Breakfast Television Totally Explained

Everything about Breakfast Television totally explained

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 produce 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.
   Although Citytv, A-Channel and CP24 are no longer owned by CHUM Limited as of November of 2007, under an agreement with Citytv's parent company; Rogers Media, the CTV-owned outlets 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 doesn't 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's little focus on celebrities. This was likely born out of necessity in the early years of BT, but it's 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.

Citytv Toronto / CP24 / A-Channel Barrie

On-air personalities

Main anchor/co-host: Kevin Frankish (1994 - present)
Co-host: Dina Pugliese (October 13, 2006-present)
Weather: Frank Ferragine (September 26, 2005 - present)
LiveEye: Jennifer Valentyne
Top story reporter (LiveEye): Tracy Moore (September 2005 - 2008 (on maternity leave)), Pam Seatle (occasionally fills in for Tracy Moore, primarily in summer 2006)
Transit/traffic reports: Mika Midolo of TTC Transit Control, Eva Fragiskatos (of CFTR-AM Traffic Centre, November 5, 2007 - present)
A-Channel News: Sharon Posius

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. Frankish has blogged that producers are considering facilitating a studio audience. Every August since 2005, BT has organized a "Viewer Appreciation Day", held in the BT parking lot. 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. 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".
   Kevin Frankish has publicly discussed his panic attacks with viewers, on air.

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. 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 isn't 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.

Personalities

Main Anchors: Jayson Baxter, Maria Panopalis, Cyril Lunney

News: Joanne Clancy

Past Hosts:

Scott Boyd (host)
Liz Rigney (host) - now reporter for ATV
J.C. Douglas (host) - now Program Director of CFRQ radio in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Jay MacNeil (host) - co-host of morning show on CKFM radio in Toronto, under the name Jay Michaels
Kurt Stoodley (host) - now co-host of A-Channel Morning, on CHRO, Ottawa, Ontario
Mark Scholz (host) - former host of The Big Breakfast on A-Channel Edmonton
Jill Krop (host) - now anchor of NewsHour Final on BCTV

CKVU (Citytv Vancouver)

Main Co-hosts: Simi Sara (August 15, 2005 - present), Dave Gerry (August 15, 2005 - present)

News: Mark Docherty (2003 - present)

Weather/Traffic: Dawn Chubai (2003 - present)

LiveEye: Tasha Chiu (August 15, 2005 - present)

Past hosts:

Michael Eckford (host, 2002 - 2003)
Fiona Forbes (host, 2002 - 2003)
Karen Khunkhun (LiveEye, 2003 - 2004)
Shane Foxman (host, 2003 - July 28, 2005)
Beverley Mahood (host, 2003 - July 28, 2005) - now co-host of CMT Canada's flagship program, CMT Central
Zain Meghji (LiveEye, March 2005 - July 28, 2005) - now co-host of CTV's eTALK

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.

Winnipeg personalities

Main anchors: Jon Ljungberg (August 2, 2005 - present), Terri Apostle (August, 2007 - present)

News: Brian Yasui (August 2, 2005 - present)

Weather: Heather Steele (August 2, 2005 - present)

LiveEye: Jimmy Mac (August 2, 2005 - present)

Past personalities:

Co-host: Erin Selby (August 4, 2005 - March 23, 2007)

Edmonton personalities

Main anchor: Wendy Sandwith and Rob Hislop (September 5, 2006 - present)

LiveEye: Bridget Ryan (August 2, 2005 - present)

News: Rob Hislop (August 2, 2005 - present)

Weather/Traffic: Michele McDougall (September 5, 2006 - present)

Past personalities:

Co-host: Bill Welychka (August 2, 2005 - August 2006)
Co-host: Stacey Brotzel (August 2, 2005 - September 2006)

Weather/Traffic: Wendy Sandwith (August 2, 2005 - September 2006)

Calgary personalities

Main anchors: Dave Kelly (August 2, 2005 - present), Aisling Slattery (April, 2008 - present)

News: Aisling Slattery (April, 2008 - present)

Weather/Traffic: Andrew Schultz (2006 - present)

Past personalities:

Main Anchor: Tara McCool (August 2, 2005 - April 2008)
News: Jeff Valin (August 2, 2005 - August 2006)
News: Susanne Fox (2006 - April 2008)
Weather/Traffic: Michele McDougall (August 2, 2005 - September 1, 2006)
Anchor (temporary): Barb Mitchell (February 6, 2006 - September 1, 2006)
Business: Shelly Swirski (July 2006 - November 27, 2006)

Further Information

Get more info on 'Breakfast Television'.

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