CBHT-DT

CBHT-DT is a CBC Television station based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's flagship television outlet for the Atlantic Time Zone. Broadcasting on virtual channel 3.1, it carries CBC Television's national schedule in Atlantic local time while also producing and distributing news, weather, public-affairs, cultural, and entertainment programming for Nova Scotia and the wider Atlantic region. Its primary studios are on Chebucto Road in Halifax, in a former Hudson's Bay department-store building shared with CBC's Halifax radio operations. The station's transmission facilities are on Washmill Lake Drive near Bently Drive in western Halifax. CBHT began broadcasting on December 20, 1954, initially from temporary studios at College Street School. It moved to a purpose-built facility on Bell Road in October 1956 and joined the CBC microwave network in 1958. Colour programming arrived in 1966. Over subsequent decades, the station developed a network of rebroadcast transmitters that extended CBC Television's terrestrial service across Nova Scotia, including Cape Breton Island and smaller communities. The Bell Road complex became an important production centre for Atlantic Canada, supporting both local broadcasts and programs distributed nationally. The station's role expanded in 1972 when CBC launched CBIT-TV in Sydney after the existing local commercial station, CJCB-TV, changed its affiliation to CTV. CBIT initially operated as a distinct Cape Breton service with its own newscast, Cape Breton Report. Financial and staffing reductions in 1990 ended that local supper-hour program, after which CBIT increasingly functioned as a repeater and news-gathering outlet for CBHT. CBIT was closed in 2012 during CBC's nationwide shutdown of analog transmitters, and Cape Breton became part of CBHT's service footprint rather than retaining a separate over-the-air CBC station. CBHT converted its Halifax service from analog VHF channel 3 to digital UHF channel 39, retaining virtual channel 3.1, on August 31, 2011. The CBC subsequently shut down its remaining analog television transmitters in July 2012 and did not convert the affected rebroadcasters to digital. This reduced the station's over-the-air reach in several Nova Scotian communities, although cable and other distribution systems continued to carry CBC programming. In some Newfoundland and Labrador communities, Eastlink systems temporarily carried CBHT instead of the province's normal CBC outlet, CBNT-DT, citing technical issues. In November 2014, CBC Halifax moved most television and radio operations into the Chebucto Road facility. Bell Road's larger Studio 1 remained available for productions requiring a substantial multicamera space, including This Hour Has 22 Minutes, until its final event in February 2020. The Bell Road building was demolished later in 2020 as part of the redevelopment of the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre. Chebucto Road now contains dedicated news and weather studios as well as a multipurpose production studio used for television and radio work. News remains central to CBHT-DT's identity. The station produces an extended weekday Nova Scotia newscast at 6 p.m., along with regional late-evening and weekend broadcasts serving Atlantic Canada. Its current Nova Scotia local-news branding is CBC Nova Scotia News. CBHT has also contributed to a broad range of CBC productions, including This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Don Messer's Jubilee, Singalong Jubilee, Street Cents, Land and Sea, and Short Film Face Off. Its positioning is that of a publicly funded regional broadcaster: it combines CBC's national programming mandate with local reporting, Atlantic cultural coverage, emergency information, and production capabilities that have historically served audiences beyond Halifax.

