CBFT-DT

CBFT-DT is a French-language television station serving Montreal, Quebec, as the flagship outlet of Ici Radio-Canada Télé, the television service of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, known in French as Société Radio-Canada. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 2 and is owned and operated by the CBC alongside CBMT-DT, the corporation's English-language Montreal station on channel 6. CBFT began broadcasting on September 6, 1952, becoming Canada's first permanent television station. It launched two days before Toronto's CBLT and followed an earlier experimental Montreal service, VE9EC, which had operated from 1931 to 1935. Its opening schedule combined a feature film, a cartoon, a French-language film, a news segment and a bilingual variety program. In its initial period, CBFT carried programming in both French and English, with French-language content accounting for approximately 60 percent of the schedule and English-language content approximately 40 percent. The station's role changed after CBMT launched on January 10, 1954. English-language programming was transferred to CBMT, allowing CBFT to become an exclusively French-language service and the principal station of the Télévision de Radio-Canada network for francophone audiences. The launch of CBMT was accelerated by the expected arrival of television stations serving Burlington, Vermont, and Plattsburgh, New York, whose signals could reach parts of the Montreal region. For much of its history, CBFT also served as the originating station for an extensive network of analog rebroadcasters. Before Canada's digital transition, its distribution footprint extended across large parts of Quebec, as well as areas of Ontario and northern Canada. The network's other transmitters made Radio-Canada television available in communities beyond Montreal, while local stations and rebroadcasters could add regional news or other locally relevant material. In the modern network structure, the national Ici Radio-Canada Télé schedule has frequently been based substantially on CBFT's feed. This has meant that many Radio-Canada outlets carry programming that is largely aligned with the Montreal-originated schedule, subject to local newscasts, advertising arrangements and other regional variations. CBFT therefore functions both as a Montreal broadcaster and as a key program-originating center for French-language public television in Canada. CBFT started transmitting a digital signal on March 22, 2005. During Canada's 2011 over-the-air digital transition, its digital transmission remained on UHF channel 19 while retaining virtual channel 2. In 2012, CBC budget reductions led to the closure of the corporation's remaining analog transmitters, including CBFT's analog rebroadcasters, on July 31. Those transmitters were not converted to digital. The station's principal transmitter is located atop Mount Royal, and its studios are shared with CBMT-DT at Maison Radio-Canada on René Lévesque Boulevard East in downtown Montreal.

CBFT's history is closely connected to the emergence of Canadian television and to the development of French-language public broadcasting in Quebec. The station was established in Montreal and began regular service on September 6, 1952. It was Canada's first permanent television station, following the earlier experimental Montreal station VE9EC, which had operated between 1931 and 1935. CBFT's first broadcast began at 4 p.m. and included the film Aladdin and His Lamp, a cartoon, a French film, a news item and a bilingual variety program. During its first years, CBFT reflected the mixed-language television environment of Quebec. Its schedule was approximately 60 percent French-language and 40 percent English-language programming. This arrangement ended when CBC launched CBMT on VHF channel 6 in Montreal on January 10, 1954. English-language programming moved to the new station, while CBFT became a fully French-language outlet and the flagship of the Télévision de Radio-Canada network. The station subsequently developed importance beyond its local Montreal role. A large system of analog rebroadcasters carried CBFT's signal across rural Quebec and into parts of Ontario and northern Canada, including communities in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. These transmitters helped Radio-Canada provide French-language television service across a geographically extensive country. CBFT also became a principal source for network programming, meaning that many affiliated or owned-and-operated Radio-Canada stations carried schedules substantially based on its feed, with differences mainly involving regional news, commercials and locally produced material. CBFT entered the digital era on March 22, 2005, when it began broadcasting a digital signal. During the federally coordinated transition away from analog television, the station's digital transmission operated on UHF channel 19 while continuing to use virtual channel 2. The transition occurred on August 31, 2011, in markets designated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission for mandatory conversion. CBC budget reductions in 2012 led to the closure of the remaining analog CBC and Radio-Canada transmitters, including CBFT's rural rebroadcasters, on July 31 of that year. The analog facilities were shut down rather than converted to digital. CBFT continues to operate as the Montreal flagship of Ici Radio-Canada Télé. Its studios are located at Maison Radio-Canada on René Lévesque Boulevard East in downtown Montreal, shared with English-language sister station CBMT-DT, while its transmitter is located on Mount Royal.

• 2012

  Analog rebroadcasters shut down

  [1]CBFT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  CBC budget reductions resulted in the closure of CBFT's remaining analog rebroadcasters on July 31. The transmitters were not converted to digital.

• 2011

  Mandatory-market digital transition

  [1]CBFT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  On August 31, CBFT's digital service continued as the station's over-the-air transmission after Montreal's transition from analog broadcasting.

• 2005

  Digital broadcasting begins

  [1]CBFT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  CBFT began transmitting a digital signal on March 22, using UHF channel 19 while maintaining virtual channel 2.

• 1954

  Becomes an exclusively French-language service

  [1]CBFT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Following the launch of CBMT on January 10, English-language programming moved to channel 6 and CBFT became the French-language flagship of Télévision de Radio-Canada.

• 1952

  Launch as Canada's first permanent television station

  [1]CBFT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  CBFT began regular broadcasting in Montreal on September 6, becoming Canada's first permanent television station.

A publicly owned French-language television flagship serving Montreal and providing a principal program source for the Ici Radio-Canada Télé network.

• Digital terrestrial television · 2005

  CBFT-DT over-the-air television service

  The station's primary broadcast service for Montreal operates on virtual channel 2. Its digital transmission uses UHF channel 19, with the signal transmitted from Mount Royal. The service carries the French-language programming of Ici Radio-Canada Télé, including network, news, current-affairs and regional content.

• French-language public television

  Ici Radio-Canada Télé network feed

  CBFT serves as the Montreal flagship and a major originating outlet for Ici Radio-Canada Télé. The network feed has historically been based substantially on CBFT's schedule, while other outlets may adapt it with regional news, local programming and market-specific variations.

• Analog television distribution

  CBFT analog rebroadcaster network

  Before the digital transition, CBFT supported more than 30 analog rebroadcasters serving rural Quebec, parts of Ontario and northern Canada. These facilities extended Radio-Canada's French-language television coverage beyond the Montreal transmitter area. The remaining analog transmitters were closed in 2012 and were not digitized.

• 2012

  Closure of analog rebroadcastersStrategy

  Background

  CBC budget reductions followed Canada's transition toward digital over-the-air television and created pressure to reduce the corporation's transmission costs.

  Action taken

  CBFT's remaining analog rebroadcasters were shut down on July 31. None of the CBC or Radio-Canada analog rebroadcasters were converted to digital.

  Aftermath

  The closure ended CBFT's legacy analog rebroadcasting network and left the station's principal digital service as the core terrestrial transmission operation.

  Source

• 1954

  Separation of French- and English-language Montreal servicesStrategy

  Background

  CBFT initially carried both French- and English-language programs. The launch of sister station CBMT created a dedicated English-language outlet in Montreal.

  Action taken

  English-language programming was transferred to CBMT, and CBFT was repositioned as an exclusively French-language station and the Télévision de Radio-Canada flagship.

  Aftermath

  The change established the distinct language roles that CBFT and CBMT continue to hold within CBC/Radio-Canada's Montreal operations.

  Source

1. 1CBFT-DTen.wikipedia.org
2. 2ICI Grand Montréalici.radio-canada.ca