CKY-DT

R.S. Misener on behalf of a company to be incorporated (Ralph S. Misener & Associates) received federal approval to bring second television service to Winnipeg. Competing applications by Perimeter Television Broadcasters Ltd. (J.O. Blick, president of CJOB Radio) and Red River Television Association (headed by Joseph Harris and associated with the Clifford Sifton) were denied. The new station would broadcast over channel 7 with an effective radiated power of 325,000 watts video and 180,000 watts audio. A non-directional antenna pattern would be used. Effective height of the antenna above average terrain would by 946 feet. Ralph S. Misener & Associates was headed by Ralph Misener, a Winnipeg shipping executive. The associates included Lloyd Moffat, president of CKY Radio; T.O. Peterson, president of Investors’ Syndicate of Canada Ltd., who had just relinquished his interest in CFOB Radio in Fort Frances; Roland Couture, managing director of CKSB Radio St. Boniface; Walter E. Kroecker, president of CFAM Radio in Altona; and on the legal side was Kendall Hayes, Q.C., Winnipeg lawyer, and as engineering consultant, Nick Pappas of N.J. Pappas & Associates of Montreal. 

The federal cabinet approved the BBG’s recommendation for approval of a private TV station at Winnipeg by R. S. Misener.

At the inaugural meeting of Channel Seven Television Ltd., the following directors were elected: Ralph S. Misener, Lloyd E. Moffat, T.O. Peterson, Campbell Haig, Q.C., Walter E. Kroeker and Roland G. Couture. Misener was president, Moffat was VP, Peterson was treasurer, Haig was secretary and Jack M. Davidson was appointed GM.

The CJAY-TV call letters were approved by the Department of Transport. The station hoped to be on the air November 1.

CJAY’s studios and offices were to be located in a new building at the Polo Park Shopping Centre, south of the Winnipeg Arena. The three storey building would feature over 60,000 square feet of floor space. There would be two major studios of apx. 52 x 72 feet each and a smaller production studio of about 20 x 32 feet. In time, underground cables would run to the arena offering direct transmission of events. At the transmitter site, RCA equipment would be used. CJAY ordered one complete RCA TT-25CH 25 kW transmitter and one RCA travelling wave antenna with a gain of 18, mounted on an 860 foot tower.

General manager Jack M. Davidson announced that A.G. Cobb would be CJAY’s technical director. Cobb had been associated with CKWS Radio-TV in Kingston for the past 10 years. Stewart MacPherson was program director. Jerry Johnson was appointed general sales manager. He had been commercial manager at CKBI-TV (Prince Albert) for the last several years. His appointment was effective August 1.

CJAY-TV signed on the air on November 12. At 5:00 p.m., Television Centre Premiere – an hour-long program highlighting the official opening of CJAY-TV hit the air. The Hon. Erick F. Willis, lieutenant-governor of Manitoba was among the approximately 700 official guests on hand for the opening. Willis cut the ribbon to officially open Television Centre. On the first day CJAY boasted some 130 employees. The new building was home to two large studios (each 50′ x 70′), four control rooms, prop storage area, videotape centre and eight cameras.

Romper Room began airing on CJAY-TV. 

Stewart McPherson was appointed program director. Barry Gordon was production supervisor. Joe Gibson was producer-director. Dick Seaborn was musical director. Don McLean was farm service director. Jerry Johnson was general sales manager. Ed McCrea was a sales executive. Don Nairn was sales co-ordinator. Barry Nicholls was public service director.

Ad: Look for the opening of channel 7 C-JAY-TV Winnipeg, Manitoba – November 1st. When C-JAY-TV goes into operation, it will be the most powerful station in the province … and cover the rich, south central Manitoba market. 1,000 foot antenna. 3 studios. 8 TV cameras. 2 video tape recorders. 1 mobile van. Top Canadian and U.S. programs featured. Thoroughly experienced personnel. Maximum power 325 kw ERP. C-JAY-TV Manitoba – most powerful – widest coverage. Channel Seven Television Ltd., Polo Park, Winnipeg 10.

