CFRN-DT
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CFRN-DT (also known as CTV Edmonton) is a Canadian television station, broadcasting in Edmonton, Alberta. It is an owned and operated station (O&O) of the CTV Television Network.
The station's studios are located at 18520 Stony Plain Road in Edmonton, where it shares studio space with its former sister station, CFRN 1260 AM, which is now owned by Astral Media, and also shares room with Access.
CFRN airs the full CTV schedule in Mountain Time. However, some programs air three hours after they air on flagship CFTO-TV in Toronto, largely because most southern Alberta cable systems carry the television stations from Spokane, Washington (in the Pacific Time Zone).
History
Signing on at 3:00 p.m. on October 25, 1954 on channel 3 with 27,400 watts of power, with one live camera presentation from the transmitter room, CFRN-TV became Alberta's second TV station and its second CBC Television affiliate. The station was owned by Dr. G.R.A. "Dick" Rice’s Sunwapta Broadcasting Ltd. (Sunwapta is the Stony Indian word meaning “radiating waves”.) Rice was a pioneer Edmonton broadcaster who put CFRN-AM, the city's first radio station, on the air in 1922.
Long time Edmontonians still reminisce about such programs as the Noon Show of the 1950s-60s with Don Brinton, Ed Kay, Norris McLean and George Kidd. Morning Magazine started when the station went on the air in 1954 with Laura Lindsay, who was followed by Virginia Macklin. It became Day by Day with Terry Lynne Meyer, who was replaced in 1994 by Seanna Collins. This show halted production June 30, 1996. CFRN-TV is proud of its news heritage and the fact they were the first TV station to do editorials. They were started by news manager, Bill Hogle and continued by Bruce Hogle.
In December 1956, two years after its inaugural telecast, CFRN-TV increased power to 180,300 watts video and 90,400 watts video. In 1958, CFRN-TV fed live the opening of the Alberta Legislature, by microwave to a five station Alberta Network. In June 1961, re-broadcasting stations were established at Edson and Carrot Creek.
September 30, 1961 was the last telecast as a CBC affiliate, with that network establishing its own station in Edmonton, CBXT. On October 1 of that year, CFRN-TV became an affiliate of the CTV Network via microwave network in hours when the CBC was not using it, and time-delaying programs via videotape. Two more rebroadcasting stations were added at Whitecourt and Ashmont in 1966.
Also in 1966, network colour transmission started in September, with local colour facilities for program and commercial production being installed in 1970, and a mobile colour television unit became operational in 1975. More rebroadcasting stations were added at Lac La Biche (1968), Grande Prairie and Peace River (1970), Rocky Mountain House and Crimson Lake (1971), Red Deer (1973) and Slave Lake, Grouard and Lougheed (1979), Jasper (1992) and Athabasca (1993). In 1974, CFRN-TV moved its transmitter to a new site with a 915-foot tower, with 250,000 watts video.
CFRN-TV was sold in 1988 to another pioneering Canadian Company, Electrohome Limited of Kitchener, Ontario founded by a contemporary, Carl A. Pollock. Starting in 1990, CFRN-TV established regional newscasts with reporters/photographers located in Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray and Red Deer. Twice each weeknight, regional newscasts within the body of Eyewitness News were simultaneously directed to the three aforementioned areas of Alberta. On February 25, 1992, Rice died in his 92nd year.
In 1995, Electrohome and Baton Broadcasting entered into a strategic alliance which saw both groups receiving CRTC approval to share ownership of the CFCN-TV operations in Calgary and Lethbridge, the six Saskatchewan TV stations previously owned by Baton alone, and Southern Ontario stations in Kitchener, London and Windsor, all previously solely-owned by Electrohome or Baton.
Ownership of CFRN-TV changed in 1997, when Baton and Electrohome merged, with Baton assuming Electrohome's stations in exchange for Baton shares. In February 2000, Canadian telecommunications giant Bell Canada Enterprises, through its subsidiary Bell GlobeMedia, 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 Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approval. The CRTC hearing was held in September and was approved on December 7.
