CBWT-DT
CBC Television’s Winnipeg station serving Manitoba and the Central Time Zone.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
CBWT-DT is the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s English-language television station in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It is part of CBC Television and operates alongside the corporation’s French-language Winnipeg station, CBWFT-DT. The two stations share studios in downtown Winnipeg near Portage Avenue and Young Street, while CBWT-DT’s transmission facilities serve the Winnipeg market and surrounding areas. The station began broadcasting on May 31, 1954, initially as a bilingual service on channel 4. Its launch followed federal planning for a Winnipeg television station that had begun in 1952. CBWT was among the earliest television services in Western Canada, although technical and coordination issues delayed its start. Its initial facilities included an RCA Victor transmitter and a rooftop antenna at the CBC’s Portage Avenue premises. In 1956, the station joined the Trans-Canada Microwave Relay System, enabling viewers to receive CBC network programming on the same day as audiences in Toronto and Montreal. CBWT’s identity and technical footprint evolved during the 1950s and 1960s. It moved from channel 4 to channel 3 in 1958, then exchanged channels with CBWFT in 1964 and became the higher-powered English service on VHF channel 6. A new mast near Starbuck, Manitoba, substantially improved reception across southern Manitoba and nearby communities. The station became English-only in 1960, when French-language programming moved to the newly launched CBWFT. Local production has been an important part of CBWT’s history. The station produced news, current-affairs, entertainment, educational and children’s programming, including Eye-To-Eye, 24Hours, Reach for the Top, Fred Penner’s Place, It’s a Living, Disclosure and Living Winnipeg. Country Calendar, later known as Country Canada, began in the station’s early years and developed into a nationally distributed CBC program. CBWT also produced or contributed to regional projects such as Breakaway, Switchback, The Medicine Show and In Search of the Perfect Summer. The station’s local news operation has changed repeatedly in response to labour disputes, corporate restructuring and CBC budget reductions. The long-running 24Hours news and current-affairs program ended in 2000, while several regional non-news programs were also cancelled around the same period. CBC Manitoba later expanded its studios and newsroom, with a new facility completed in 1998 and its first television broadcast from the expanded studio airing that September. CBWT-DT is CBC Television’s flagship station for the Central Time Zone. Its network schedule generally airs one hour after the Eastern Time Zone schedule, reflecting the time difference. The station also produces local news for Manitoba, including the CBC News Manitoba supper-hour broadcast. As of March 2024, it carried five hours of locally produced newscasts each week and simulcast CBC Radio One’s weekday morning Information Radio program on television. The former late-night local news summary had been replaced by a repeat of the evening newscast. The station completed its transition from analogue to digital broadcasting on December 9, 2011. Its digital signal uses UHF channel 27 while retaining virtual channel 6.1 through PSIP. CBC later shut down its remaining analogue rebroadcasters in 2012 following federal funding reductions. CBWT-DT remains an active CBC television outlet based in Winnipeg, with a continuing role in Manitoba news coverage and CBC’s national schedule.
