Breakfast Television

Breakfast Television
Genre	Breakfast television
Starring	Various hosts
Country of origin	Canada
Original language(s)	English
Production
Location(s)	Toronto Winnipeg Vancouver Edmonton Calgary Montreal (locally produced in each city)
Production company(s)	Rogers Media
Broadcast
Original channel	City
Original run	September 9, 1989 (Toronto) July 22, 2002 (Vancouver) August 2, 2005 (Winnipeg, Edmonton and Calgary) August 26, 2013 (Montreal) – present
External links
Website

Breakfast Television (BT) is a Canadian morning news and entertainment program which airs on the City stations (in Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, and Montreal). Each station produces its own local edition of Breakfast Television.

BT tends to be more relaxed and spontaneous than American morning shows. Unlike American morning shows, it does not have pre-taped segments that are focused on current events or socio-political issues. The guests tend to be more human interest, informational, and promotional in nature and there is little focus on celebrities. This was likely born out of necessity in the early years of BT, but it is most likely a simple matter of preference or style now.

When celebrity guests come on the show, they most often reminisce about their career in general, or are promoting charitable causes. This differs from the American standard of appearing to promote new movies or television series. That said, in recent years, as City has moved towards a series-based primetime schedule, appearances from celebrities featured on its own programs have increased.

On September 5, 2011, each of the local editions of Breakfast Television across all of the City owned-and-operated stations began starting a half-hour earlier, running from 5:30–9 a.m.^[1] However as of April 2012, the Winnipeg edition has reverted to the 6-9 a.m. runtime. The Montreal edition, which launched on August 26, 2013, also runs from 6-9 a.m.

Toronto edition

Breakfast Television premiered on September 9, 1989 with co-hosts Ann Rohmer and David Onley, with MuchMusic VJ Steve Anthony broadcasting from a different spot around the area each day.

Co-host Liza Fromer quit her job at BT in July 2006, days after the birth of her child. Kevin Frankish has blogged that her departure from the show was "on the absolute best of terms". BT has encouraged people to send audition tapes for consideration. During the summer of 2006, a number of CHUM personalities were invited to guest co-host with Kevin Frankish in the search for the next permanent host. The guest hosts included CityNews sports anchor Kathryn Humphreys, health specialist Laura DiBattista, consumer specialist Jee-Yun-Lee, former Citytv weather specialist Nalini Sharma, former reporter Melissa Grelo, etalk correspondent Tracy Melchor, BT's own Jennifer Valentyne, and Star!'s Dina Pugliese. On October 13, 2006, Dina Pugliese became the new co-host of the show.

While the Live Eye tours around the Greater Toronto Area most of the time, Jennifer Valentyne has broadcast from Walt Disney World and Newfoundland.^[2] Frankish has blogged that producers are considering facilitating a studio audience.^[3]

Every August since 2005, BT has organized a "Viewer Appreciation Day", held in the BT parking lot.^[4] Gates open at 6 a.m., and closed due to capacity crowds early into 7 a.m. Some people began camping out at BT at 5:30 p.m. the day before the 2006 Viewer Appreciation Day.^[4] Breakfast Television has also held other events, such as a successful world record attempt and a Christmas party.

Just as many people within the CityNews team started off on the CHUM phoneline, both Jennifer Valentyne and producer Kevin Forget started by working at "the BT Diner".^[5]

Kevin Frankish has publicly discussed his panic attacks with viewers, on air.^[6]

On-air presenters

Current presenters^[7]

Anchors/hosts

• Kevin Frankish - co-host
• Dina Pugliese - co-host
• Frank Ferragine - weather specialist; also fill-in host and Live Eye on-location reporter
• Jennifer Valentyne - Live Eye host; also fill-in host

Reporters

• Russ Holden - traffic reporter
• Winston Sih - digital media correspondent
• Milly Bernal - Toronto Transit Commission transit reporter
• Mike Eppel - business reporter (from the 680 News Senior Business Centre)

Past presenters

• Steve Anthony - "Live Eye" reporter
• Hugh Burrill - sports/early morning talk (now sports reporter for CityNews)
• Liza Fromer - host (2001–2006; now host of The Morning Show on Global Toronto)
• Mika Midolo
• Tracy Moore - reporter/fill-in anchor (2005–2007)
• David Onley - host (1989–1994)
• Roger Petersen - reporter
• Dave Pinton - reporter (2004–2005)
• Kris Reyes (2009–2010)
• Ann Rohmer - host (1989–2001)
• Nalini Sharma
• Bob Summers
• John Whaley - sports

Vancouver edition

CKVU launched Breakfast Television in 2002. Since its launch, little has changed in the show, with the exception of the news/weather/time bars on BT. At its launch, the screen consisted two small see through bars, one bar vertically on the left side and one bar horizontally along the bottom providing news, weather and traffic. As consistent with other Breakfast Television variations on its sister stations, there currently sits one large horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen providing flash news, weather and traffic. On January 19, 2010, the length of BT was shortened from four hours to three hours, and six employees as a result of "severe financial issues" with the Citytv stations.

The original hosts of Breakfast Television were Michael Eckford and Fiona Forbes, then they were replaced by Shane Foxman and Beverley Mahood, and since 2005, Simi Sara and Dave Gerry hosted the morning show, but as of August 13, 2008, they were let go.

