Breakfast Television

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This article is about the Canadian television show. For the concept of breakfast television shows in general, see Breakfast television.

Breakfast Television, also known as BT, is a Canadian morning news and entertainment program which airs on the Citytv stations (in Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Calgary), CP24, A-Channel Barrie, and ASN.

Each Rogers-owned Citytv station produces its own Breakfast Television, as does CTV-owned ASN. CTV-owned A-Channel Barrie simulcasts the Toronto edition with local news inserts. (All other A-Channel stations produce their own similar programs, known as A-Channel Morning.) CTV-owned CP24, Toronto's 24-hour cable news channel which broadcasts across Southern Ontario, simulcasts the Toronto edition, along with most other news programmes airing on Rogers-owned Citytv Toronto.

Despite having different owners between the two media companies; (Citytv Toronto owned by Rogers Media and both A-Channel Barrie and CP24 owned by CTVglobemedia), the CTV-owned outlets currently continue to air the Toronto 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.

Contents

[edit] Citytv Toronto / CP24 / A-Channel Barrie

Main article: Breakfast Television (Citytv Toronto)
Liza and Kevin on the set, 2004.
Liza and Kevin on the set, 2004.

On-air personalities

Breakfast Television premiered in 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, anchor/reporter Laura DiBattista, consumer specialist Jee-Yun-Lee, weather specialist Nalini Sharma, reporter Melissa Grelo, MuchMoreMusic VJ Tracy Melchor, BT's own Jennifer Valentyne, and Startv's Dina Pugliese. On October 13, 2006 Dina Pugliese became the new co-host of the show.

While the LiveEye 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 am, and closed due to capacity crowds early into 7 am. Some people began camping out at BT at 5:30 pm 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 segment producer Kevin Forget started by working at "the BT Diner".[5]

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

[edit] ASN

The name Breakfast Television is also licensed to the Atlantic Satellite Network (ASN), a regional cable-only channel serving Atlantic Canada owned by CTVglobemedia. The show presently runs for one-and-a-half-hours (7:00 to 8:30 a.m. AT), but in the past has aired for up to 2.5 hours (6:30 to 9:00 AT). The program has always been broadcast in full on ASN, although for several years (until 2008) portions not conflicting with Canada AM also aired on co-owned ATV, the Maritime CTV affiliate.

BT originally launched on ASN in fall 1992, with a similar format to that seen on Citytv, albeit with a greater emphasis on local musical guests. [7] At that time, ASN, like Citytv, was owned by CHUM; the program continued under its original name and format even after ATV and ASN were traded to CTV in 1997.

The show was relaunched on October 24, 2005 with a unique, more news-oriented format that differs from the Citytv versions of BT. Coming around the same time as the cancellation of late-night news on ASN, this appears to be designed to have BT count towards ASN's local news commitment. The main difference is that very few guests appear in the studio live. Instead, pre-taped segments featuring guests are shown. Occasionally, a guest will appear in the studio live but this is not common.

A major feature of the show since the relaunch is the Hot Topic which is the daily subject of conversation. The hosts discuss an issue based on news, sports, or general interest, and read email comments from viewers.

Breakfast Television has once again returned to live broadcasts which had been phased out around 2002. A new set was constructed for the relaunch and the logo was revised. The viewer mail segment of the show, which had existed since its inception, has been dropped.

[edit] Personalities

[edit] CKVU (Citytv Vancouver)

[edit] Citytv Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton

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

[edit] Winnipeg personalities

[edit] Edmonton personalities

[edit] Calgary personalities

  • Main anchors: Dave Kelly (August 2, 2005 - present), Jill Belland (April, 2008 - present)
  • News: Aisling Slattery (April, 2008 - present)
  • Weather/Traffic: Andrew Schultz (2006 - present)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Inside BT Blog: "DINA IS THE ONE!!!!", 13 October 2006.
  2. ^ Inside BT blog: "A Visit from J.D. FORTUNE & Getting Ready for VIEWER APPRECIATION DAY", 11 August 2006.
  3. ^ Inside BT blog: "You Asked...", 28 July 2006.
  4. ^ a b Inside BT blog: "Second BT Viewer Appreciation Day A Smash Success", 11 August 2006.
  5. ^ CityNews: Inside BT
  6. ^ Inside BT blog: "Panic Attacks", 31 July 2006.
  7. ^ ASN's Breakfast of champions, Leo Rice-Barker, Playback, March 28, 1994
  8. ^ Mitchell appeared to replace McCool while on maternity leave.

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 43.649701° N 79.390233° W