collapsed in January due to massive ice buildup.

In April, the CRTC approved a licence for ASN – the Atlantic Satellite Network. ASN’s mandate was to provide an educational and news/entertainment format to some of Canada’s under-served areas. The footprint of the ASN signal reached from Maine to the Eastern Arctic.

ATV and ASN broadcast from a state of the art facility located in the CJCH-TV building in Halifax. A series of news bureaus and local stations in Moncton and Sydney supplied the Maritime audience with CTV Network and many local programs, and most importantly, extensive news programming.

ATV received approval to operate a rebroadcast transmitter for CKCW-TV at St. Edward, P.E.I. (channel 5 with 740 watts).

On January 23, the CRTC approved the application to amend the licence for CKCW-TV by adding to the licence the following condition of licence: In addition to the 12 minutes of advertising material permitted by subsection 11(1) of the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987, the licensee may broadcast more than 12 minutes of advertising material in any clock hour in a broadcast day, in order to broadcast infomercials as defined in Public Notice CRTC 1994-139 and in accordance with the criteria contained in that public notice, as amended.

On February 25, the Baton-Electrohome alliance announced a deal with CHUM Ltd., involving the swapping of some TV stations, to give Baton control of CTV. Baton got CHUM’s 14.3% interest in CTV. Baton swaped CFPL-TV London, CKNX-TV Wingham, CHWI-TV Wheatley and CHRO-TV Pembroke/Ottawa for CHUM’s Atlantic Television Network (CJCH-TV Halifax, CJCB-TV Sydney, CKCW-TV Moncton/ Charlottetown and CKLT-TV Saint John/Fredericton). ATV was a CTV affiliate. Baton also got CHUM’s Atlantic Satellite Network. Baton then owned 57% of CTV. The next largest shareholder was Western International Communications with 28.6%. The CRTC approved the application on August 28, 1997.

After purchasing the CTV Television Network, Baton Broadcasting Inc. changed its name to CTV Inc. The name change was effective December 21.

Rumours had many of the big media companies eyeing CTV. In a surprise move, late in February, BCE (Canada telephone giant) through its subsidiary BCE Media, proposed to purchase CTV Inc. for $ 2.3 billion, the largest transaction in Canadian broadcasting. Later in March the CTV board approved the deal, which required CRTC approval.

In June BCE submited their brief to the CRTC with the largest “benefits package” ever presented to the regulative body. The benefits, money allocated over the proposed seven year licence term, were almost entirely to be spent on new Canadian programming. Ivan Fecan agreed to stay with the network under BCE ownership.

The CRTC hearing was held in September and the application was approved on December 7th.

As part of ATV, CKCW-TV marked the 20th anniversary of its hugely successful supper hour news program “Live at 5” with an extensive tour of the Maritime provinces, which included live broadcasts from Moncton, Saint John, Fredericton, Charlottetown, Sydney and Halifax.

On July 21, the CRTC approved an application for ownership restructuring by Bell Globemedia (BGM), parent company of CTV, stemming from a deal in December 2005 that saw two new investors added to the company. Thomson family’s Woodbridge Co. Ltd. increased its stake in BGM to 40 per cent from 31.5 per cent, while BCE Inc. reduced its holding to 20 per cent from 68.5 per cent. Two other investors were added to the deal, including Torstar Corp. and Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, each with 20 per cent.

On December 14th, it was announced that effective January 2007, Bell Globemedia would be renamed CTVglobemedia Inc.

On May 15th, the CRTC announced a one-year licence renewal, effective September 1st 2009, for all of CTVglobemedia’s Over-The-Air stations, including CKCW-TV Moncton, and CKLT-TV Saint John, “to give these broadcasters some flexibility during the current period of economic uncertainty.” Group-based licence renewals would then be addressed in the spring of 2010. The Commission also stated that it recognized the impracticability of imposing any conditions relative to 1-1 ratios between Canadian and non-Canadian programming in the ensuing year, given the programming commitments that were already in place.

The Commission would however continue to explore various regulatory measures “…to ensure that English-language television broadcasters devote an appropriate proportion of their expenditures to Canadian programming.”

On October 7, the CRTC denied an application by CTVglobemedia Inc., on behalf of its wholly owned subsidiary CTV Television Inc., to reduce the overall minimum level of Canadian programming broadcast by its conventional television stations from 60% to 55%.

The CRTC approved an amendment to the licence for CKCW-TV Moncton to add a digital transmitter (post transitional). CKCW-DT would broadcast on channel 29 with an average effective radiated power of 220,000 watts (390,000 watts maximum ERP), using a directional antenna. Effective antenna height above average terrain would be 304.4 metres and the existing CTV tower would be used. Programming would be received via microwave.

The CRTC approved the amendment to the licence of CKCW-TV Moncton, to add a post-transition digital television transmitter serving Charlottetown, P.E.I., operating on channel 8 with a maximum effective radiated power of 9,600 watts horizontal and 4,200 watts vertical (average of 5,000 watts horizontal and 1,600 watts vertical), directional. Effective antenna height above average terrain would be 150.3 metres, using the existing CTV owned tower. Programming would be received at the transmitter by fibre-optic cable.