Members of the newly licensed second television stations formed the Independent Television Organization with the expectation of creating a second television network in competition with the CBC. ITO officers: Richard E. Misener of CFCF-TV (president), Ralph Misener of CJAY-TV (vice president), Charles Baldour from CFTO-TV (secretary) and E. L. Bushnell of Bushnell Broadcasting (treasurer). Elected directors: Finlay MacDonald (president of CJCH), Paul L’Anglais (vice president of CFTM-TV), Gordon Love (chairman of CFCN), G.R.A. Rice (president of CFRN) and Art Jones (president of CHAN-TV). 

CJAY-TV chose RCA Victor to supply transmitters, antenna and the bulk of the studio equipment. CJAY-TV installed multiple TelePrompTer units in its studios.

Jack Wells was named sports commentator for CJAY-TV. He had been with CBWT and would continue his newspaper work and sports commentating for CKY Radio.

Not only was CJAY-TV to sign on in November, but Winnipeg was also expecting the launch of KCND channel 12 in Pembina, North Dakota. KCND engineers said tests proved that Winnipeg residents with outdoor antennas would be able to receive their signal clearly.

CJAY’s mobile unit was ready for use. Over 50 feet in length, it featured a large control room, videotape facilities, retractable seven foot public address horns and a lounge and kitchen area. The sides of the van could be removed, leaving a large glass viewing area so the public could watch operations.

Print ad: Elliott-Haynes says: C-JAY-TV is top-rated station in Winnipeg (6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., Sunday through Saturday). Top power! Top Rating! C-JAY-TV Winnipeg.

1960-61
Panorama 7 was launched. The daily show was hosted by Al Johnson. The program featured news, weather, sports, entertainment and children’s segments.

On October 1, CJAY-TV joined the new CTV network which was launched on this date.

Lloyd Moffat died unexpectedly.

The CTV network started broadcasting in colour on September 1 but CKY-TV was still producing programming in black and white.

Jim Christie joined CJAY-TV after announce work at various radio stations.

CKX Brandon proposed to stay a CBC affiliate but sought a rebroadcaster at Brandon to handle CTV programming from Winnipeg. Both CBWT and CJAY sought Brandon rebroadcasters, which would leave CKX with no affiliation. CTV supported CJAY’s bid for a Brandon transmitter. CJAY proposed to carry full service of 113 hours weekly and be in operation in the fall of 1968. A CBC rebroadcaster would have 110 hours weekly, 77 of which would be network, or 15 hours more than CKX was carrying as a CBC affiliate. 33 hours would be programmed by CBWT with Manitoba-originated programs. The BBG denied CJAY’s entry into Brandon and would decide later on the CKX proposal to offer alternative service.

CJAY-TV launched the supper hour program “Big News” for the 1967-68 season. The program featured expanded news coverage as well as commentary.

Slogan: CJAY-TV Channel 7 Winnipeg – First in the 4th market.

James S. Purvis was assistant general manager and program director.

For the 1968-69 season, CJAY-TV added “Today’s World” – a one-hour, 5-day a week, mid-morning public affairs program.

CJAY offered “Civic Scene” a weekly roundup of civic news.

Negotiations with CKX-TV led to the start of CTV service though a “twin stick operation in Brandon, where both signals came from the same tower.

On December 5, approval was granted for the transfer of 50% of the shares of Channel Seven Television Ltd. from Woodmount Investments Ltd. & J. Campbell Haig to Moffat Communications Ltd.

CJAY-TV became wholly owned by Moffat Communications Ltd. and on June 1, the call letters changed to CKY-TV, for consistency with sister radio stations CKY-AM and FM. The television station operated under the name MTV Limited. The CKY radio stations moved studios and offices to CKY-TV building in Polo Park.

CKY-TV received approval for rebroadcast transmitters at Flin Flon (channel 13), Arborg (8), Snow Lake (11), The Pas (12) and Thompson (9).

When CKY-TV had its licnence renewed, it was commended for its local service to both Winnipeg and the communities served by its rebroadcasters, and for its co-production efforts with Winnipeg Videon (cable).

CKY-TV purchased a new 35,000 watt transmitter, mobile van with four cameras, and two quad VTR’s from RCA.

