CFYK-DT (channel 8) is a CBC Television station in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. It is the flagship station of the CBC North television service.

CFYK-DT
Channels
BrandingCBC North (general)
CBC Northbeat (English newscast)
CBC Igalaaq (Inuktitut newscast)
Programming
AffiliationsCBC Television
Ownership
OwnerCanadian Broadcasting Corporation
History
First air date
1967 (57 years ago) (1967)
Former channel number(s)
Analogue:
8 (VHF, 1967–2012)
Call sign meaning
Canada's Finest Yellowknife
Technical information
Licensing authority
CRTC
ERP2.4 kW
HAAT62.5 m (205 ft)
Transmitter coordinates62°26′50″N 114°21′37″W / 62.44722°N 114.36028°W / 62.44722; -114.36028
Links
WebsiteCBC North

History

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The station signed on in 1967 as the first television station in northern Canada, and the first station to be part of the CBC's Frontier Coverage Package; satellite delivery of colour television began in 1973.

Prior to 2011, the station was licensed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) as a "radiocommunication distribution undertaking," meaning that for regulatory purposes it was not a true television station, but merely a transmitter that redistributed CBC North from satellite. The CRTC formally relicensed it as a full television station in February 2011.[1]

CFYK-TV switched to digital broadcasting, flash cutting on VHF 8 (originally VHF 7) with a PSIP of 8.1 on August 1, 2012.[2] However, the CBC was not obligated to convert or close down this station, as no part of the Northwest Territories is designated as a mandatory market for digital conversion.[3]

Transmitters

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CFYK had 9 analogue VHF television rebroadcasters in the Northwest Territories. Additionally, CFWH-TV in Whitehorse and CFFB-TV in Iqaluit, though operating as semi-satellites of CFYK with their own networks of rebroadcasters, were actually licensed as rebroadcasters of CFYK.

Due to federal funding reductions to the CBC, in April 2012, the CBC responded with substantial budget cuts, which included shutting down CBC's and Radio-Canada's remaining analogue transmitters on July 31, 2012.[4] None of CBC or Radio-Canada's rebroadcasters were converted to digital. The only known translators in Arctic Canada that are known to still be in service are owned and operated by local community groups or local governments. However, few residents actually lost access to CBC programming due to the extremely high penetration of cable and satellite, which is all but essential for acceptable television in much of the Arctic.

City of license Callsign Channel Notes
Aklavik CBEX-TV 5
Deline CBETT 9
Fort Good Hope CBEST 9
Fort Providence CBEBT-3 13
Fort Resolution CBEV-TV 9
Fort Simpson CBEGT 9
Fort Smith CBEAT 8 Began broadcasting as CBTE-TV-4 on June 27, 1969
Hay River CBEBT-1 7
Norman Wells CBEDT 9
Rae-Edzo CFYK-TV-1 10

References

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  1. ^ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2011-107.
  2. ^ https://services.crtc.gc.ca/pub/DocWebBroker/OpenDocument.aspx?AppNo=201205097 [bare URL]
  3. ^ "Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2009-406". 6 June 2009. Retrieved 2011-03-14.
  4. ^ Speaking notes for Hubert T. Lacroix regarding measures announced in the context of the Deficit Reduction Action Plan
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