CBVT-DT
CBVT-DT is the ICI Radio-Canada Télé station serving Quebec City and surrounding areas in Quebec, Canada.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
CBVT-DT is the Quebec City television station of ICI Radio-Canada Télé, the French-language television service operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, known in French as Société Radio-Canada. The station broadcasts on channel 11 under its digital call sign and is commonly presented to viewers as ICI Québec. It serves Quebec City and contributes programming for audiences in the wider Eastern Quebec region. The station was established and operated directly by Radio-Canada, rather than beginning as a private affiliate. It first went on the air on September 3, 1964. Its launch changed the local television landscape because Quebec City's earlier Radio-Canada affiliate, CFCM-TV, subsequently became independent and later helped establish the TVA network. CBVT therefore became the public broadcaster's direct television presence in the provincial capital. CBVT-DT combines network, regional, and local responsibilities. Its local news operation produces Le Téléjournal/Québec, an evening newscast broadcast on weekdays at 6 p.m. It also participates in the weekday noon service Le Téléjournal midi/Québec et Est du Québec, which is shared among Radio-Canada stations serving Eastern Quebec. These programs provide regional reporting, weather, public-affairs coverage, and other information relevant to viewers in and around Quebec City. The station also produces or carries network programming with a Quebec production role. Its listed network contributions include La semaine verte, a weekly newsmagazine focused on agriculture, rural life, and related social and environmental issues, and Second regard, a program examining religion and spirituality. These programs extend CBVT's role beyond a conventional local-news outlet and connect its production activities with the broader French-language Radio-Canada schedule. CBVT's studios were relocated in 2004 to facilities that brought CBC/Radio-Canada personnel in Quebec City together. The station's facilities are associated with Rue Saint-Jean and Autoroute Dufferin-Montmorency in the La Cité-Limoilou borough. Its main transmitter serving Quebec City is located at Mount Bélair, in the Val-Bélair area, with the transmission site identified around Avenue de la Montagne and Dumont Belair Ouest. The station underwent a complicated digital-frequency transition. Following Canada's analog television shutdown on August 31, 2011, CBVT initially retained a digital assignment corresponding to channel 12. Interference concerns involving CFCF-DT in Montreal, together with reception issues, led to a subsequent move to channel 25 in December 2011. The channel had previously been used by CIVQ-DT, a local digital repeater of Télé-Québec. CBVT's analog rebroadcast network was later affected by federal funding reductions. In April 2012, CBC/Radio-Canada announced measures that included ending service from its remaining analog television transmitters on July 31, 2012; those transmitters were not converted to digital. Today, CBVT-DT remains a regional public-service television station within the ICI Radio-Canada Télé network. Its principal identity is local and regional rather than commercial: it supplies Quebec City news and information, carries national French-language programming, and supports network production. As a Radio-Canada station, it operates within the public broadcaster's nationwide mandate and is not a separately listed commercial company.
History
CBVT-DT is the Quebec City outlet of Canada's French-language public broadcaster, Radio-Canada, now branded within the ICI Radio-Canada Télé service. The station first broadcast on September 3, 1964, after being built and signed on directly by Radio-Canada. Its creation gave Quebec City a dedicated public-broadcasting television station. The city's earlier Radio-Canada affiliate, CFCM-TV, became independent for several years and later became one of the founding stations of TVA in 1971, leaving CBVT as the direct Radio-Canada television presence in the market. The station developed a dual role as both a local news provider and a contributor to national French-language programming. In Quebec City, its principal local service is Le Téléjournal/Québec, an evening weekday newscast. CBVT also participates in the regional noon newscast Le Téléjournal midi/Québec et Est du Québec, shared with other Radio-Canada stations serving Eastern Quebec. In addition, the station has been associated with network productions such as La semaine verte, an hour-long newsmagazine about agriculture and rural life, and Second regard, a half-hour program addressing religion and spirituality. In 2004, CBVT moved into new studios that brought CBC/Radio-Canada staff in Quebec City together. The station's facilities are located around Rue Saint-Jean and Autoroute Dufferin-Montmorency in the La Cité-Limoilou borough. Its main transmission facility for Quebec City is at Mount Bélair, with the transmitter site described in the Val-Bélair area near Avenue de la Montagne and Dumont Belair Ouest. CBVT's transmission history was shaped by Canada's conversion from analog to digital television. On August 31, 2011, the station initially remained on its pre-transition digital assignment, channel 12. That arrangement created potential interference with CFCF-DT in Montreal, which also moved its digital signal to channel 12, and viewers experienced reception difficulties. CBVT consequently moved to channel 25 in December 2011. Channel 25 had previously been used by CIVQ-DT, a Télé-Québec digital repeater. The station historically operated seven analog rebroadcasters in communities near Quebec City. In response to federal funding reductions, CBC/Radio-Canada announced in April 2012 that its remaining analog television transmitters would be shut down on July 31 of that year. The analog retransmitters were not converted to digital, reducing the station's former analog distribution footprint. CBVT-DT continues to operate as an active ICI Radio-Canada Télé station. It is not an independently listed or separately capitalized company; rather, it is a broadcasting operation of CBC/Radio-Canada. Its public-facing role combines local and regional journalism, network programming, and digital terrestrial transmission for Quebec City and Eastern Quebec audiences.