J. R. (Ron) Mitchell died on August 20 while on vacation in Florida. He was 46. Mitchell was President of Moffat Communications Ltd., MTV Ltd. (CKY-TV) and Winnipeg Videon Ltd.

Randall L. (Randy) Moffat, Chair of Moffat Communications Ltd., assumed the post of president, following the death of Ron Mitchell.

Chief engineer Don Dennis left CKY-TV for Nortec West Ltd. He had been with the station for seven years.

The CKY building was renovated to increase space, including two acoustically isolated floating studios to minimize vibrations, to meet the growing needs of the station.

CKY adopted the on air identification of CKY5, to designate to Winnipeg cable viewers while on channel 7 off air that it was carried on cable channel 5.

Sixty CKY-TV employees accepted a one-year wage increase of 5% after voting in favour of strike action. The second year of a collective agreement remained to be negotiated.

Five western CTV affiliates announced they would join forces for the production of quality TV dramas. Initially, resources of up to $2 million would be pooled by CKY Winnipeg, CFCN Calgary, CFRN Edmonton, CFQC Saskatoon, and CKCK Regina. The stations hoped to obtain additional funds from Telefilm Canada for ongoing drama production in the prairie region.

On the air since 1965, Archie And His Friends came to an end on CKY-TV.

Terry Coles was named general manager of CKY-TV. He had been president and general manager of CFCN-TV Calgary.

Rick Harrow left CKY-TV after seven years, to become general sales manager at CJBN-TV in Kenora, Ontario.

CKY-TV news director Stu Fawcett dropped his directing duties to devote full time to anchoring the news.

Bill Hanson was appointed retail sales manager. He had been an account executive at CKY-TV.

Ray Cormier left CKY-TV for MITV in Halifax.

CKYB-TV-1 McCreary began broadcasting.

Vaughn Tozer was appointed vice president and general manager of CKY-TV.

Ron Kronstein joined Barbara Lee Edwards at the CKY-TV news anchor desk. He had been with ATV in Halifax. The addition was part of a major news expansion by CKY-TV to position itself as Winnipeg’s news station. Three people and seven hours a week of local news and current affairs programming have been added, including an hour at 9:00 a.m. on Saturdays. The station also had a new microwave truck.

After Moffat Communications was awarded a specialty channel licence in 1994, WTN, the Women’s Television Network, took to the air nationally on cable. The company also owned extensive cable systems in Manitoba and in the United States.

On March 1, the CRTC approved the application to amend the licence for CKY-TV Winnipeg, 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.

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

Kelly Johnston was news director at CKY-TV.

On October 3rd, CKY-TV was rebranded as CTV Winnipeg.

On July 12 it was announced that Bell Globemedia would pay C$1.7 billion for CHUM Ltd., in a deal that would see the company become part of the BCE-owned media conglomerate, subject to CRTC approval.  On August 31, the two companies announced that BGM had been successful in its offer to acquire approximately 6.7 million common shares and approximately 19.2 million non-voting Class B shares of CHUM.  The shares were to be placed in the hands of an independent trustee pursuant to a voting trust agreement approved by the CRTC.

On December 12th, it was announced that Bell Globemedia would henceforth be known as CTVglobemedia.

A CRTC hearing on the CTVglobemedia application to acquire the assets of CHUM Limited was held on April 30th 2007.  On June 8 the CRTC approved the acquisition of CHUM Ltd. by CTVglobemedia, on condition that CTV sell off its five City-TV stations, CITY-TV Toronto, CHMI-TV Portage La Prairie/Winnipeg, CKEM-TV Edmonton, CKAL-TV Calgary and CKVU-TV Vancouver.   Rogers Communications announced on June 25th that a deal had been reached for them to buy these stations from CTV, subject to CRTC approval. Among the CHUM assets acquired by CTVglobemedia in the deal were seven television stations, 21 specialty channels and some 33 radio stations, including CFRW-AM, CFWM-FM and CHIQ-FM.   

CTV Winnipeg completed construction of a new broadcast facility and began operating in a completely digital environment. The new facility was located at the corner of Hargrave Street and Graham Avenue.

