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For the present-day CHCT in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, see CHCT-TV.

CICT-DT

Calgary, Alberta
Branding	Global Calgary
Slogan	Think. Global.
Channels	Digital: 41 (UHF) Virtual: 2.1 (PSIP)
Translators	see below
Affiliations	Global (secondary; 1988-2000, primary affiliate; 2000-present)
Owner	Shaw Media (Shaw Television Limited Partnership)
First air date	October 8, 1954
Call letters' meaning	Canadian Independent Calgary Television or Calgary Independent Channel Two
Sister station(s)	CISA-DT
Former callsigns	CHCT-TV (1954-1968) CFAC-TV (1968-1990) CKKX-TV (1990-1993) CICT-TV (1993-2011)
Former channel number(s)	Analog 2 (1954-2011) (VHF)
Former affiliations	CBC (1954-1975) independent (1975-2000)
Transmitter power	50 kW
Height	378 m
Transmitter coordinates	51°4′21.1″N 114°15′38.3″W / 51.072528°N 114.260639°W / 51.072528; -114.260639
Website	Global Calgary

CICT-DT (branded on-air as Global Calgary) is the Global owned-and-operated television station in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It broadcasts a high-definition digital signal on UHF channel 41 (or virtual channel 2.1 via PSIP) from a transmitter near Old Banff Coach Road/Highway 563 and Artists View Drive, near the Calgary city limits.

Owned by Shaw Media, its studios are located on 23 Street Northeast and Barlow Trail in Calgary, near the Mayland Heights neighborhood. This station can also be seen on Shaw Cable channel 7, Bell TV channel 244, Rogers Personal TV channel 118 and Shaw Direct channel 338. There is also a high definition feed available on Shaw Cable digital channel 211.

The station first went on air in 1954, making it Global's oldest television station. It serves as the master control hub for all 12 stations owned and operated by Global across Canada.

History [edit]

CICT-TV signed on October 8, 1954 as CHCT, an affiliate of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), and the first television station in Alberta. The studios, offices and antenna were located on a hill seven miles (11 km) west of the city. The station’s owners, Calgary Television Ltd., were a consortium of the three Calgary radio stations CFCN, CFAC and CKXL. The CT in CHCT stood for Calgary Television.

During the construction of the transmitter, the 70 foot, 5 ton antenna was being hoisted on the top of the 600-foot (180 m) tower when the cable snapped and the antenna fell all the way down the tower to imbed itself 15 feet (4.6 m) in the ground. Fortunately no one was injured, and the antenna was able to be repaired, but the station’s launch was delayed by 10 days. A year later, CHCT moved its studios and offices from the transmitter site on Old Banff Coach Road, to a renovated badminton club/sea cadet drill hall on 955 Rideau Road S.W. Calgary.

CICT-TV's logo montage of its different logos over the years, from the station's website

Notable productions at the original studio include:

• Klara’s Korner: a cooking show that was in national syndication for many years
• Yan Can Cook: another cooking show, this time hosted by Martin Yan, over 600 shows were produced. It also aired for many years on PBS in North America.
• Stampede Wrestling: produced for over 20 years, finding loyal audiences worldwide
• It Figures: the show originated at the station and it was produced for nearly 20 years

In 1957, CKXL Ltd. sold its share in Calgary Television Ltd., to Fredrick Shaw, who had recently sold his share in CKXL-AM to Tel-Ray Ltd. CFCN sold off its share in 1961 when it opened its own station, CFCN-TV. In 1968, Selkirk Broadcasting, owner of CFAC-AM, became sole owner of the station, and its call sign was accordingly changed to CFAC-TV. On September 1, 1975, after the CBC launched its own station in Calgary, CBRT, CFAC-TV disaffiliated from CBC and became independent. In 1979, the station branded itself as Channel 2&7, referring to its cable location. For a number of years afterwards, it continued to use the old CFAC "star" logo alongside the 2&7 logo.

In 1981, the station moved to its new home, the Calgary Television Center, a move reflecting its growth since its disaffiliation from the CBC. After obtaining the television rights to the Calgary Flames National Hockey League franchise the year before, the station purchased a seven camera mobile unit soon after. The station has been the Flames’ television partner since 1980. In the fall of 1982, the station began broadcasting 24 hours a day, a first for Calgary. Overnight shows consisted of Late Night movies and reruns of the Jackie Gleason Show amongst others.

In 1989, Maclean-Hunter purchased Selkirk Communications, but due to ownership regulations at the time (Maclean-Hunter already owned CFCN-TV), CFAC-TV was sold to Western International Communications (WIC). A year after WIC bought channel 2, it changed the calls to CKKX-TV. In 1992, CKKX’s news operations were expanded with the acquisitions of a satellite uplink truck and a fleet of electronic news gathering microwave trucks.

