CFLA-TV
Encyclopedia
CFLA-TV is the local CBC Television
station in Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
. It is currently a rebroadcaster of CBNT
, the CBC station in St. John's
.
-United States
agreement. The station's licence was held by the CBC (making it a CBC owned and operated television station
), but it was maintained and operated by the USAF. The station was broadcast on VHF Channel 8 with an effective radiated power
(ERP) of 348 watts (video) and 174 watts (audio).
suppliers. Content was aired 50/50. In order to provide more American content, CFLA created a one hour teen dance show, similar to American Bandstand
. The Jeffrey Wayne Show was broadcast three times a week with both American and Canadian teenagers participating from Happy Valley and Northwest River. Under the CBC rules, this locally produced show counted as Canadian content
, allowing the addition of three hours of American content.
During the early 1960s, CFLA's programming schedule usually ran from 2:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Two local newscasts were presented Monday - Saturday, and one on Sunday. The news copy was ripped and read off the wire, and visuals consisted of still pictures. The weatherman stood behind a large transparent glass map. By reversing the camera scanning it appeared that he had the special talent of writing and drawing the symbols backwards. It created much viewer interest, so much so that it was a top priority of many visitors to the station to see how it was done.
The management in 1969 was M.A. "Tony" Grace as the CBC Management Representative, SSgt. Tom Stevenson as USAF NCOIC (General Manager), and Sgt. Jon "Dunbar" Wakayama as Program Director. During their tenure, CFLA created four different block programming formats, recruited local talent to sing jingles for the station, integrated the "CBC is for Lovers" TV campaign, and even had a parade rerouted to a road near the studio in order to broadcast the event. The CFLA-TV crew also produced a weekly news radio feature called Pulsebeat for CFGB-AM in Happy Valley.
Since there was no network feed or videotape in 1969 to show the moon landing
, the CFLA-TV crew rebroadcast the live CBC radio feed over an artistically selected series of slides to capture the feeling of that historical moment. A similar situation seven years earlier in 1962 during John F. Kennedy
's historic Bay Of Pigs speech; the audio portion was picked up from CFGB radio while various file pictures of the president aired.
The CBC also helped the station by sending cyclorama backdrops, set dressing, props and slides for the regularly scheduled news and entertainment programs such as Panorama and Speaking of Sports with Gordie Rendell. They also provided an environmentally conscious news teletype, allowing viewers to follow the events of mercury poisoning of the fish in Placentia Bay.
Because the CBC's time-sensitive programs had to be delayed by several weeks, viewers were treated to situations such as the Perry Como Thanksgiving Special airing close to Christmas. Since the majority of Christmas specials were pre-produced they aired on time.
To keep the Canadian content balance, 55-45 at that time, CFLA produced a live show Monday - Saturday at 11:40 p.m. called Midnight. Hosted by Marty Culpepper, it basically was a radio show on TV, consisting of music recordings over still pictures, a filmed short subject, cartoon, news headlines and tidbits off the wire. Saturday afternoons, during the winter months, a one hour teen dance show hosted by Mike Keene was produced locally. Occasionally, courtesy of the NCO Club, their entertainment provided several half-hour shows. It was a challenge to produce a show with a live band and singers in such a small studio with limited equipment.
Leo Harvey was the CBC Mgt. Rep. and Capt. William James, base information officer, was the military supervisor.
The equipment for CFLA-TV originally was located at Loring AFB, Maine during 1954-56 due to the lack of commercial service in that area. The station was relocated to Goose Air Base
once Presque Isle's
WAGM-TV
began broadcasting on channel 8 in 1956.
On March 1, 1988, the station's licence was renewed. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) also noted that CFLA was basically a rebroadcast transmitter of CBNT
St. John's
, aside from 3 hours and 20 minutes of locally-produced programming each week. Most of this programming was a ten-minute insert of the daily news and public affairs program Here and Now (from CBNT), and a 30-minute news and general interest program Coffee Break, which aired on weekday mornings.
Starting October 8, 1991, CFLA-TV was given approval to decrease its ERP from 6800 to 1930 watts. With this change, a new antenna system was installed, and the station became a full-time rebroadcaster of CBNT.
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
station in Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is currently a rebroadcaster of CBNT
CBNT
CBNT-DT, channel 8, is a television station in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It serves as the CBC Television station for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The station went on the air on October 1, 1964, as previous CBC...
, the CBC station in St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
.
1950s to 1970s
The station was founded by the US Air Force in 1957 via a CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
-United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
agreement. The station's licence was held by the CBC (making it a CBC owned and operated television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
), but it was maintained and operated by the USAF. The station was broadcast on VHF Channel 8 with an effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
(ERP) of 348 watts (video) and 174 watts (audio).