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. Condition: enhance local news in Western markets – incremental new local morning newscasts and programming content in Winnipeg – 3 hours x 5 days per week.

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. 

The deadline for the conversion of analog television to digital in mandatory markets was August 31. CKY made the switch at midnight on September 1, moving from analog channel 7 to digital channel 7 (virtual 7.1).

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.

Sylvia Kuzyk’s final CTV Winnipeg newscast was on September 2. She’d been with the station for 38 years as an anchor and weather specialist.

CTV Winnipeg General Sales Manager Wally Comrie retired August 31 after 30 years – 13 years as Account Executive and 17 as GSM. His successor was Anne Skrynsky, who had been an account executive with the station for nine years. Terri Apostle joined the CTV Winnipeg’s morning live team as Weather Specialist. Her background included a number of years in morning radio as well as morning television. She was also the helicopter traffic reporter for CJOB. Colleen Bready was the new 6:00 p.m. Weather Anchor.

At CTV Winnipeg, Eleanor Coopsammy moved from being the consumer watch reporter to morning live anchor. Also new to the morning show was Kris Laudien, whose background included gigs in Edmonton and Vancouver.

Elaine Ali, Senior VP, CTV Owned and Operated Stations – after 36 years in television – retired from CTV early in 2012. She began her career as an accounting clerk at CKND-TV Winnipeg. Later, she was President of the Women’s Television Network in Winnipeg and also served as VP/GM at CKY-TV Winnipeg.

Bill Hanson died at the age of 58. The Vice President ant General Manager of CTV Winnipeg began his career at Ogilvy and Mather in Toronto as a buyer, then returned home to Winnipeg and worked at CKY-TV (now CTV Winnipeg) in sales (1983), eventually rising to Retail Sales Manager, General Sales Manager (1990), General Manager (2000) and VP/GM (2002).

Mark Maheu, who’d been running Bell Media Radio Winnipeg since August, 2011, added CTV Winnipeg to his responsibilities. Maheu was now Vice President/ General Manager of both. Before moving to Winnipeg, he was an acquisitions and regulatory consultant based in Ottawa, VP/COO of Newcap (also Ottawa-based) and, before that, VP/GM at CHUM Radio Ottawa. Maheu succeeded the late Bill Hanson at CTV who passed away in early May, 2012.

Louis Ralph (Bud) Sherman died at age 88. The former print journalist moved into TV in 1960, becoming CJAY-TV’s director of news and public affairs, anchorman and host of a public affairs program. Years later (1985), Sherman was appointed as a CRTC commissioner.

At CTV Winnipeg, among the 19 people who left due to restructuring: operations manager Ken Peron, a 35-year veteran.

CKYS‐TV Snow Lake was removed from the licence at the request of Bell Media.

It was announced in June that CTV Winnipeg would begin airing a 5:00 p.m. weekday newscast in the fall. This move was being made by all CTV stations not already airing news in this time period.

In June, CTV Winnipeg cut dedicated sportscasts with long-time sports anchor/reporter Kevin Olszewski, who had been with the station since 2005. An edit supervisor was also let go. Sports director Shawn Churchill remained with CTV, filing sports stories as part of regular news coverage.

CKY-DT received CRTC approval to delete CKYB-TV-1 McCreary. The transmitter had not operated since 2015 because of mechanical failure. The cost of a replacement transmitter was not feasible.

Caroline Bakuska (84) died on April 6. She spent most of her career in the accounting department with CKY, starting at CKY Radio in 1960 before moving over to the television side in 1962. Bakuska retired in 1999, after 49 years with CKY.

Robert Asgeirsson (74) died on June 12. He began his career at CJAY-TV in the 1960s, before moving to Vancouver in 1969 where he worked at BCTV as a documentary and current affairs cameraman. Throughout the 1970s and 80, Asgeirsson worked as both a freelance and staff shooter for CBC Vancouver, Global TV and other clients. His work was nominated for a Gemini Award in 1989.

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 CKY-DT transmitters would be shut down on July 16, 2021: CKYA-TV Fisher Branch, CKYD-TV Dauphin, CFYF-TV Flin Flon and CKYP-TV The Pas.