On September 7, 1993, CKKX was recalled CICT-TV, and also took on the brand of Calgary 7, referring to the station’s cable channel.

Logo used while Calgary 7, used from the 1990s to 2000. For logos used while as Global, refer to the Global Television Network article.

WIC's properties were split between Shaw Communications. and Canwest in 1998. This move required Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approval, the plans for which were filed in 1999 and approved in 2000. Canwest acquired WIC's television assets, including CICT, which Shaw later bought Canwest's assets decades later becoming Shaw Media (which is based in the same city) amidst seeking creditor protection.

On September 4, 2000, CICT joined the Global Television Network, along with fellow Alberta stations CITV-TV and CISA. By 2001, CICT-TV began relays in Drumheller (CICT-TV-1) and Banff (CICT-TV-2). The station had been airing some Global shows since 1988.

Programming [edit]

CICT airs the same schedule as Global Edmonton. All non-news programming and some Calgary-based newscasts are also aired on Global Lethbridge.

News operation [edit]

Global Calgary currently airs a total of 43 hours of local news a week. Global Calgary became the first television station in Calgary, and the second television station in the province of Alberta, to shoot and transmit its local newscasts in High Definition on November 22, 2010.

On April 11, 2007, the station became the first in Calgary with a news helicopter. Named Global 1, it provides traffic reports on the Morning News in combination with studio traffic segments. It is also intended to provide breaking news coverage. The helicopter is also shared with AM 770 CHQR during the morning and afternoon rush hour.

On May 31, 2011, Shaw Media announced that a new Sunday morning local newscast would begin broadcasting on Global Calgary in September 2011, running from 8-10 a.m. Mountain Time.^[1] On August 27, 2012, Global Calgary will expand its weekday morning newscast to four hours, with the addition of a half-hour at 5 a.m., the 5-6 a.m. hour of the newscast will be titled as the Early Morning News; in addition on September 2, 2012, the station will expand its Sunday morning newscast to three hours with an additional hour at 7 a.m. The expansions of the station's morning news programming is part of an expansion of local news programming on Global owned-and-operated stations across Canada.^[2] On January 7, 2013, Global Calgary began airing the national edition of the "The Morning Show" produced by Global Toronto; the show does not replace the currently existing "Morning News" which remains locally produced.^[3]

News/station presentation [edit]

Newscast titles [edit]

• Eyewitness News (1960s–mid 1970s)
• CFAC Action News (mid 1970s–1979)
• 2&7 NewsFirst (1979–1993)
• Calgary 7 News (1993–2000)
• Global (Calgary) News (2000–present)^[4]

Station slogans [edit]

• "Global's Got It!" (2000–2006)
• "Think. Global." (2006–present)

This film, television or video-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it with reliably sourced additions.

News team^[5] [edit]

Meghan Beveridge with the Bow Riverkeeper organization is interviewed by Global Calgary reporter Louis Koutis at a rally on April 13, 2007 in Downtown Calgary.

Carolyn Kury de Castillo reporting for Global Calgary at City Hall in 2008.

Anchors

• Jayme Doll - News Hour and News Final (weekends at 6 and 11 p.m.)
• Scott Fee - Early Morning News (weekday mornings from 5 a.m.), Morning News (weekday mornings from 6 a.m.) & Noon News Hour (weekdays at noon)
• Reid Fiest - Saturday Morning News and Sunday Morning News (weekend mornings at 7 a.m.)
• Dallas Flexhaug - News Hour Final (weeknights at 11 p.m.)
• Susanne Fox - Early Morning News (weekday mornings at 5 a.m.) and Morning News (weekday mornings at 6 a.m.)
• Cara Fullerton - Noon News Hour (weekdays at noon)
• Gord Gillies - News Hour (weeknights at 6 p.m.)
• Linda Olsen - Early News and News Hour (weeknights at 5 and 6 p.m.)
• Bindu Suri - Saturday Morning News and Sunday Morning News (weekend mornings at 7 a.m.)

Weather team

• Paul Dunphy (CMOS-endorsed weathercaster) - lead meteorologist; Early News (weeknights at 5 p.m.), News Hour (weeknights at 6 p.m.) and News Hour Final (weeknights at 11 p.m.)
• Carla Bosacki - weather specialist; News Hour (weekends at 6 p.m.) and "News Final" (weekends at 11 p.m.)
• Gemma Lynne Stroobant - weather specialist; Saturday Morning News and Sunday Morning News (weekend mornings at 7 a.m.)
• Jordan Witzel - meteorologist; Early Morning News (weekday mornings at 5 a.m.)/Morning News (weekday mornings at 6 a.m.) and Noon News Hour (weekdays at noon)

Sports team

• Grant Pollock - sports director; News Hour (weeknights at 6 p.m.)
• Brendan Parker - sports anchor; News Hour (weekends at 6 p.m.) and News Final (weekends at 11 p.m.)
• Kevin Smith - sports anchor; News Hour Final (weeknights at 11 p.m.)