CBHT-DT is CBC Television's Halifax station and the network's Atlantic Time Zone flagship. It began service on December 20, 1954, from temporary studios at College Street School. In October 1956, it moved to a purpose-built 57,000-square-foot facility on Bell Road. The station joined CBC's microwave distribution network in 1958 and introduced colour programming in 1966. Its terrestrial network gradually expanded through rebroadcast transmitters across Nova Scotia, giving the Halifax station a province-wide role. CBHT's Cape Breton presence developed after CHUM Limited acquired CJCB-TV and moved that station to the CTV network on September 26, 1972. CBC responded by launching CBIT-TV in Sydney, using channel 5 over the air and channel 3 on cable. CBIT initially produced its own local newscast, Cape Breton Report, but CBC staffing and funding reductions led to its cancellation in December 1990. CBIT then operated mainly as a news bureau and full-time repeater of CBHT. The separate service ended on July 31, 2012, when CBC shut more than 600 analog transmitters during its national digital-transition program. Halifax's analog transmitter ceased operation on August 31, 2011. Digital broadcasting continued on UHF channel 39, with virtual channel 3.1. The later shutdown of analog rebroadcasters reduced free over-the-air CBC access in many smaller Nova Scotian communities, although cable distribution remained important. Some Eastlink systems in Newfoundland and Labrador also carried CBHT temporarily in place of CBNT-DT because of technical problems cited by the cable operator. The Bell Road complex supported decades of local and national production. Studio 2, opened in 1956, originally handled drama, comedy, variety, and news before becoming a news studio. Studio 1, constructed in 1993, was a 4,800-square-foot multicamera facility and for many years one of Atlantic Canada's principal dedicated television production studios. It supported This Hour Has 22 Minutes and other CBC and non-CBC productions. CBC Halifax's television and radio operations moved in November 2014 to a 44,000-square-foot Chebucto Road facility located in a former Hudson's Bay store. The new site includes dedicated news and weather studios and a 2,500-square-foot multipurpose Studio 60. Although Studio 1 was expected to close after the 2014–15 season, it remained useful for technically demanding productions. Its final event was a February 2020 taping of This Hour Has 22 Minutes. The building was demolished in November 2020 during redevelopment of the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, while 22 Minutes production later moved to a new multicamera studio at the Light House Arts Centre in downtown Halifax. CBHT's programming role combines national CBC content with regional journalism and production. The station carries the network schedule in Atlantic local time, except when live events alter the lineup. Local output includes the weekday CBC Nova Scotia News broadcast, regional late-evening programming, weekend regional newscasts, and weather reports. Historical and associated productions include Don Messer's Jubilee, Singalong Jubilee, Countrytime, Take Time With Noel Harrison, Street Cents, Mary Walsh: Open Book, Switchback, Land and Sea, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, and Short Film Face Off. The station remains an active public-service broadcaster for Halifax, Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Island, and audiences reached through regional distribution systems.

• 2020

  Bell Road facility is demolished

  [1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The former production complex was demolished as part of Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre redevelopment.

• 2014

  CBC Halifax consolidates at Chebucto Road

  [1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Television and radio operations moved to a converted former Hudson's Bay facility.

• 2012

  CBIT and remaining analog rebroadcasters close

  [1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  CBC ended the Cape Breton station and shut its remaining analog television transmitters in the region.

• 2011

  Halifax converts to digital transmission

  [1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The analog transmitter closed and digital service began on UHF channel 39 using virtual channel 3.1.

• 1990

  Cape Breton local newscast ends

  [1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  CBC cancelled Cape Breton Report during a period of major staffing and funding reductions.

• 1972

  CBIT-TV launches in Cape Breton

  [1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  CBC launched a Sydney-based branch station after CJCB-TV joined CTV.

• 1966

  Colour programming begins

  [1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  CBHT introduced colour television programming.

• 1958

  Joins CBC microwave network

  [1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station became part of CBC's microwave distribution network.

• 1956

  Move to Bell Road

  [1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  CBHT moved into a new 57,000-square-foot facility in October.

• 1954

  CBHT begins broadcasting

  [1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station launched on December 20 from temporary studios at College Street School in Halifax.

Public-service regional television broadcaster serving Nova Scotia and the Atlantic Time Zone through CBC Television programming, local journalism, emergency information, and original production.

• Local television news

  CBC Nova Scotia News

  CBHT's principal Nova Scotia news service, including a 60-minute weekday early-evening broadcast. It provides local reporting, weather, community coverage, and public-affairs information for Halifax and other Nova Scotian audiences.

• Regional television news

  Regional CBC Atlantic newscasts

  CBHT contributes to CBC's wider Atlantic news output, including late-evening weekday and Sunday broadcasts and a Saturday evening regional newscast covering Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

• National comedy production · 1992

  This Hour Has 22 Minutes

  The long-running CBC sketch-comedy series has been produced in Halifax and was a major user of CBHT's Bell Road multicamera Studio 1. Its production later moved to a downtown Halifax facility after the Bell Road studio ceased operations.

