CBWFT

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = CBWFT
city =
station_
station_slogan = Ici comme dans la vie
station_branding = Radio-Canada Manitoba
analog = 3 (VHF)
digital = "allocated 51 (UHF)"
other_chs = see below
affiliations = Radio-Canada
network =
airdate = April 24, 1960
location = Winnipeg, Manitoba
callsign_meaning = Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation
Winnipeg
Français
Télévision
former_callsigns =
former_channel_numbers = 6 (1960-1964)
owner = Société Radio-Canada
licensee =
sister_stations = CBWT
former_affiliations =
effective_radiated_power = 59 kW
HAAT = 307.9 m
coordinates = coord|49|46|13|N|97|30|29|W|type:landmark
homepage = [http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/manitoba/ Radio-Canada Manitoba]

CBWFT is the Société Radio-Canada French language television station in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It is broadcast locally on channel 3 cable 10, and on Bell TV channel 118.

History

The CBC announced on February 17, 1959 that they would appear before the BBG (predecessor to the CRTC) in Ottawa on March 18th to apply for a license to extend Radio-Canada's television signal into the Winnipeg area. [cite news | last = Phillips | first = Bruce | title = CBC Asks to Build TV in St. Boniface | page = 1 | publisher = Winnipeg Tribune | date = February 17, 1959]

It first signed on at 3 p.m., Sunday, April 24, 1960, using channel 6 with an EIRP of 2,800 watts. At the same time two VTRs, worth $75,000 each were installed at the station. [cite news | title = Viewers To Get Choice Of Channels This Year | page = 31 | publisher = Winnipeg Free Press | date = April 26, 1960]

Its opening broadcast was a ceremony held at the Notre Dame Auditorium in St. Boniface, Manitoba. Dignitaries included in attendance were Lieutenant-Governor Errick Willis, Premier Duff Roblin, CBC President Alphonse Ouimet, Marcel Ouimet general manager of Radio-Canada, J. R. Finlay CBC Prairie Region Director, and Leo Remillard CBWFT's program director. [cite news | title = French TV Channel Here Now Operating Full-Scale | page = 15 | publisher = Winnipeg Tribune | date = April 25, 1960]

At first CBWFT's broadcast day ran between 6 and 12 hours , with a longer programming day on weekends. Over the years this was extended to encompass most of the day.

Initially Radio-Canada's microwave link didn't reach as far as Winnipeg. Instead videotapes and films were "bicycled" from Montreal and delayed by one week, except for News and Live events like HNIC. [cite news | title = French TV On April 24 | page = 5 | publisher = Winnipeg Tribune | date = April 8, 1960]

On November 15, 1964 it swapped frequencies with CBWT and a higher powered transmitters were installed at the new site near Starbuck, Manitoba. [cite news | title = October Set As Target Date For Change In CBC Channels| publisher = Winnipeg Free Press - TV-Radio | page = 15 | date = April 15, 1964 ] [cite news | title = CBWT Will Switch to Channel 6 | publisher = Winnipeg Free Press | page = 3 | date = November 5, 1964]

From 1964 till the early 1980s it referred to itself as "CBWFT. Canal trois. Winnipeg." During the early 1980s, CBWFT was known as "CBWFT 3/10", signifying its position on Channel 3, Cable 10 in Winnipeg. On January 1, 1986 it became known as "Radio-Canada Manitoba".

By October 31, 1966 CBWFT was connected to the Radio-Canada microwave signal, allowing the live feed of "Le Telejournal" at 6 p.m. Prior to this the newscast consisted of Radio-Canada's radio news with locally inserted images. [cite news | title = French Newscast Direct | page = 6 | publisher = Winnipeg Free Press - TV-Radio | date = October 29, 1966]

Several months after the first Anik A satellite was launched in 1972, CBWFT switched to the satellite feed of Radio-Canada and dropped the microwave feed, except to distribute its signal within its coverage area — Manitoba and northwest Ontario, and part of Saskatchewan.

In 1976, a re-broadcast transmitter of CBWFT programming for Regina, Saskatchewan became CBKFT. In 1985, CBKFT was issued a separate license to broadcast its own "Ce Soir" regional news program.

In 2005 the long-running "Ce Soir" news program was renamed to "Le Telejournal", which is the same name of the French national news program on Radio-Canada. The Le Telejournal local edition is normally 30 minutes in length, however the Wednesday version is 60 minutes. Also it is rebroadcast at 11 p.m.

Transmitters

The station also has a number of transmitters in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario (in the parts of that region which fall in the Central Time Zone):

Logos

Current CBWFT personalities

* Marie-Christine Gagnon, news anchor "Le Téléjournal/Manitoba"
* Mylène Crête, reporter
* Julie-Anne Lamoureux, reporter
* Valérie-Micaela Bain, reporter
* Jean-Pierre Allard, politics reporter
* Anne-Marie Gignac, cultural reporter
* Justine Boutet, sport reporter
* Véronique Lauzon, weather person

Former CBWFT personalities

* Pierre Chevrier, former news anchor "Ce Soir Manitoba"
* Pierre D'Auteuil, former news anchor, "Ce Soir Manitoba"
* Francois Riopel, former news anchor "Ce Soir Manitoba"

CRTC License related

* [http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/eng/Decisions/1995/..%5C..%5CDecisions%5C1989%5CDB89-117.htm CRTC Decision 1989-117 - 1989-1994 License renewal]
* [http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/eng/Decisions/1995/DB95-662.htm CRTC Decision 1995-662 - 1995-1999 License renewal]

References

External links

* [http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/manitoba/ Radio-Canada Manitoba]
* [http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/television/histories.php?id=83&historyID=82 Canadian Communications Foundation - CBWFT History]
*RecnetCanada|CBWFT