CFYK-TV, CBC Northern TV Service, Yellowknife
Canadian Broadcasting Corp.
| Station | Year | Channel | Network Affiliate | Owner/Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CFYK-TV | 1967 | 8 | CBC Northern TV Service | Canadian Broadcasting Corp. |
1967
CFYK-TV signed on the air as the first television station in northern Canada. It was the first station to be part of the CBC’s Frontier Coverage Package program. The call sign: Canada’sFinest Yellowknife. The CBC also owned CFYK-AM in Yellowknife which had been on the air since 1958.
1973
CFYK-TV’s status changed from Frontier Coverage Package to a satellite fed station, with programs in colour.
1975
CFYK-TV Channel 8 received approval to increase effective radiated power from 59.5 watts to 2,400 watts (non-directional). There would also be a change of antenna site.
The CBC received approval to operate a transmitter at Rae/Edzo, using channel 10 with a power of 72 watts. It would simulcast the programs of CFYK-TV.
1976
The CBC lists the start date for CFYK-TV as August 30.
CFYK-TV-1 Rae-Edzo began broadcasting on December 20.
2010
Donald Nelson, the Senior Broadcast Technologist at CBC Yellowknife, transferred to CBC Windsor as of June 1 in the same capacity.
2011
On February 18, the CRTC approved an application by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language regional television station in Yellowknife (CFYK-TV) and to rebroadcast CFYK-TV’s programming on its existing transmitters located throughout the Northwest Territories, the Yukon Territory and Nunavut. CFYK-TV and all of its related transmitters had operated as licensed radiocommunication distribution undertakings or as exempt RDU services. All of the transmitters broadcast the programming of the CBC Northern television service. The CBC stated that the CFYK-TV transmitter would continue to operate on channel 8 with an average effective radiated power of 2,400 watts (maximum ERP of 4,200 watts with an effective height of the antenna above average terrain of 62.48 meters). The licensee committed to broadcast from seven to ten hours of local programming per broadcast week on CFYK-TV. The CBC stated that it intended to convert its CFYK-TV Yellowknife transmitter to digital. On December 21, 2010, the Commission approved an application by the CBC for a technical amendment to implement a digital transmitter to serve Yellowknife. In light of this decision, the Commission revoked the licences of the radiocommunication distribution undertakings serving Fort Providence, Hay River, Inuvik, Rae/Edzo (Belchoko), and Yellowknife, Northwest Territories; Cape Dorset, Nunavut; and Dawson City, Watson Lake, and Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, upon issuance of the licence for the television station approved in this decision. Transmitters for CFYK-TV Yellowknife – Northwest Territories: Aklavik CBEX-TV Ch. 13, Deline (Fort Franklin) CBETT Ch. 9, Fort Good Hope CBEST Ch. 9, Fort Mcpherson CHAK-TV-1 Ch. 13, Fort Providence CBEBT-3 Ch. 13, Fort Resolution CBEV-TV Ch. 9, Fort Simpson CBEGT Ch. 9, Fort Smith CBEAT Ch. 8, Hay River CBEBT-1 Ch. 7, Inuvik CHAK-TV Ch. 6, Norman Wells CBEDT Ch. 9, Rae/Edzo CFYK-TV-1 Ch. 10, Tuktoyaktuk CBEPT Ch. 8, Yellowknife CFYK-DT Ch.8; Yukon Territory: Dawson CBDDT Ch. 7, Elsa CBKHT-1 Ch. 9, Faro CBDBT Ch. 8, Mayo CBKHT-2 Ch. 7, Watson Lake CBDAT Ch. 8, Whitehorse CFWH-TV Ch. 6; Nunavut: Arviat (Eskimo Point) CBEHT Ch. 9, Baker Lake CBEIT Ch. 9, Cambridge Bay CBENT Ch. 9, Cape Dorset CBEJT Ch. 9, Gjoa Haven CBERT Ch. 9, Igloolik CBII-TV Ch. 9, Iqaluit CFFB-TV Ch. 8, Kugluktuk (Coppermine) CBEOT Ch. 9, Pangnirtung CBEKT Ch. 9, Pond Inlet CBELT Ch. 9, Rankin Inlet CBECT Ch. 9, Resolute Bay CBEMT Ch. 9, Taloyoak (Spence Bay) CBEQT Ch. 9.
