CBXT-DT

CBXT began broadcasting on October 1. It was one of the first TV stations in North America to use an automated broadcast system.

CBXAT Grande Prairie signed on the air October 22 to rebroadcast CBXT. It was followed on October 26 by CBXAT-1 Peace River.

CBXT received approval to operate rebroadcast transmitters at Whitecourt and Athabasca. There was agreement between the CBC and CFRN-TV to share a new tower for the Whitecourt transmitter.

CBXT Edmonton operated with an effective radiated power of 318,000 watts video and 159,000 watts audio. CBXAT Grande Prairie operated on channel 10 with an ERP of 36,000 watts video and 18,000 watts audio. CBXAT-1 Peace River, operating on channel 7, had an ERP of 720 watts video and 360 watts audio.

CBXAT Grande Prairie signed on the air October 22 to rebroadcast CBXT. It was followed on October 26 by CBXAT-1 Peace River.

CBXT received approval to operate rebroadcast transmitters at Whitecourt and Athabasca. There was agreement between the CBC and CFRN-TV to share a new tower for the Whitecourt transmitter.

CBXT Edmonton operated with an effective radiated power of 318,000 watts video and 159,000 watts audio. CBXAT Grande Prairie operated on channel 10 with an ERP of 36,000 watts video and 18,000 watts audio. CBXAT-1 Peace River, operating on channel 7, had an ERP of 720 watts video and 360 watts audio.

On March 23, CBXAT-2 High Prairie began broadcasting.

CBXT-2 began operations at Whitecourt on June 20. It was followed on September 26 by CBXT-1 Athabasca.

CBXT received approval for a transmitter at Manning. It would receive its programming from CBXAT-1 Peace River.

CBXT-3 Hinton and CBXT-4 Jasper signed on the air on December 1.

The CBC was authorized to add a transmitter at Fort McMurray, operating on channel 9 with a directional power of 33 wats video and 3.3 watts audio. It would broadcast CBC programming on a delayed basis.

CBTA-TV-3 commenced operations at Fort McMurray on January 25.

CBXT was authorized to add transmitters at High Level (channel 8, 468 watts, directional – receiving programming from CBXAT-3 Manning), and Fort Vermilion (channel 11, 277 watts, directional, receiving programming from the new High Level transmitter).

CBTA-TV-3 Fort McMurray was authorized to change from being a Frontier Coverage Package transmitter (delayed programming) to being a full rebroadcaster of CBXT Edmonton. The call sign was changed to CBXT-6.

The CBC was given permission to acquire the following low power transmitters from Alberta Broadcasting Corporation and operate them as transmitters of CBXT Edmonton: CFNA-TV-5 Chinchaga (channel 5 – 5 watts – directional), CFNA-TV-6 Rainbow Lake (channel 11 – 5 watts – directional) and CFNA-TV-1 Battle River (channel 9 – 5 watts – directional).

CBXAT-9 Jean D’or and CBXAT-10 Fox Lake commenced broadcasting on October 22.

CBXAT-7 Chateh signed on the air on October 24.

CBXAT-11 Slave Lake began broadcasting on December 1.

CBXAT-14 Beaverlodge opened on December 5.

On December 15, CBXT-7 Fox Creek began operations.

CBXAT-12 Wabasca opened on June 5.

CBXT-8 Plamondon opened on January 23.

The Daysland transmitter – CBXT-11 – opened on August 4.

CBXT installed two new NEC 20 kw transmitters at Edmonton. They ran in a parallel arrangement.

Dana Lewis was a news anchor at CBXT.

On January 13, approval was granted for an increase in effective radiated power for CBXT-12 Forestburg from 28,460 watts to 28,476 watts and for the relocation of the transmitter site.

On January 21, CBXT-12 Forestburg signed on the air.

Ken Mason passed away at 56 on December 19. After working for the Edmonton Journal, he joined CBXT when it opened in 1961. He left soon after for CBC Ottawa, where he worked until 1975.

By this time, CBXT operated the following rebraodcast transmitters: CBXT-1 Athabasca, CBXT-2 Whitecourt, CBXT-3 Hinton, CBXT-4 Jasper, CBXT-5 Lac La Biche, CBXT-6 Fort McMurray, CBXT-7 Fox Creek, CBXT-8 Plamondon, CBXT-9 Viking, CBXT-10 Two Hills, CBXT-11 Daysland, CBXT-12 Forestburg, CBXAT Grande Prairie, CBXAT-1 Peace River, CBXAT-2 High Prairie, CBXAT-3 Manning, CBXAT-4 High Level, CBXAT-5 Fort Vermilion, CBXAT-6 Battle River, CBXAT-7 Chateh, CBXAT-8 Rainbow Lake, CBXAT-9 Jean D’Or, CBXAT-10 Fox Lake, CBXAT-11 Slave Lake, CBXAT-12 Wabasca, CBXAT-13 Jean-Côté and CBXAT-14 Beaverlodge.