Traffic

• Pauline Higgins - Morning News (weekdays at 5:30 a.m.) (in Global 1)
• Leslie Horton - Early Morning News (weekday mornings from 5-6am)/Morning News (weekday mornings from 6-9am) & Noon News Hour (weekdays at noon)
• Jim King - Early News (weeknights at 5 p.m.) and News Hour (weeknights at 6 p.m.)
• Cathy McDonald - News Hour (weekends at 6 p.m.) (in Global 1)

Reporters

• Gary Bobrovitz
• David Boushy
• Jill Croteau
• Tomasia Dasilva - Minding Your Business reporter
• Jayme Doll
• Reid Fiest - city hall reporter
• Dallas Flexhaug - Minding Your Business reporter
• Cara Fullerton - weekday morning reporter
• Brienne Glass - also fill-in anchor
• Nancy Hixt - crime specialist
• Carolyn Kury de Castillo
• Tracy Nagai
• Sarah Offin
• Linda Olsen - Woman of Vision feature reporter
• Amber Schinkel
• Mia Sosiak
• Bindu Suri
• Tony Tighe - consumer advocate; also fill-in anchor
• Gil Tucker - special features reporter
• Doug Vaessen
• Heather Yourex - Health FYI reporter

Former on-air staff [edit]

• Mil Arcega - weekend morning anchor/reporter (1998–2004; later at WRC-TV in Washington, D.C.)
• Ashleigh Banfield (was with MSNBC, now at TruTV, formerly Court TV)
• Tish Bell - roving reporter and fill-in traffic anchor (now creative director at BizBOXTV.com)
• Rick Castiglione - (President and Executive Producer of Cielo Pictures inc.)
• Larry Day (now COO of Pyramid Productions)
• Brenda Finley (now at CKUA radio)
• Chris Gailus (now at CHAN-DT)
• Todd Gallant (now at CFCN-DT; Co-Creator of BizBOXTV.com)
• John Gulka (retired)
• Ted Henley (now at CKAL-DT)
• Jimmy Hughes - weather (retired from television; co-host of Classic Country Mornings on AM 1060 radio (Calgary), real estate agent with Royal LePage Foothills
• Sandra Jansen - Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Calgary-North West
• Scott Jantzie - working for Mountain View Pictures
• Angela Kokott (now host of Calgary Today on CHQR; married to Grant Pollock)
• Louie Koutis (retired)
• Astrid Kuhn - (Owner of Astrid On Air Media; TV Host, TV/Video Producer of homebiztv.ca) ^[6]
• Paul Kuster - Comedian (Stage name "Giant Indian") ^[7]
• Ryan Leslie (now with Sportsnet)
• Mike Lownsbrough (President of Straycatt Productions)
• Ron Manz (now at Power 104 FM radio in Kelowna)
• Bruce McAllister - Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Chestermere-Rocky View
• Tara McCool (now with CKAL-DT)
• Leslie Miller (now at ABC7 eyewitness news in Los Angeles)
• Nirmala Naidoo (now with CBRT)
• Leanne Niblock (now Director of Communications, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary)
• Lisa Ostrikoff (Co-Creator of BizBOXTV.com)
• Hal Roberts "Minding Your Business" (now with Mueller Media Inc.)
• Andrew Schultz weather (now with CKAL-DT)
• Shelley Swirski (now Manager, Community Investment at Shaw Communications)
• Mike Toth (now a Freelance Writer, TV & Radio Host and Professional Speaker & Broadcaster Coach in Toronto)
• Ed Whalen - deceased - was with Global the first day it went on the air. News & Sports Director, news anchor & editorial. Host of Stampede Wrestling. Later, sports anchor & Calgary Flames play-by-play announcer. (Also worked for CFAC Radio & Calgary Sun)
• Don Wood - weather (retired; host of Sunday Morning Oldies Host on The Range radio (Airdrie)

Transmitters [edit]

Digital television and high definition [edit]

CICT-DT received a construction permit for channel 41 on March 5, 2009 and began broadcasting on May 25, 2009.^[8] Digital television receivers will display CICT-DT's virtual channel as 2.1.

After the analogue television shutdown and digital conversion, which takes place on August 31, 2011,^[9] CICT-DT remained on UHF channel 41.

CICT began broadcasting newscasts in high definition on November 22, 2010, as well as introducing a brand new Digital Studio.

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Global Calgary
• Canadian Communications Foundation - CICT-TV History
• Query the REC's Canadian station database for CICT-TV
• Query TV Fool's coverage map for CICT