History
Planning for a Winnipeg CBC television service was announced in late 1952, and the station was publicly presented in September 1953. CBC Winnipeg had moved into a large Portage Avenue facility before the launch. CBWT began broadcasting on May 31, 1954, on channel 4 as a bilingual station. Its first transmitter was an RCA Victor unit, supported by a rooftop antenna. Early operations included locally produced programming and outside broadcasts, although the station also faced technical limitations associated with early television equipment. The station joined the Trans-Canada Microwave Relay System on September 30, 1956. This connected Winnipeg with the national CBC network and allowed same-day carriage of programs originating in central and eastern Canada. CBWT moved to channel 3 in April 1958 after concerns about interference with an American station operating on channel 4. On April 24, 1960, CBWT became an English-language service, while French programming moved to the newly established CBWFT. In November 1964, CBWT and CBWFT exchanged channels. CBWT took VHF channel 6 and received higher-powered transmission facilities on a new mast near Starbuck, Manitoba. The upgrade expanded reliable reception across a broad part of southern Manitoba. For many years, the analogue channel 6 signal could also be heard on FM receivers tuned near 87.7 MHz, an incidental feature that disappeared with the digital transition. CBWT developed a substantial local production role. Its early programming included interview and public-affairs shows such as Spotlight and Eye-To-Eye. Eye-To-Eye, which began in 1959, preceded the station’s long-running 24Hours current-affairs and news format. The station also carried the local edition of Reach for the Top from 1962 until 1985. Other programs produced in Winnipeg included Fred Penner’s Place, It’s a Living, Disclosure, The Medicine Show, Switchback, Breakaway and Living Winnipeg. Country Calendar, launched in 1954 and later renamed Country Canada, became one of the station’s best-known nationally distributed productions. Labour relations and CBC-wide financial pressures affected local output. A large NABET strike in 1981 halted production of 24Hours. After federal cuts in the mid-1980s, 86 CBWT employees were dismissed. Further reductions in 1990 diminished the resources available to 24Hours and other local production. Regional non-news programming was reduced further around 2000–01, when Breakaway was cancelled. 24Hours ended in 2000, and the local noon news program had already been displaced by the network’s Midday. CBC Manitoba announced a studio and facility expansion in 1997. The newsroom and studios moved into an expanded building in 1998 after years of using temporary and unconventional spaces. The first television broadcast from the new studio took place on September 21, 1998. The station also adopted digital Betacam SX production technology during this period. CBWT historically operated a large network of analogue rebroadcasters across Manitoba, parts of northern Ontario and portions of Saskatchewan. Some early extension services used kinescope recordings, while later distribution relied on microwave links. A separate news arrangement in Dauphin once carried IMTV The Report instead of the Winnipeg newscast, and CBWAT in Kenora previously offered distinct local news before that service ended around 1979–80. The analogue transmitter was shut down on December 9, 2011, as CBWT moved to digital transmission. The digital service operates on UHF channel 27 and identifies as virtual channel 6.1. CBC subsequently closed its remaining analogue transmitters on July 31, 2012, citing federal funding reductions. In its current role, CBWT-DT serves as CBC Television’s Winnipeg and Manitoba outlet, producing local news and carrying the national CBC schedule for the Central Time Zone. Recent personnel changes included meteorologist John Sauder’s departure in January 2024 and Janet Stewart’s temporary move from television to CBC Radio One, with Brittany Greenslade taking over the 6 p.m. television broadcast for a year.
- 2024
Local on-air changes
[1]John Sauder left the television operation in January, and Janet Stewart moved temporarily to radio; Brittany Greenslade was announced as the one-year host of the 6 p.m. broadcast.
- 2012
Analogue rebroadcasters close
[1]CBC shut down its remaining analogue rebroadcast transmitters after funding reductions.
- 2011
Digital transition
[1]CBWT ended analogue transmission and began digital service on December 9 using UHF channel 27 and virtual channel 6.1.
- 1998
Expanded studio opens
[1]The expanded newsroom and studio facility began television production, with the first broadcast from the new studio airing on September 21.
- 1997
CBC Manitoba announces facility expansion
[1]CBC Manitoba announced a 2,700-square-metre expansion of its studio and newsroom facilities at a stated cost of $2.8 million.
- 1970
24Hours begins
[1]CBWT’s hour-long local news and current-affairs program began and continued until 2000.
- 1964
CBWT moves to VHF channel 6
[1]A channel exchange with CBWFT and a new high-power mast near Starbuck improved reception across southern Manitoba.
- 1960
CBWT becomes English-only
[1]French-language programming moved to newly launched CBWFT, leaving CBWT as Winnipeg’s English CBC service.
- 1958
Station moves to channel 3
[1]CBWT changed from channel 4 to channel 3 to address interference concerns.
- 1956
Winnipeg joins the Trans-Canada Microwave Relay System
[1]The connection enabled same-day carriage of CBC Television network programming from eastern Canadian production centres.
Products and positioning
A public-service English-language television broadcaster focused on Manitoba news, regional storytelling and CBC Television network programming.