As a result of CBC budget cutbacks that led to the cancellation of the local supper-hour newscast on CBRT in Calgary, CBXT has its local supper-hour newscast Newsday replaced by Alberta Newshour, co-produced by the two stations.

Bob Blakey of the Calgary Herald criticized the new Alberta Newshour, which was later named CBC Alberta News, for being “a sad mishmash of clumsily edited news clips and desperate attempts to embrace Calgary and Edmonton in the same breath.

Because of budget cuts announced on December 5, 1990 by the CBC, CBRT-TV Calgary was authroized to receive its programming from CBXT. CBRT would not become a rebroadcast transmitter, but operate as a contributing bureau. It would maintain its master control facilities, allowing it to continue to broadcast station identification, public service announcements, occasional specials, and commercial messages.

On January 18, CBXT received approval to increase the effective radiated power for CBXT-3 Hinton from 350 watts to 580 watts.

On March 30, the CRTC approved the application to amend the licence for the radiocommunication distribution undertaking CBXAT-7 Chateh by increasing the effective radiated power from 151 watts to 210 watts. The CBC indicated that the power increase would improve the quality of service to the Chateh area.

CFRN-TV announced that it was keeping the first half of its late night newscast live, then re-running the 6:00 p.m. show. At CBXT, executive news producer John Baker said they’d pre-taped the late-night news for the past year because of cutbacks. Sports was live, but most of the late night news was taped after finishing the 6 p.m. broadcast. There was a news crew on call in case something happened. At ITV and A-Channel, late news shows ran live.

As of 2000, CBXT operated the following rebroadcast transmitters: CBXT-1 Athabasca, CBXAT-14 Beaverlodge, CBXAT-7 Chateh, CBXT-11 Daysland, CBXT-12 Forestburg, CBXT-6 Fort McMurray, CBXAT-5 Fort Vermilion, CBXT-7 Fox Creek, CBXAT-10 Fox Lake, CBXAT Grande Prairie, CBXAT-4 High Level, CBXAT-2 High Prairie, CBXT-3 Hinton, CBXT-4 Jasper, CBXAT-13 Jean Côté, CBXAT-9 Jean D’or, CBXT-5 Lac La Biche, CBXAT-3 Manning, CBXAT-6 Paddle Prairie, CBXAT-1 Peace River, CBXT-8 Plamondon, CBXAT-8 Rainbow Lake, CBXAT-11 Slave Lake, CBXAT-12 Wabasca, and CBXT-2 Whitecourt.

On August 1, CBXT was authorized to operate a transmitter at Fort Chipewyan (CBXBT) on channel 10 with a transmitter power of 8.9 watts. This transmitter was already operated by the CBC as radiocommunication distribution undertaking, which rebroadcast the programming of the CBC Northern Television Service. Improvements in satellite feed technology now enabled it to provide viewers in Fort Chipewyan with the full programming schedule of CBXT Edmonton. It was no longer necessary to hold separate RDU licences for CBXBT.

In November, CBC Edmonton was scheduled to move to a new, modern digital broadcast facility downtown, bringing all operations (French and English, Radio and TV) under one roof. The old TV facility on 75th Street had 70,000 square feet while the Radio building on 51st Ave. had 48,000 square feet. The new combined facility was 38,700 square feet and was located at the Edmonton City Centre on Winston Churchill Square.

On Febraury 20, CBXT-4 Jasper received approval to increase effective radiated power from 9 watts to 50 watts, and to change effective height above-average terrain of the antenna from 12.4 metres to -55.2 metres. These changes would be the rsult of a relocation of the transmitter to a site owned by CN near the town of Jasper.

On February 26, CBXT was authorized to operate transmitters in Coronation and Red Deer, enabling viewers in those locations to receive the full CBC network schedule. The transmitter in Coronation would operate on channel 10 with an effective radiated power of 98,000 watts. The transmitter in Red Deer would broadcast on channel 10 with an ERP of 180,000 watts. These transmitters would be the former CITV-TV-1 (ch 10) Red Deer and CKRD-TV-1 (ch 10) Coronation. CKRD-TV was granted authority to disaffiliate from the CBC and would donate the above transmitters to the CBC at no cost. Global and the CBC would enter a co-siting agreement where both would share Global’s facilities at Red Deer and the CBC’s facilities on Old Coach Road, Calgary and at Sherwood Park (Edmonton).

On June 9, CBXT was authorized to delete relay transmitter CBXAT-13 Jean-Cote (ch 31). Following the installation of satellite receiver facilities at CBXAT Grande Prairie and CBXAT-1 Peace River, the Jean-Cote transmitter was no longer needed.