On March 7, the CRTC approved an application by BCE Inc. on behalf of CTVglobemedia Inc., for authority to change the effective control of CTVgm’s licensed broadcasting subsidiaries to BCE. The Commission concluded that the transaction would be beneficial to the Canadian broadcasting system by ensuring the long-term stability of a significant Canadian television network and advancing the Commission’s objective of providing relevant high-quality Canadian programming to Canadians through conventional and new media distribution channels. BCE was a public corporation and controlled by its board of directors. Before this approval, BCE held 15% of the voting interest in the capital of CTVgm. The other shareholders were 1565117 Ontario Limited (a corporation ultimately controlled by Mr. David Kenneth R. Thomson) (40% of the voting interest), Ontario Teacher’s Plan Board (25% of the voting interest) and Torstar Corporation (20% of the voting interest). Under the transaction agreement dated September 10, 2010, BCE would acquire the remaining 85% of the voting interest in the capital of CTVgm and would therefore exercise effective control.

On March 15, CTV Inc., CTV Corp., CTV Limited and CTVglobemedia Inc. amalgamated to continue as CTV Inc.

On March 29, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for a number of conventional television and transitional digital television stations until August 31, 2011. The CRTC noted that it did not intend to renew authorizations for full-power analog transmitters operating in the mandatory markets or on channels 52 to 69 outside the mandatory markets beyond August 31, 2011. By that time, the Commission expected licensees to have the necessary authority to broadcast in digital.

BCE Inc. announced on April 1 that it had completed its acquisition of CTV and that it had launched Bell Media (replacing CTVglobemedia), a new business unit that would make CTV programs and other Bell content available on smartphones and computers as well as traditional television. In addition to CTV and its television stations, Bell Media now also operated 29 specialty channels, 33 radio stations, Dome Productions, a mobile broadcast facilities provider, and dozens of high-traffic news, sports and entertainment websites, including the Sympatico.ca portal.

On July 27, the CRTC renewed the licences of CKCW-DT and its transmitters CKAM-TV Upsalquitch, CKAM-TV-1 Newcastle, CKAM-TV-2 Chatham, CKAM-TV-3 Blackville, CKAM-TV-4 Doaktown, CKCD-TV Campbellton, CKCW-DT-1 Charlottetown (PEI) and CKCW-TV-2 St. Edward/St. Louis (PEI), until August 31, 2016. The Commission noted the licensee’s commitment to broadcast 7 hours of local programming per week between CKCW-TV, CJCH-TV, CJCB-TV, and CKLT-TV, averaged over the broadcast year, to the communities served by these stations.

The deadline for the conversion of analog television to digital in mandatory markets was August 31. CJCH-TV channel 5 (analog) ended its broadcasting on August 31 and became CJCH-DT channel 48 (virtual channel 5.1) on the same date. CKCW-TV Charlottetown and CKLT-TV Saint John were scheduled to go digital on the same date with CKCW-TV Moncton following suit September 8. The Moncton analog transmitter was on channel 2 – the digital channel was 29 (virtual 2.1). The Charlottetown transmitter operated on channel 8 (analog and then digital – virtual 8.1), and the Saint John transmitter broadcast on channel 9 (analog and digital – virtual 9.1).

The CRTC approved a change to the ownership of Bell Media Inc., from BCE Inc. to Bell Canada. This transaction would not affect effective control of Bell Media Inc. and of its licensed broadcasting subsidiaries, which continued to be exercised by BCE Inc. Bell Media Inc. held, directly and through its licensed broadcasting subsidiaries, various radio and television programming undertakings as well as specialty and pay-per-view television services.

On January 27, the CRTC approved the application by Bell Media Inc. for CKCW-DT to delete the analog rebroadcasting transmitter CKAM-TV Upsalquitch. The licensee indicated that the average weekly reach via antenna viewing of this transmitter was approximately 200 people, and that its closing would not have a negative effect on the availability of CKCW-DT programming in the region because the signal would still be available through broadcasting distribution undertakings and direct-to-home service providers. The licensee also cited significant maintenance costs for the transmitter and a lack of revenue generated from CKAM-TV as reasons for its request.

When the CKCW-DT licence was renewed in May, CKAM‐TV‐1 Newcastle, CKAM‐TV‐2 Chatham, CKCD‐TV Campbellton and CKCW‐TV‐2 St. Edward/St. Louis were removed from the licence at the request of Bell Media. The existing licence would expire August 31, 2017.

On July 30, the CRTC gave Bell Media permission to delete 28 analog rebroadcasting transmitters across the country. Bell stated the transmitters did not generate any incremental revenue and generally attracted little to no added viewership. The following CKCW-DT transmitters would be shut down on December 3, 2021: CKAM-TV-3 Blackville and CKAM-TV-4 Doaktown, and CKLT-TV-2 Boiestown.