By 2001, CFRN-TV operated CFRN-TV-7 Lougheed; CFRN-TV-3 Whitecourt and its transmitters CFRN-TV-1 Grande Prairie, CFRN-TV-2 Peace River, CFRN-TV-8 Grouard Mission, CFRN-TV-9 Slave Lake and CFRN-TV-11 Jasper; CFRN-TV-4 Ashmont and its transmitters CFRN-TV-5 Lac La Biche and CFRN-TV-12 Athabasca; and CFRN-TV-6 Red Deer and its transmitter CFRN-TV-10 Rocky Mountain House.
On July 21, 2006, 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. The 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 October 3, 2006, the CRTC granted CFRN to change the licence for CFRN-TV-4 Ashmont by deleting the CFRN-TV-12 Athabasca transmitter and attaching it to CFRN-TV. This was due to a change in the method of delivering the signal, plus local relevance.
In February 2008, CTV Edmonton launched a new web site as part of the CTV.ca Broadband Network, ctvedmonton.ca. This brought the station in line with all the other broadcast television stations in Edmonton, as well as the other major market CTV stations, in terms of having a strong online news presence.
In December 2008, the CRTC announced that it received an application from CTVglobemedia to create a direct to cable HD feed of CFRN-TV.[1]
News operation
According to the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement's (BBM) 2009 ratings, CTV News at Six regained its position as the most-watched six o'clock newscast in Northern and Central Alberta to Global Edmonton's News Hour, CBC, Citytv combined. However, the latest fall 2010 BBM ratings reflect that Global Edmonton has returned as the most-watched newscast.
CTV Edmonton produces 15.5 hours of live local news each week. It also airs separate five-minute news bulletins for Red Deer, Grande Prairie, and Fort McMurray during CTV News at Six and CTV News at 11:30, available only on the over the air transmitters or through cable companies that pick up the over the air signal. In March 2009, CTV cancelled all local morning bulletins during Canada AM, including the Edmonton-based bulletins anchored by Dez Melenka. Viewers will now receive local news, weather, and traffic on Canada AM through the graphical ticker at the bottom of the screen.
In May 2010, the station announced that Erin Isfeld would replace Carrie Doll during her maternity leave, co-anchoring with Daryl McIntyre on the weeknight 6 p.m. newscast, and that Dez Melenka would replace Erin as co-anchor with Joel Gotlib on the weekend 6 p.m. newscast. Rob "Dub" Williams, originally from Whitecourt, Alberta and raised in Irma, is the senior producer of CTV Edmonton.
On September 12, 2011, CTV Edmonton expanded its evening news programming by adding a 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. newscast.[2] Later on October 24, 2011, a 3½-hour weekday morning newscast known as CTV Morning Live was added, running from 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.[3]
Also produced at CTV Edmonton studios is a one-hour province-wide current affairs program called "Alberta Prime Time," which airs on its sister station, CTV Two.
News/station presentation
Newscast titles
- CFRNews (1970s–mid 1980s)
- Eyewitness News (mid 1980s–1998)
- CFCN News (1998–2005)
- CTV News (2005–present)[4]
Station slogans
- "Edmonton's News" (2005–2009; news slogan)
- "We Know Edmonton. We Love Edmonton." (2007–2009; general slogan)
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News team
Anchors
- Carrie Doll - weeknights at 5 and 6 p.m.
- Joel Gotlib - on parental leave
- Marni Kuhlmann - weekdays at noon
- Daryl McIntyre - weeknights at 5:30 and 6 p.m.
- Dez Melenka - weekday mornings CTV Morning Live (5:30-9 a.m.)