• Regional documentary and public affairs

  Land and Sea

  A regional CBC program associated with Atlantic Canadian communities, maritime life, and documentary-style storytelling. It is among the notable regional productions linked to CBHT's programming history.

• National competition series

  Short Film Face Off

  A CBC competition program featuring short-film creators. Episodes have been taped in CBHT's multipurpose Studio 60 at the Chebucto Road facility.

• 2014

  Consolidation at Chebucto RoadStrategy

  Background

  CBC planned to replace its larger Bell Road operation and bring Halifax television and radio activities together.

  Action taken

  CBC moved into a 44,000-square-foot former Hudson's Bay facility on Chebucto Road, creating dedicated news, weather, and multipurpose production spaces.

  Aftermath

  Most CBC Halifax operations were consolidated, while Bell Road Studio 1 remained available for complex multicamera productions for several additional years.

  Source

• 2012

  Shutdown of analog rebroadcast networkStrategy

  Background

  CBC cited funding reductions while implementing the national digital transition.

  Action taken

  CBC shut more than 600 analog transmitters, including CBIT-TV and CBHT's remaining analog rebroadcasters, without converting those outlets to digital.

  Aftermath

  CBC Television abandoned over-the-air service in several Cape Breton and mainland Nova Scotia communities, although cable distribution continued in many areas.

  Source

• 2011

  Digital conversion of the Halifax transmitterOther

  Background

  Canada's transition from analog to digital terrestrial television required affected broadcasters to replace analog transmission.

  Action taken

  CBHT ended analog VHF channel 3 transmission and began digital UHF channel 39 transmission while retaining virtual channel 3.1.

  Aftermath

  The Halifax market continued to receive CBHT over the air digitally.

  Source

• 1990

  Consolidation of Cape Breton news productionStrategy

  Background

  CBC faced significant staff and funding reductions that affected local television news in smaller Canadian markets.

  Action taken

  CBC cancelled Cape Breton Report and replaced it with CBHT's First Edition, turning CBIT into a regional bureau and repeater.

  Aftermath

  Cape Breton no longer had a fully independent CBC supper-hour television newscast.

  Source

• 1972

  Launch of CBIT-TV in SydneyStrategy

  Background

  CJCB-TV, Nova Scotia's original local television station, changed its affiliation to CTV after being acquired by CHUM Limited.

  Action taken

  CBC created CBIT-TV to provide CBC Television service to Cape Breton Island and parts of eastern Nova Scotia.

  Aftermath

  CBIT retained a separate local newscast for many years before becoming primarily a repeater and news bureau linked to CBHT.

  Source

• 2020

  Bell Road Studio 1 hosts final production[1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The long-running multicamera studio hosted its final event, a This Hour Has 22 Minutes season-finale taping, before production moved downtown.

• 2014

  CBC Halifax moves to Chebucto Road[1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Television and radio operations moved into a converted former Hudson's Bay building, consolidating CBC Halifax facilities.

• 2012

  CBC closes CBIT-TV and analog rebroadcasters[1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  CBC shut CBIT and its remaining analog television transmitters in the region as part of a national response to funding reductions and the digital transition.

• 2011

  CBHT completes digital transition[1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Halifax analog transmitter was shut down on August 31 and replaced by digital transmission on UHF channel 39 with virtual channel 3.1.

• 1990

  CBC ends Cape Breton Report[1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  CBC cutbacks ended CBIT's separate supper-hour newscast, converting the outlet into a bureau and repeater serving CBHT's regional operation.

• 1972

  CBIT-TV launches in Sydney[1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  CBC established CBIT-TV to serve Cape Breton after CJCB-TV changed its network affiliation to CTV.

• 1956

  CBHT moves into Bell Road facility[1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A new 57,000-square-foot Halifax facility became the station's principal home in October.

• 1954

  CBHT begins broadcasting in Halifax[1]CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The station began CBC Television broadcasting on December 20 from temporary facilities at College Street School.

1. 1CBHT-DTen.wikipedia.org
2. 2CBC Nova Scotiacbc.ca