1961 in Canadian television

The following is a list of events affecting Canadian television in 1961. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and channel launches.

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Events

• Reach for the Top broadcasts for the first time on CBUT. Four years later the show launches nationally on CBC.
• CHCH becomes an independent station after seven years of CBC network affiliation.
• October 1 - The Canadian Television Network launches as Canada's second national television network. The original affiliates are CFCN, CHAN, CJAY, CFTO, CJCH, CFCF, CJOH, and CFRN which was a former CBC affiliate.
• The CTV National News airs its first broadcast not long after the launch of CTN. The original anchors are Peter Jennings, Charles Lynch and Peter Stursberg. The show gets off to a slow start but soon becomes the network's highest rated program.

Debuts

Show	Station	Premiere Date
Razzle Dazzle	CBC Television	October 2
Singalong Jubilee
Curling on CBC
Reach for the Top	CBUT
CTV National News	CTN
Showdown
Cross Canada Barndance
West Coast
A Kin to Win
Twenty Questions		October 4
Take a Chance		October 9
Telepoll		December 3

Ending this year

Show	Station	Cancelled

Births

• February 24 - Lynette Gillis, Actress, voice actress and singer
• September 16 - Jen Tolley, Actress, voice actress and singer

Television shows

1950s

• Country Canada (1954–2007)
• CBC News Magazine (1952–1981)
• Chez Hélène (1959–1973)
• Circle 8 Ranch (1955–1978)
• Don Messer's Jubilee (1957–1969)
• The Friendly Giant (1958–1985)
• Front Page Challenge (1957–1995)
• Hockey Night in Canada (1952–present)
• Maggie Muggins (1955–1962)
• The National (1954–present)
• Open House (1952–1962)
• Wayne and Shuster Show (1958–1989)

1960s

• A Case for the Court (1960–1962)
• Club 6 (1960–1962)
• The Nature of Things (1960–present, scientific documentary series)

Television stations

Debuts

Date	Market	Station	Channel	Affiliation	Notes/References
January 1	Halifax, Nova Scotia	CJCH-TV	5	Independent
	Toronto, Ontario	CFTO-TV	9
January 20	Montreal, Quebec	CFCF-TV	12
February 19		CFTM-TV	10
March 12	Ottawa, Ontario	CJOH-TV	13
August 20	Prince George, British Columbia	CKPG-TV	2	CBC Television
October 1	Edmonton, Alberta	CBXT-TV	5	CBC Television (O&O)

Network affiliation changes

Date	Market	Station	Channel	Old affiliation	New affiliation	References
October 1	Edmonton, Alberta	CFRN-TV	3	CBC Television	CTV
	Halifax, Nova Scotia	CJCH-TV	5	Independent
	Montreal, Quebec	CFCF-TV	12
	Ottawa, Ontario	CJOH-TV	13
	Toronto, Ontario	CFTO-TV	9
	Vancouver, British Columbia	CHAN-TV	8
	Winnipeg, Manitoba	CJAY-TV	7
October 8	Calgary, Alberta	CFCN-TV	4
Unknown date	Hamilton/Toronto, Ontario	CHCH-TV	11	CBC Television	Independent
	Wingham, Ontario	CKNX-TV	8	CBC Television (primary) CBS (secondary)	CBC Television (exclusive)

See also

• 1961 in Canada
• List of Canadian films

External links

• CBC Directory of Television Series at Queen’s University (Archived March 4, 2016)
• List of 1961 Canadian television series at IMDb