- Scott Roberts - weekends at 6 p.m.; also weeknight reporter
- Sonia Sunger - weekends at 6 and 11:30 p.m.; also weeknight reporter
- Kim Taylor - weeknights at 11:30 p.m., Red Deer regional news anchor; also reporter
- Rob Williams - weekday mornings CTV Morning Live (5:30-9 a.m.); also reporter
Weather team
- Josh Classen (CMOS-endorsed weathercaster) - lead meteorologist; weekdays at noon, weeknights at 5, 5:30, 6 and 11:30 p.m.
- Craig Larkins - weather anchor; weekday mornings CTV Morning Live (5:30-9 a.m.)
- Richard Ozero - meteorologist; weekends at 6 and 11:30 p.m.
Sports team
- Adam Cook - sports anchor; weeknights at 6 p.m.
- Darcy Seaton - sports anchor; weekends at 6 and 11:30 p.m.
- Dave Mitchell - former sports director, now cameraman
Reporters
- Sean Amato - general assignment reporter
- Amanda Anderson - general assignment reporter
- Kevin Armstrong - general assignment reporter
- Melissa Dominelli - CTV Morning Live traffic specialist; also Edmonton.CTV.ca web journalist
- David Ewasuk - crime specialist
- Bill Fortier - general assignment reporter
- Erin Isfeld - "That's Edmonton" feature reporter (on maternity leave)
- Adam Kuzina - general assignment reporter (Red Deer)
- Jeanette LaBrie - general assignment reporter
- Carmen Leibel - Your Health reporter
- Graham Neil - entertainment reporter
- Laura Lowe - Consumer Watch reporter
- Rob McAnally - general assignment reporter
- Laura Tupper - general assignment reporter
Alberta Prime Time (weeknights 7-8 p.m. on CTV Two Alberta)
- Jennifer Martin - co-host
Transmitters
1These and a long list of CTV rebroadcasters nationwide were to shut down on or before August 31, 2009, as part of a political dispute with Canadian authorities on paid retransmission consent requirements for cable television operators.[5] A subsequent change in ownership assigned full control of CTV Globemedia to Bell Canada Enterprises; as of 2011, these transmitters remain in normal licensed broadcast operation.[6]
2Semi-satellite status (i.e. distinct local programming and/or advertising) to cease on or before August 31, 2009, pending CRTC approval.[7] It is expected that the transmitters themselves were to remain on the air. However, it is unknown if any local programming changed following the ownership change.
3CFRN-TV-4 in Ashmont focuses on Fort McMurray with local news and commercials; however, that transmitter is available in Fort McMurray only on cable, as this transmitter does not reach Fort McMurray; also, Radio-Canada transmitter CBXFT-6 also broadcasts on channel 12, making reception of CFRN-TV-4 in Fort McMurray impossible.
Digital television and high definition
After the analog television shutdown and digital conversion, which took place on August 31, 2011,[8] CFRN-TV was required shut down its analog transmitter. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers will display CFRN-TV's virtual channel as 3.1.
Trivia
- Stemming from a 1990s era station commercial featuring Ellen DeGeneres, the station acquired the nickname 'C-FERN' (pronounced SEE-FERN). The nickname originated from an improvised promotional clip where the actress lightheartedly took liberty with the call letters, joking that the station was "television for ferns".
References
- ^ http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2008/pb2008-112.htm
- ^ http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110608/edm_news_110608/20110608/?hub=EdmontonHome CTV News unveils expansion of news programming in Edmonton
- ^ CTV Edmonton Launches Morning Show, Broadcaster Magazine, September 20, 2011.
- ^ CTV Edmonton News at 6 Open 2010
- ^ CTV list of transmitters to be shut down
- ^ http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/com100/2011/r110727.htm
- ^ CTV "List of Affected Markets Where We Are Applying To No Longer Offer Separate and Distinct Local Programming"
- ^ http://www.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/oca-bc.nsf/en/ca02336e.html
External links
- CTV Edmonton
- Canadian Communications Foundation - CFRN-TV History
- CFRN-TV in the REC Canadian station database
- Template:TV Fool