CTV News at 5 (Maritimes)

CTV News at 5 (formerly known as CTV News: Live At 5) is a popular hour-long television newsmagazine airing weekdays at 5:00 p.m. on the CTV Atlantic system in the Canadian Maritimes region.

History

The program was first broadcast in September 1982 as The ATV Evening News: Live At 5. It is loosely based on and named after the now defunct WNBC-TV program Live at Five and was suggested as a concept by CHUM Limited Consultant Jacques De Suze.^[1] The program evolved out of its predecessors: I-D or In-Depth, and The Notebook, both of which were also hosted by Live at 5's first host, the late Dave Wright.

Live At 5 became part of the first ninety-minute block of news on a local television station in Canada, the first 5:00 p.m. newscast in the country and the first daily, local television newsmagazine in Canadian television history.^[2]

For many years, it was Canada's highest rated local television program based on market share. It remains the most watched television show in the region according to the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement, even ahead of any prime time programming.

The program celebrated its 20th anniversary with a Maritime province tour and a book about the show's history, Live at 5: The Story Behind its Success, written by former co-host Steve Murphy, in 2002.

On August 13, 2012, the first day after CTV's coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympics, the program's name was changed to CTV News at 5. The program's style and content have remained the same, however this marks the first change of its name since the program first aired in September 1982.

Format

After an update and preview of the 6 p.m. newscast, the program starts with First at 5, a series of 3-4 reports centering on a single topic that is frequently influenced by the news of the day. The next segment is usually an interview of a newsmaker, community leader or celebrity, followed by a health or consumer report. The first 30 minutes is rounded out by the Milestones segment, where the hosts read a list of viewers celebrating 50+ year wedding anniversaries or 100th+ birthdays, accompanied by photos.

The second half hour starts with a weather forecast, followed by another human interest report and another news update at 5:40. Section Six, a daily arts and entertainment segment hosted by Ana Almeida, follows the news update. Section Six is best known for its showcase of funny and bizarre YouTube videos along with the entertainment news of the day. The content of two final segments vary from day to day. Section Six is the third name for the entertainment segment on Live at 5 and replaced Take 5 in the fall of 2010.

Regular features

• Maritimer of the Week - It is an award presented each Friday to a person nominated by a viewer for community service or heroic deeds.
• Garden Guide - A weekly segment focused on gardening tips that airs in the spring and early summer. It features host Maria Panopalis and a gardening expert. Hosted by Starr Dobson until her departure in 2013. It was originally hosted by Ron Kronstein until he was let go in 2003.
• Milestones - One of the oldest features of the program, the co-hosts read anniversary and birthday wishes of those who have been married 50 years or more and those who are turing 100 years old or more. The greetings are mailed or e-mailed in by viewers along with a photo that accompanies the greeting.
• Weather Watchers - Another long-running feature. Cindy Day or the fill-in weather anchor feature three weather-related drawings, which young viewers mail to the station, during the weather forecast. This is also a feature on CTV News at 6:00 p.m. weekend editions.
• House Calls - A tri-weekly segment featuring stories relating to health.
• Section Six - A daily arts and entertainment segment hosted by Ana Almeida.
• What's for dinner? - A weekly cooking segment that features Cindy Day and a chef from Sobeys preparing a dish and providing the recipe for viewers.