Local television news
CBC News Manitoba
CBWT-DT’s principal local news service for Manitoba. The station broadcasts a supper-hour edition from 6 to 7 p.m. and has historically produced additional local news and late-night summaries. The format has evolved from earlier services including Noon Hour, News at Noon, 24Hours, the local segment of CBC News: Canada Now and CBC News at Six.
Network television · 1954
CBC Television network service
CBWT-DT carries the national CBC Television schedule for Winnipeg and the Central Time Zone. Network programs generally air one hour later than in the Eastern Time Zone, aligning the schedule with local time.
Documentary and lifestyle television · 1954
Country Calendar / Country Canada
A long-running rural and agricultural television program that began as Country Calendar in 1954. The production became known as Country Canada and was distributed nationally, making it one of the best-known programs associated with CBC Manitoba’s production history.
News and current affairs · 1970
24Hours
An hour-long local news and current-affairs program that served as CBWT’s principal evening local format from 1970 until 2000. It followed the earlier Eye-To-Eye program and was affected by labour disruption and CBC budget reductions during its run.
Quiz and educational television · 1962
Reach for the Top
CBWT’s local edition of the Canadian academic quiz program began in 1962. It was hosted by Bill Guest and, at times, Ernie Nairn, and continued locally until 1985.
Regional magazine program · 2007
Living Winnipeg
A regional non-news program produced for Winnipeg audiences. A later weekday version aired from January 15, 2007, until CBC cancelled it across the network in 2009.
Children’s television
Fred Penner’s Place
A children’s program among the notable productions associated with CBWT. The station’s Winnipeg production history included children’s, educational and entertainment programming alongside its news operation.
Brand decisions
2012
Closure of analogue rebroadcast networkStrategyBackground
CBC faced substantial federal funding reductions affecting its over-the-air transmission network.
Action taken
CBC shut down its remaining analogue transmitters on July 31; the rebroadcasters were not converted to digital.
Aftermath
CBWT’s historical analogue coverage network across parts of Manitoba, northern Ontario and Saskatchewan was reduced, with CBC relying on other distribution methods and digital service arrangements.
2011
Conversion from analogue to digital transmissionStrategyBackground
Canadian television broadcasting was transitioning from analogue to digital transmission, with CBWT’s switchover delayed by antenna-related issues.
Action taken
CBWT ended analogue transmission on December 9 and began digital broadcasting on UHF channel 27, retaining virtual channel 6.1.
Aftermath
The station continued as a digital terrestrial service, while the former analogue signal and its incidental 87.7 FM audio reception disappeared.
1960
Separate English and French television servicesStrategyBackground
CBWT had operated as a bilingual station since its launch, while CBC was establishing a dedicated French-language service in Winnipeg.
Action taken
CBWT became English-only on April 24, 1960, and French programming moved to CBWFT.
Aftermath
The change established CBWT as CBC’s English-language Winnipeg station and CBWFT as the corresponding French-language service.
Recent events
- 2024
John Sauder signs off from CBC Manitoba television[1]
Leadership change
Longtime meteorologist John Sauder delivered his final CBC Manitoba television forecast on January 5, 2024, after 16 years with CBC.
- 2024
Janet Stewart announces temporary move to radio[1]
Leadership change
Weeknight anchor Janet Stewart announced that she would leave the television broadcast for one year to host Radio Noon on CBC Radio One.
- 2024
Brittany Greenslade named temporary 6 p.m. host[1]
Leadership change
CBC announced that Brittany Greenslade would host the 6 p.m. broadcast for one year.
- 2012
CBC shuts down remaining analogue rebroadcasters[1]
Other
CBC ended operation of its remaining analogue transmitters, including CBWT-related rebroadcast infrastructure, following funding reductions. The rebroadcasters were not converted to digital.
- 2011
CBWT-DT begins digital broadcasting[1]
Other
CBWT switched from analogue to digital transmission on December 9, using UHF channel 27 with virtual channel 6.1.
Sources2 sources
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