Starts Thursday: CFRN-TV Gears Up for 60th Anniversary

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Starts Thursday: CFRN-TV Gears Up for 60th Anniversary

Postby jon » Wed Sep 17, 2014 5:44 pm

CTV Edmonton Celebrates Milestone 60th Anniversary, October 17
– Launched in 1954 as CFRN-TV, station celebrates six decades of bringing Edmontonians trusted news and beloved programming with retrospective stories –
Sep · 17 · 14

EDMONTON (September 17, 2014) – On October 17, CTV Edmonton celebrates 60 years of delivering unmatched programming and trusted news coverage to Edmontonians across the region. Leading up to its “diamond” anniversary, CTV Edmonton kicks off celebrations with a series of retrospective stories slated to air each Thursday for six weeks on CTV NEWS AT SIX beginning this Thursday, September 18. Reporter Dave Ewasuk takes viewers through historical, behind-the-scenes footage and on-air moments captured during the station’s early days as Channel 3, CFRN-TV. CTV Edmonton also welcomes viewers to take a trip down memory lane as it presents RETURN TO POPCORN PLAYHOUSE, a special live-audience look back at the original CTV Edmonton children’s program POPCORN PLAYHOUSE WITH KLONDIKE ERIC, airing Friday, October 24.

“We have immense pride in our place in Edmonton’s history, and are honoured to be welcomed into the homes of viewers across Edmonton and the surrounding region,” said Lloyd Lewis, Vice-President, CTV Edmonton and CTV Two Alberta. “We are delighted to celebrate 60 years of telling the stories that matter most to Edmontonians, and look forward to marking similar milestones in the future.”

CTV Edmonton’s look back at its long and storied history also features special online and social media content including never before seen and behind-the-scenes footage of the station through the years, available at edmonton.ctvnews.ca.

Launched on October 17, 1954 by broadcast pioneer Dr. G.R.A “Dick” Rice, CFRN was Edmonton’s first television station and the second station operating in Alberta. Beginning with a single live camera, its telecasts first appeared on Edmonton’s Channel 3 as the sole signal available in the region. Home to beloved programs NOON SHOW and EYE ON EDMONTON, CFRN also fed the first network program in Alberta, the official opening of the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in May, 1957. In 1988, CFRN was sold to Electrohome Ltd., which later merged with Baton Broadcasting in 1997. The station was finally acquired by CTV Inc. in 1999.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Twitter:
@CTVEdmonton
@DavidEwasukCTV

Facebook:
facebook.com/CTVEdmonton

About CTV
CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada’s most-watched television network for the past 13 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada’s premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network’s website at CTV.ca.

- CTV -

For more information, please contact:
Jon-Ross Gabriel, Bell Media, 416.384.6836 or jon-ross.gabriel@bellmedia.ca
Ursula Phillips, CTV Edmonton, 780.486.9216 or ursula.phillips@bellmedia.ca

Image
(portion of front page Edmonton Journal special section October 16, 1954)
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jon
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Re: Starts Thursday: CFRN-TV Gears Up for 60th Anniversary

Postby jon » Thu Sep 18, 2014 11:44 am

Both Woodward's and Hudsons Bay had bought two page ads in the early pages of the main paper (Edmonton Journal) the day before CFRN-TV first signed on. Those pages were filled with TV sets for sale. After all, this was Edmontonians' first access to television.

Although not mentioned in the small station signon ad (see below) included in the two page spread, Woodward's was not to be outdone by The Bay's display of TVs showing CFRN-TV in every window; Woodward's rented the nearby Alberta College Auditorium to show off all their television sets, with a contest to win one for yourself.

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Re: Starts Thursday: CFRN-TV Gears Up for 60th Anniversary

Postby drmusic » Thu Sep 18, 2014 2:54 pm

Glad to see a CTV station doing something worthy of its 60th anniversary. CKCK Regina could only manage a single Wayne Mantyka story in July, and it was overshadowed by the debut of the HD studio that same day. At the time I thought, better than nothing.
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Re: Starts Thursday: CFRN-TV Gears Up for 60th Anniversary

Postby jon » Thu Sep 18, 2014 9:31 pm

Each week's video will be available here:
http://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/celebrating-60-years
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Re: Starts Thursday: CFRN-TV Gears Up for 60th Anniversary

Postby jon » Fri Sep 19, 2014 5:40 pm

So, what would you have seen if you watched the entire first week's programs on CFRN-TV in 1954?

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And, remember, there was no microwave, satellite or even some kind of video by phone lines at CFRN-TV in 1954. As I understand it, all non-local programming, including any commercials that were not delivered live, was on film.
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