A new format for Breakfast Television debuted in September 2008, with a new traffic and TransLink reporter. As part of Rogers Media's May 3, 2012 renewal of its affiliation agreement with Jim Pattison Group-owned Citytv affiliates CKPG-TV/Prince George, CFJC-TV/Kamloops and CHAT-TV/Medicine Hat, the three stations will begin simulcasting the Vancouver edition of Breakfast Television on September 1, 2012 as part of an expansion of Citytv programming on the stations, which will follow the program grid of CKVU (with breakaways from the Vancouver program grid for their weekday evening and midday newscasts and other locally-produced programs).^[8]

On-air presenters

Current presenters^[9]

Anchors/hosts

• Riaz Meghji - co-host
• Jody Vance - co-host/news anchor
• Kyle Donaldson - 5:30-6 a.m. news anchor
• Russ Lacate - meteorologist

Reporters

• Dawn Chubai - LiveEye host
• Thor Diakow - entertainment reporter
• Greg Harper - LiveEye on-location reporter
• Michel McDermott - traffic specialist

Past presenters

• Tasha Chiu (2008–2008)
• Michael Eckford - host (2002–2003)
• Fiona Forbes - host (2002–2003)
• Shane Foxman - host (2003–2005)
• Dave Gerry (2005–2008)
• Karen Khunkhun - "LiveEye" reporter (2003–2004)
• Beverley Mahood - host (2003–2005; now co-host of CMT Canada's flagship program, CMT Central)
• Simi Sara (2005–2008)

Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton editions

CHUM Limited purchased Craig Media in late 2004. The $265 million (CAD) deal included, among other things, Craig's three A-Channel stations (CKAL-TV in Calgary, Alberta; CKEM-TV in Edmonton, Alberta; and CHMI-TV in Winnipeg, Manitoba).

In February 2005, CHUM announced that the A-Channel stations would be relaunched as Citytv stations by that fall. The morning show on the original A-Channel stations, The Big Breakfast, was relaunched as Breakfast Television on August 2, 2005, when stations were overhauled as Citytv. The A-Channel brand was subsequently transferred to CHUM's NewNet stations whose own morning programs were retitled A-Channel Morning.

Winnipeg presenters^[10]

Current presenters

Anchors/hosts

• Jeremy John - main co-host^[11]
• Courtney Ketchen - news anchor
• Jenna Khan - weather and traffic specialist

Reporters

• Drew Kozub - remote host

Past presenters

• Terri Apostle - host (2007-2009)
• Evan Campbell - "LiveEye" reporter (2009-2011)
• Pay Chen - host (2009-2011)
• Jon Ljungberg - host (?-2010)^[12]
• Jimmy Mac - "LiveEye" reporter (2005–2009)
• Erin Selby - host (2005-2007)
• Heather Steele - host (2009)
• Brian Yasui - news anchor (?-2011)^[13]

Edmonton presenters^[14]

Current presenters

Anchors/hosts

• Ryan Jespersen - co-host
• Michele McDougall - weather specialist/host

Reporters

• Bridget Ryan - "LiveEye" host
• Carla Turner - traffic specialist/entertainment host

Past presenters

• Stacey Brotzel - host (2005-2012)
• Rob Hislop - host (2006-2008)
• Wendy Sandwith - weather/traffic specialist (2005-2006), host (2006-2010)
• Asha Tomlinson - host (2008-2009)
• Bill Welychka - host (2005-2006)

Calgary presenters^[15]

Current presenters

Anchors/hosts

• Ted Henley - co-host/news anchor
• Andrew Schultz - weather specialist
• Tara Slone^[16] - co-host

Reporters

• Jill Belland - on-location host

Past presenters

• Kirsten-Ellen Fleming - "Live Eye" reporter
• Susanne Fox - news anchor (2006–2008), main anchor (2008–2010)
• Ross Hull - "Live Eye" reporter
• Dave Kelly - main anchor (2005–2009)
• Tara McCool - main anchor (2005–2008)
• Mike McCourt - news anchor (?-?)
• Michele McDougall - weather/traffic specialist (2005–2006)
• Barb Mitchell - anchor (temporary; 2006)^[17]
• Aisling Slattery - news anchor (2008–2010)
• Shelly Swirski - business reporter (2006)
• Jeff Valin - news anchor (2005–2006)

Montreal edition

Rogers was granted approval by the CRTC on December 20, 2012 to acquire CJNT Montreal and convert it from a multicultural station to a fully English City station. As part of the approval, Rogers had until September 1, 2013 to produce local programming on the station, which included a three hour Montreal edition of Breakfast Television.^[18]

On June 6, 2013, Rogers announced that the Montreal edition of Breakfast Television would premiere on August 26, 2013, and would be hosted by Alexandre Despatie and Joanne Vrakas.^[19]

On-air presenters

Current presenters^[20]

Anchors/hosts

• Alexandre Despatie - co-host
• Joanne Vrakas - co-host
• Catherine Verdon-Diamond - weather and traffic specialist
• Elias Makos - new media commentator

Reporters

• Wilder Weir - Live-Eye host
• Laura Casella - news reporter

Licensed edition in Atlantic Canada

From 1992 to 2011, the Atlantic Satellite Network (ASN) in Atlantic Canada, now known as CTV Two Atlantic, aired its own local version of BT. At the time of its launch, ASN and Citytv (Toronto) were both owned by CHUM Limited, and both channels had a similar overall movies-focused format. The Atlantic edition of BT was similar to the Toronto version, but with a greater emphasis on the culture of the region, as matters such as commuter traffic are typically less of a concern in Atlantic Canada.

ASN was acquired by Baton Broadcasting (predecessor of the present-day Bell Media) in 1997, but was permitted to continue using Breakfast Television as the title of its morning show. In August 2011, the Atlantic Canada program finally adopted a new name, CTV Morning Live, in keeping with the launch (or relaunch) of local morning shows under the same title on CTV and CTV Two stations in various parts of Canada.

References

External links

• Breakfast Television Toronto
• Breakfast Television Vancouver
• Breakfast Television Winnipeg
• Breakfast Television Calgary
• Breakfast Television Edmonton