Major Milestones
2000s | 1990s | 1980s | 1970s | 1960s | 1950s | 1940s | 1920-1939
1980s
The 1980s saw tremendous growth in the number of private and specialty channels. In 1983, the first “general interest” pay TV channels began operation in Canada, among them the movie network, First Choice and SuperChannel.
Later came the “specialty” pay channels. CBC Newsworld was officially launched on July 31, 1989 providing Canadians with their own dedicated 24-hour news channel. It was designed for on-the-go viewers, offering frequent news updates and magazine style programming.
Canada’s national public broadcaster also celebrated its 50th anniversary in this decade. To mark this milestone, a commemorative postage stamp was issued in 1986.
History of CBC/Radio-Canada
Discover the history of CBC/Radio-Canada through a look at the major milestones of each decade. From the 1920s, when the need arose for a Canadian presence on the radio - to counter the American influence and protect Canadian culture, to the present day, when CBC/Radio-Canada is recognized as one of this country’s greatest cultural institutions, learn how Canada’s national public broadcaster has become a leader in producing and distributing distinctive Canadian content.