- 2012
Analog rebroadcast transmitters shut down
[1]CBC/Radio-Canada ends its remaining analog television retransmissions on July 31 following funding reductions; the transmitters are not converted to digital.
- 2011
Digital television transition and channel reassignment
[1]After the national analog shutdown, CBVT initially retains a channel 12 digital assignment and then moves to channel 25 in December because of interference and reception concerns.
- 2004
New Quebec City studios open
[1]CBVT moves into facilities that consolidate CBC/Radio-Canada employees and operations in Quebec City.
- 1971
CFCM-TV becomes part of the TVA founding group
[1]Quebec City's former Radio-Canada affiliate CFCM-TV becomes one of the co-founders of TVA after operating independently, reinforcing CBVT's role as the city's direct Radio-Canada station.
- 1964
CBVT begins broadcasting
[1]Radio-Canada launches the Quebec City station on September 3, creating a direct public French-language television service in the market.
Products and positioning
A French-language public-service television station focused on Quebec City and Eastern Quebec news, information, cultural programming, and distribution of ICI Radio-Canada Télé network content.
Local television news
Le Téléjournal/Québec
CBVT's weekday evening local newscast for Quebec City. It is the station's principal local-news program and covers regional events, politics, public affairs, weather, and other subjects relevant to viewers in the Quebec City area.
Regional television news
Le Téléjournal midi/Québec et Est du Québec
A weekday noon newscast shared by Radio-Canada stations serving Eastern Quebec. The program gives CBVT audiences a broader regional information service in addition to the station's Quebec City-specific evening bulletin.
News magazine
La semaine verte
An hour-long Radio-Canada newsmagazine centered on agriculture, rural communities, and related social and environmental issues. CBVT is identified as a producing station for this network program.
Religion and spirituality program
Second regard
A half-hour Radio-Canada program exploring religion and spirituality. It forms part of the station's network programming role alongside its local and regional news output.
Broadcast television service
ICI Québec television service
The station's public-facing regional identity within the ICI Radio-Canada Télé network. The service combines locally produced Quebec City news, shared Eastern Quebec programming, and national French-language Radio-Canada content.
Brand decisions
2012
Closure of remaining analog retransmittersStrategyBackground
CBC/Radio-Canada implemented reductions in response to federal funding cuts while completing the transition away from analog television transmission.
Action taken
The broadcaster shut down its remaining analog television transmitters, including CBVT-associated analog rebroadcast facilities, on July 31, 2012.
Aftermath
The analog transmitters were not converted to digital, ending their former analog distribution role.
2011
Move to digital channel 25Generation changeBackground
Following Canada's analog-to-digital television transition, CBVT's initial digital assignment on channel 12 created potential interference with CFCF-DT in Montreal and was associated with reception problems.
Action taken
CBVT changed its digital transmission assignment to channel 25 in December 2011. The channel had previously been used by CIVQ-DT, a Télé-Québec repeater.
Aftermath
The reassignment established the station's post-transition digital frequency while avoiding the reported channel conflict.
Recent events
- 2012
CBC/Radio-Canada closes remaining analog television transmitters[1]
Regulation
Following federal funding reductions, CBC/Radio-Canada ended its remaining analog television retransmissions on July 31. The affected transmitters, including CBVT-associated analog retransmitters, were not converted to digital.
- 2011
CBVT-DT completes its digital-frequency transition[1]
Product generation · Regulation
After the analog-to-digital transition, CBVT initially retained its prior digital channel assignment before moving to channel 25 in December because of interference and reception concerns.
- 2004
Quebec City station moves into consolidated Radio-Canada facilities[1]
Other
CBVT moved into new studios that consolidated CBC/Radio-Canada personnel and operations in Quebec City.
- 1964
CBVT-DT begins broadcasting in Quebec City[1]
Other
Radio-Canada launched CBVT in Quebec City on September 3, establishing a direct French-language public-broadcasting television service in the provincial capital.
Sources2 sources
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