On March 29, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CFYK-TV until August 31, 2012. The Commission 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. In addition, the Commission imposed the following condition of licence on stations that operated in mandatory markets or on channels 52 to 69 outside the mandatory markets: Unless otherwise authorized by the Commission, the licensee shall not transmit analog television signals after 31 August 2011 in mandatory markets designated as such by the Commission in Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2011-184 or transmit television signals on channels 52 to 69. The CRTC also noted that pursuant to Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2010-69, it did not intend to renew authorizations to operate transitional digital transmitters included in these licences, beyond August 31, 2011.
The CRTC approved the amendment to the licence for CFYK-TV to add a post-transition digital television transmitter on channel 8 with a maximum effective radiated power of 2,400 watts (1,400 watts average). A directional antenna would be used at the existing site with effective height of 62.5 metres. Programming would be received by satellite feed.
Dianne Collins left as head of OMNI TV Vancouver, for CBC Yellowknife as managing editor, as of March 1. Jill Spelliscy, the managing director of CBC Saskatchewan, retired. Her successor was John Agnew who was regional director of radio & television with CBC Yellowknife. Succeeding Agnew at CBC Yellowknife was Janice Stein, the managing editor at CBC St. John’s. She would move in June.
August 31 was the deadline for the conversion of analog to digital for television stations in mandatory markets. CFYK-TV made the switch on that date, using channel 8 (virtual channel 8.1), the same dial position it had used for analog broadcasting.
2012
On July 17, the CRTC announced that effective 1 August 2012, it would revoke the broadcasting licences for CBIT Sydney and CBKST Saskatoon and their transmitters. The Commission also approved the request to amend the licences for 23 English- and French-language television stations operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in order that reference to all analog transmitters be deleted. The CBC planned to cease operation of all these transmitters on 31 July 2012. The licences for the following transmitters were removed from the CFYK-DT licence: CBEX-TV Aklavik, CBEHT Arviat (Eskimo Point) (NU), CBEIT Baker Lake (NU), CBENT Cambridge Bay (NU), CBEJT Cape Dorset (NU), CBDDT Dawson (YK), CBETT Deline (Fort Franklin), CBKHT-1 Elsa (YK), CBDBT Faro (YK), CBEST Fort Good Hope, CHAK-TV-1 Fort Mcpherson, CBEBT-3 Fort Providence, CBEV-TV Fort Resolution, CBEGT Fort Simpson, CBEAT Fort Smith, CBERT Gjoa Haven (NU), CBEBT-1 Hay River, CBII-TV Igloolik (NU), CHAK-TV Inuvik, CFFB-TV Iqaluit (NU), CBEOT Kugluktuk (Coppermine)(NU), CBKHT-2 Mayo (YK), CBEDT Norman Wells, CBEKT Pangnirtung (NU), CBELT Pond Inlet (NU), CFYK-TV-1 Rae/Edzo, CBECT Rankin Inlet (NU), CBEMT Resolute Bay (NU), CBEQT Taloyoak (Spence Bay)(NU), CBEPT Tuktoyaktuk, CBDAT Watson Lake (YK), CFWH-TV Whitehorse (YK), and CFYK-DT Yellowknife.
The story continues elsewhere…
Effective September 1st 2019, we will only be adding new material to these station histories in exceptional circumstances. Our intent to chronicle the early days of these radio and television stations has been achieved, and many new sources and technologies, from the CRTC website to Wikipedia, and others, are now regularly providing new information in these areas.