On March 7, CBXT was given approval to operate transmitters in Coronation and Red Deer. The Coronation transmitters would operate on channel 13 with an average effective radiated power of 80,600 watts (antenna height of 212.5 metres, located at new site to be developed and operated by the CBC on the same hill currently used by CKRD-TV-1 Coronation). The Red Deer transmitter would broadcast on channel 22 with an average effective radiated power of 417,500 watts (antenna height of 215.7 metres, using the CBXFT-4 tower). The CBC had not implemented the new transmitters granted in February of 2004.

On August 16, CBXT was authorized to change the channel of its television transmitter in Coronation, from ch 13 to ch 10 and to increase the average effective radiated power from 80,600 to 98,000 watts. The CBC stated it had concluded an agreement with Global Communications Ltd. to purchase its CKRD-TV-1 transmitter in Coronation operating on channel 10.

On September 1, CBXT-13 Red Deer signed on the air, followed on September 5 by CBXT-14 Coronation.

On May 12 the CRTC renewed CBXT’s licence, including the following rebroadcast transmitters: CBXAT Grande Prairie, CBXAT-1 Peace River, CBXAT-10 Fox Lake, CBXAT-11 Slave Lake, CBXAT-12 Wabasca, CBXAT-14 Beaverlodge, CBXAT-2 High Prairie, CBXAT-3 Manning, CBXAT-4 High Level, CBXAT-5 Fort Vermillion, CBXAT-6 Paddle Prairie, CBXAT-7 Chateh, CBXAT-8 Rainbow Lake, CBXAT-9 Jean d’Or, CBXBT Fort Chipewyan, CBXT-1 Athabasca, CBXT-11 Daysland, CBXT-12 Forestburg, CBXT-13 Coronation, CBXT-14 Red Deer, CBXT-2 Whitecourt, CBXT-3 Hinton, CBXT-4 Jasper, CBXT-5 Lac La Biche, CBXT-6 Fort McMurray, CBXT-7 Fox Creek, and CBXT-8 Plamondon. Quebec: CKSH-TV Sherbrooke, CKTM-TV Trois-Rivieres, CKTV-TV Jonquire and CKTV-TV-1 Saint-Fulgence.

Alex Moir died at age 84. Moir was the supper-hour news anchor on CBC-TV Edmonton for 25 years.

Don Marcotte was the new Manager, Media Operations and Technology at CBC Edmonton. His background included Global Television on Parliament Hill, CTV Ottawa, A Channel Edmonton and CKUA Edmonton.

Gary Cunliffe, formerly the Managing Editor of Radio and TV at CBC Windsor, moved to CBC Edmonton where he was now News Director.

On August 9, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence of CBXT and its transmitters to March 31, 2011.

On November 17, the CRTC approved the application by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to amend the licence for CBXT-TV to add a post-transition digital transmitter in order to serve the population of Edmonton. The transmitter would operate on channel 42 with an average effective radiated power of 94,110 watts (maximum ERP of 131,710 watts with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 233.1 metres).

On March 29, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CBXT-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.

On April 1, CBXT-DT began broadcasting on digital channel 42 (virtual channel 5.1).

On August 16, the CRTC approved applications by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to amend the broadcasting licence of CBXT-12 Forestburg in order to change the status from protected station to low-power unprotected station. Since the technical parameters approved in this decision were for low-power unprotected television services, the Commission reminded the applicant that it would have to choose another channel if ever the Department of Industry so required.

CBXT shut down its analog transmitter (CBXT-TV channel 5) on August 31 – the last day for analog television broadcasting in mandatory markets.

Adrienne Pan became the new host of CBC News: Edmonton Late Night. She had been with CBC Winnipeg.

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. [Show content] MORE…

On August 9, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence of CBXT-DT until August 31, 2013.

Jim Haskins left CBC-TV Edmonton to become Manager and News Director at Global Maritimes. At CBC Edmonton, he had been responsible for Alberta sales and marketing of CBC-TV and cbc.ca.

Frank Dolphin died at age 85. He was one of the original news reporters at CBC-TV Edmonton when CBXT-TV signed-on in 1961.

On May 28, the CRTC renewed CBXT-DT’s licence for a five year term, to August 31, 2018.

James Anderson died at age 83. He was an engineer at CBXT-TV and instrumental in the set-up of the CBC’s Edmonton television facilities during the early 1960s.

Armand Baril (87) died April 14. His broadcasting career began in the 1940s at CKUA and concluded after 36 years with CBC in Toronto, Winnipeg and Edmonton. He was best remembered for his work at CBC Edmonton on shows including Reach for the Top, Keynotes, and numerous music shows including Music In Miniature, CBC Young Performers, the Gala Tri-Bach Concert, the Opening of the Calgary Centre for the Performing Arts and Tommy Banks Live.