CKBL-TV

The opening date target was now set for August 1 and then August 16. In the end things were close with CKBL-TV hitting the airwaves on August 19 (some say August 1). It operated as a semi-satellite of CJBR-TV Rimouski and was a basic CBC French network station and CBC English network supplementary station. CKBL-TV broadcast from a 621 foot tower with an average effective radiated power of 160,000 watts video and 95,000 watts audio (maximum of 280,000 video and 170,000 audio). CKBL-TV was the 30th Canadian television station to be RCA equipped. Some of the biggest RCA products in use, were the RCA Victor 18-slot Wavestack antenna and RCA TT10AH 10,000 watt transmitter. CKBL-TV stressed local talent and served five counties: Matane, Matapedia, Rimouski, North Gaspe and Saguenay. It had an initial market of 10,000 TV households. CKBL-TV was the 10th television station in Quebec.
Ad slogan: CKBL-TV Matane puts you in the boom! CKBL-TV covers the market…puts your selling message where it counts!

On November 15, CKBL-TV connected to the Radio-Canada microwave network.

Ads: MATANE – This radio and television combination will sell your product in the important counties of Matane, Matapedia, North Gaspe, and the booming part of Saguenay. CKBL-TV 280,000 watts – CKBL Radio 5000 watts. / Matane. CKBL-TV is a powerful selling force in the important counties of Matane — Matapedia — North Gaspe — and the booming part of the Saguenay — serving an audience of more than 100,000 people. Ninety per cent of the Saguenay’s local advertisers … are consistent advertisers on CKBL Radio and Television. CKBL-TV Canal 9 Matane – 280,000 watts – Matane, Que. The second most powerful station in the Province of Quebec.

A new transmitter site was built.

CKBL-TV now had an effective radiated power of 153,000 watts video and 92,000 watts audio.

CKBL-TV received approval to operate a relay transmitter at Mont Louis.

Rene Lapointe porposed to acquire the shares of CKBL-TV held by Dr. Charles H. Houde, majority shareholder of CHAU-TV New Carlisle.

Between 1962 and 1967, CKBL-TV added rebroadcasters at Lac-au-Saumon (Mount Climont), Murdochville, Grande Vallee, Mont-Louis, Causapscal and Grand Detour.

On June 9, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation was given approval to acquire La Compagnie de Radiodiffusion de Matane Ltee. (CKBL-AM, CKBL-TV, CKBL-TV-1 Mont Climont, CKBL-TV-2 Murdochville, CKBL-TV-3 Grande Vallee, CKBL-TV-4 Mont Louis, CKBL-TV-5 Causapscal, CKBL-TV-6 Grand Detour and CKGN Sainte-Anne-des-Monts) from Rene Lapointe, Octave Lapointe and Yvan Fortier.

The transfer of CKBL Radio and Television to the CBC was completed September 1. CKBL-TV became CBGAT-TV.

CBGAT-1 Mont Climont was opened on September 21. It replaced CKBL-TV-1.

Changes at CBGAT permit a reduction in power to 3,200 watts on channel 6, with a change of antenna site, and the discontinuation of CBGAT-6. Power increases were approved by the CRTC for four rebroadcasters: Mont Climont, Murdochville, Grande Vallee and Causapscal. New rebroadcasters were approved for Mont-Louis-en-Haut (3,350 watts) and Ste-Anne-des-Monts.

On November 29,CBGAT moved from channel 9 to channel 6.

Rebroadcast transmitters were opened at Mont-Louis-en-Haut and Ste-Anne-des-Monts on December 5.

Rebroadcast transmitters were added at Marsoui and Gros-Morne on December 6.

A CBGAT rebroadcaster at Cap Chat was opened on March 17.

A rebroadcast transmitter was added December 18 at Percé.

On January 11, the CRTC renewed CBGAT-TV’s licence until September 30, 1985.

On January 24, the CRTC approved the application for a broadcasting licence for a French-language television station at Les Méchins, on channel 10 with a transmitter power of 10 watts to rebroadcast the programs of the CBC French-language television network, originating from CBGAT Matane. The licence would expire September 30, 1985. The short term would enable the Commission to consider the renewal of this licence at the same time as that of CBGAT Matane.
The Carleton, Cloridorme, Gaspé, L’Anse-à-Valleau, Lac-Humqui and Rivière-au-Renard rebroadcast transmitters opened on February 18.

On May 1, the Chandler and Port-Daniel rebroadcasters opened.

The Les Méchins rebroadcaster opened February 28. 

By this time, CBGAT operated the following transmitters: CBGAT-1 Mont-Climont, CBGAT-2 Murdochville, CBGAT-3 Grande-Vallée, CBGAT-4 Mont-Louis, CBGAT-5 Causapscal, CBGAT-6 Cap-Chat, CBGAT-7 Saint-René-de-Matane, CBGAT-8 Marsoui, CBGAT-9 Gros-Morne, CBGAT-10 Mont-Louis-en-Haut, CBGAT-11 Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, CBGAT-12 Mont-Saint-Pierre, CBGAT-13 Rivière-à-Claude, CBGAT-14 Carleton, CBGAT-15 Chandler, CBGAT-16 Cloridorme, CBGAT-17 Gaspé, CBGAT-18 L’Anse-à-Valleau, CBGAT-19 Lac-Humqui, CBGAT-20 Percé, CBGAT-21 Port-Daniel, CBGAT-22 Rivière-au-Renard and CBGAT-23 Les Méchins. In the coming licence term, the CBC committed to broadcast 2 hours and 30 minutes per week of locally-produced programs on CBGAT.

On December 5, the CBC announced its intention to implement, effective immediately, various reductions in service and other measures intended to address an estimated budget shortfall of approximately $108 million. One of the cuts was the closure of CBGAT. It would become a rebroadcast transmitter of CBVT Quebec City.

Because of budget cuts at the CBC, CBGAT Matane, CJBR-TV Rimouski and CBST Sept-Îles became rebroadcasters of CBVT Quebec City. The CBC said it intended to retain the capability to feed separate station identification, public service announcements and commercial messages to these stations from CBVT.

On November 23, CBVT was authorized to delete transmitter CBGAT-12 at Mont-Saint-Pierre.