Programming
During the USAF's operation under CBC licensing, the programming became more varied. At that point in time, material was shipped to the CFLA studios from both the CBC and American Forces NetworkAmerican Forces Network
The American Forces Network is the brand name used by the United States Armed Forces American Forces Radio and Television Service for its entertainment and command internal information networks worldwide...
suppliers. Content was aired 50/50. In order to provide more American content, CFLA created a one hour teen dance show, similar to American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
. The Jeffrey Wayne Show was broadcast three times a week with both American and Canadian teenagers participating from Happy Valley and Northwest River. Under the CBC rules, this locally produced show counted as Canadian content
Canadian content
Canadian content refers to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission requirements that radio and television broadcasters must air a certain percentage of content that was at least partly written, produced, presented, or otherwise contributed to by persons from...
, allowing the addition of three hours of American content.
During the early 1960s, CFLA's programming schedule usually ran from 2:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Two local newscasts were presented Monday - Saturday, and one on Sunday. The news copy was ripped and read off the wire, and visuals consisted of still pictures. The weatherman stood behind a large transparent glass map. By reversing the camera scanning it appeared that he had the special talent of writing and drawing the symbols backwards. It created much viewer interest, so much so that it was a top priority of many visitors to the station to see how it was done.
The management in 1969 was M.A. "Tony" Grace as the CBC Management Representative, SSgt. Tom Stevenson as USAF NCOIC (General Manager), and Sgt. Jon "Dunbar" Wakayama as Program Director. During their tenure, CFLA created four different block programming formats, recruited local talent to sing jingles for the station, integrated the "CBC is for Lovers" TV campaign, and even had a parade rerouted to a road near the studio in order to broadcast the event. The CFLA-TV crew also produced a weekly news radio feature called Pulsebeat for CFGB-AM in Happy Valley.
Since there was no network feed or videotape in 1969 to show the moon landing
Moon landing
A moon landing is the arrival of a spacecraft on the surface of the Moon. This includes both manned and unmanned missions. The first human-made object to reach the surface of the Moon was the Soviet Union's Luna 2 mission on 13 September 1959. The United States's Apollo 11 was the first manned...
, the CFLA-TV crew rebroadcast the live CBC radio feed over an artistically selected series of slides to capture the feeling of that historical moment. A similar situation seven years earlier in 1962 during John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
's historic Bay Of Pigs speech; the audio portion was picked up from CFGB radio while various file pictures of the president aired.
The CBC also helped the station by sending cyclorama backdrops, set dressing, props and slides for the regularly scheduled news and entertainment programs such as Panorama and Speaking of Sports with Gordie Rendell. They also provided an environmentally conscious news teletype, allowing viewers to follow the events of mercury poisoning of the fish in Placentia Bay.
Because the CBC's time-sensitive programs had to be delayed by several weeks, viewers were treated to situations such as the Perry Como Thanksgiving Special airing close to Christmas. Since the majority of Christmas specials were pre-produced they aired on time.
To keep the Canadian content balance, 55-45 at that time, CFLA produced a live show Monday - Saturday at 11:40 p.m. called Midnight. Hosted by Marty Culpepper, it basically was a radio show on TV, consisting of music recordings over still pictures, a filmed short subject, cartoon, news headlines and tidbits off the wire. Saturday afternoons, during the winter months, a one hour teen dance show hosted by Mike Keene was produced locally. Occasionally, courtesy of the NCO Club, their entertainment provided several half-hour shows. It was a challenge to produce a show with a live band and singers in such a small studio with limited equipment.
Operations
The studio was located in the basement of building S565. The transmitter, two studio cameras and switcher were Dage products. Telecine consisted of two 16mm RCA projectors and a 35mm slide projector. No videotape.Leo Harvey was the CBC Mgt. Rep. and Capt. William James, base information officer, was the military supervisor.
The equipment for CFLA-TV originally was located at Loring AFB, Maine during 1954-56 due to the lack of commercial service in that area. The station was relocated to Goose Air Base
CFB Goose Bay
Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay , is a Canadian Forces Base located in the town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador....
once Presque Isle's
Presque Isle, Maine
Presque Isle is the commercial center and largest city in the sparsely populated Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,692 at the 2010 census...
WAGM-TV
WAGM-TV
WAGM-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Northern Maine, United States and Western New Brunswick, Canada. Licensed to Presque Isle, Maine, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 8 from a transmitter on the northern section of Mars Hill Mountain among the wind...
began broadcasting on channel 8 in 1956.
1970s to present
In 1973, the USAF formally transferred operations to the CBC.On March 1, 1988, the station's licence was renewed. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) also noted that CFLA was basically a rebroadcast transmitter of CBNT
CBNT
CBNT-DT, channel 8, is a television station in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It serves as the CBC Television station for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The station went on the air on October 1, 1964, as previous CBC...
St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, aside from 3 hours and 20 minutes of locally-produced programming each week. Most of this programming was a ten-minute insert of the daily news and public affairs program Here and Now (from CBNT), and a 30-minute news and general interest program Coffee Break, which aired on weekday mornings.
Starting October 8, 1991, CFLA-TV was given approval to decrease its ERP from 6800 to 1930 watts. With this change, a new antenna system was installed, and the station became a full-time rebroadcaster of CBNT.