Past regular features

• ATV On Your Side - Consumer report
• ATV House Calls - Medical report that featured local physician Dr. A.J.
• Pete's Frootique - A bi-weekly segment featuring unique and obscure fruits and vegetables with Pete Luckett
• The Scene - a daily entertainment segment. It was eliminated after former host MariAnna Bachynsky left to become an entertainment reporter for the show Inside Jam! on the now-defunct Sun TV.
• Ask a Vet - A local veterinarian answers e-mail questions relating to pet health and behaviour.
• Mrs. Fixit -- Syndicated home improvement feature hosted by "Mrs. Fixit" (Terri McGraw).
• Take 5 - The second incarnation of the entertainment segment that added stories on upcoming events and local artists and artisans. Became Section 6 after Liz Rigney became Director of Promotions and Community Relations in the fall of 2010.
• In Our Backyard - A weekly feature in which Maria Panopalis traveled to a different Maritimer's home, a point of interest or a hidden gem each Monday to showcase the unique way of life and beautiful surroundings in the Maritimes. Originally, this segment was a promotional vehicle for Nova Scotia Tourism and ran each week during the summer of 2010. The segment became so popular that it became a regular, weekly feature in the fall of 2010. It aired each Monday. As of August 2012, the feature is no longer airing.
• Plays of the Week - One of the most popular features of the program. It started in 1983. Each Friday, CTV sports reporter Paul Hollingsworth presents a recap the top sports plays.
• About Your House - A representative of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) presents tips related to improving the safety or energy efficiency of homes.
• Gets Cookin' - A weekly cooking segment that features host Starr Dobson and a culinary instructor from NSCC (Nova Scotia Community College) preparing a dish and providing the recipe for viewers.

Personalities

• Main anchors: Maria Panopalis (2010–present), Jayson Baxter (2015–present)
• Weather: Cindy Day (September 17, 2007 – present)
• News: Steve Murphy (1993–present)
• Entertainment (Section Six): Ana Almeida (2013– present)
• Past hosts:
  • Bruce Frisko (anchor) (2003-2015) - Now weekend anchor of CTV News at Six (Atlantic)
  • Starr Dobson ("On Your Side" consumer reporter) (1998-2003), (anchor) (2003–2013) - also reporter for ATV/ASN prior to anchoring
  • Nancy Regan (anchor) (1988–2003)
  • Ron Kronstein (anchor) (1997-2003) - Now at Global Halifax
  • Yvonne Colbert ("On Your Side" consumer reporter) (1993-1998), (anchor) (1997–1998) - also former co-anchor of ASN's Atlantic Pulse
  • Paul Mennier (Sports) (1983–1993), (anchor) (1993–1997)
  • Steve Murphy (anchor) (1986–1993), (commentator) (1982–1986)
  • Laura Lee Langley (anchor) (1986–1988) - later at CIHF-TV
  • Dave Wright (anchor) (1982–1986), (news anchor) (1988–1993) - died February 17, 2011, age 82.
  • MariAnna Bachynsky (entertainment) (2002 - October 2005)
  • Todd Battis (entertainment) (1998–2002) - later at CBAT-TV, as anchor of CBC News: New Brunswick at Six, returned to CTV Atlantic in August 2009.
  • Peter Coade (meteorologist) (1998 to August 31, 2007) - later meteorologist for CBHT-DT and CBAT-DT's CBC News at Six newscasts and Information Morning
  • Bruce Graham (news anchor) (1982–1988) - later at CIHF-TV, now retired.
  • Richard Zurawski (meteorologist) (1988–1993) - now at CJNI-FM
  • Steve Weagle (meteorologist) (1993–1998) - now at WPTV-TV West Palm Beach, Florida
  • Liz Rigney ("Take 5" Entertainment) (2005–2010) - now Promotions and Community Relations Director for CTV Atlantic
  • Paul Lethbridge (Sports) (1982–1983)
• Past segment reporters/hosts:
  • Yvonne Colbert ("On Your Side" consumer reporter)
  • Dr. AJ ("House Calls" health reporter) - later at CBHT Halifax
  • Dr. Stewart Cameron (Health reporter)
  • Debi Forsyth-Smith (Consumer reporter)
  • Susan Dunn (Environmental reporter/ Weather presenter)
  • Pete Luckett (Host of "Pete's Frootique" segment) - now with Food Network Canada
  • Terri McGraw (Host of syndicated Mrs. Fix-it segment)

References

External links

• Official site
• CTV Atlantic