CFTO-DT - History

History

CFTO went on the air for the first time on December 31, 1960, at 10.00 p.m. The first official day of programming was January 1, 1961. The opening program was a telethon hosted by Joel Aldred, complete with a fireworks ceremony. The telethon was for what was then known as the Ontario Association for Retarded Children.

The station was originally owned by Baton-Aldred-Rogers Broadcasting, made up of:

• Telegram Corporation (Bassett and Eaton families)
• Aldred-Rogers Broadcasting (Joel Aldred & E.S. Rogers)
• Foster Hewitt Broadcasting (CKFH Radio)

US network ABC had a minority share in the partnership, but this was sold shortly before CFTO-TV went on the air to each of the partners. John Bassett trained at WXYZ-TV in Detroit, and WABC-TV in New York. The elder E. S. Rogers was a minority owner of Western Ontario Broadcasting, Ltd., owners of CKLW-TV (now CBET) in Windsor, Ontario/Detroit (which was mostly owned by RKO General). The station's original studios and transmitter were located at 1550 McCowan Road.

In March 1961, Joel Aldred sold his interest in CFTO, and on October 1 that year, the station joined the CTV Television Network. In 1970, Ted Rogers sold his interest in CFTO and the Bassett-Eaton group sold their interest in Rogers Cable. On May 31, 1976, CFTO began broadcasting from the CN Tower, while studios remained in Agincourt. CFTO began broadcasting in stereo in 1985. In 1994, the station became part of the Baton Broadcast System, a subsystem within the CTV network. In 1995, CFTO began operating rebroadcast stations at Orillia (channel 21) and Bobcaygeon (near Peterborough, channel 54).

On January 27, 1998, the Eaton family sold its 41% interest in Baton. On the same day the Baton Broadcast System merged into CTV.

With rumours of a takeover impending, Bell Canada proposed to buy CTV Inc. for $2.3 billion. This was approved by the CTV board in March 2000. The deal still required CRTC approval, but with the promise of the largest benefits package ever presented to the regulators, the deal was approved on December 7 that year. BCE later sold most of its interest in CTV, with the parent company renamed CTVglobemedia. BCE Inc. later reacquired 100% control of CTVglobemedia's assets $1.3 billion in 2011, with the parent company once again renamed Bell Media.

The station began providing a digital signal on satellite on November 17, 2003, and on January 30, 2004, CFTO was granted a digital television channel signal, transmitting on channel 40 from the CN Tower with an ERP of 17,400 watts. In mid 2005, CFTO's CN Tower transmitter began transmitting HDTV over the air. By February 2005, the station stopped using its call letters, and became official on several CTV stations in October 2005.