Fairchild TV News
Encyclopedia
Fairchild TV News is the news division of Fairchild TV
, a Cantonese
cable television
network in Canada
. It competes against the Cantonese newscasts on Toronto’s
OMNI.2
and Vancouver’s
OMNI BC
.
Fairchild TV produces one hour-long newscast every day. It airs at 7pm local time in both Vancouver
and Toronto
.
From 7pm to 7:30pm, the newscast is produced separately from newsrooms in Vancouver and Toronto, and the audience in each market receives its own appropriate edition. Domestic and international news items are covered (with the items often shared between the two editions). Local news items are tailored specifically for each edition so the coverage is relevant to its local audience (i.e. local news items from Toronto will seldom appear on the Vancouver edition, and vice versa). The two editions are also presented by different anchors, with each newsroom supplying two of its own on-air personnel.
From 7:30pm to 8pm, the newscast segments are solely produced at the Toronto newsroom, presented by the anchors in Toronto, and received by viewers in both cities. This section of the newscast covers news items from the Greater China
region (People's Republic of China
, Hong Kong
and Taiwan
), lifestyle and feature reports, business news, sports and weather. A separate Toronto-based sports anchor presents the sports segment, and the two Toronto news anchors handle the business report and weather forecast.
Fairchild TV does have several reporters based in both cities to cover local news. However, most local and national/international news footages are usually sourced from the mainstream networks (in general Global TV
for the former, and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
for the latter), with footages from the Greater China region provided by China Central Television
(CCTV) in mainland China, TVB in Hong Kong, and various sources in Taiwan.
The newscast is repeated at 11:30 p.m. local time.
News production is completely handled in Toronto on weekends. The newscast goes from 7 p.m. to 7:40 p.m. on Saturdays, and 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Sundays.
Fairchild TV does not have designated anchors for its newscast. Instead, its anchor lineup varies from night to night, as was the usual practice at television stations in Hong Kong. (Hong Kong’s TVB currently assigns shifts to its anchors on an approximately monthly basis).
Each feed also had its own completely separate newscast, produced at its own facility. Viewers in Toronto never saw an anchor from Vancouver, and vice versa. The newscast was aired at 7:30pm local time, and presented by only one anchor. Each feed also had its local weather segment, which was aired immediately after the newscast as a separate program in and of itself.
Under the single national feed, initially the bulk of the newscast was produced in Toronto, with only a brief segment produced in Vancouver consisting of regional items from Western Canada (primarily from Metro Vancouver itself). The weather forecast was also completely produced in Toronto. Gradually, Vancouver’s production team received more airtime, as it took over production of the Greater China news segment.
Not only did the Vancouver newsroom receive less airtime overall; it was also unable to cover local news effectively. The Vancouver newsroom had been heavily dependent on Global BC
for local news footages, and prior to the changeover, it routinely taped footages off Global BC’s 6pm newscast to air on its own bulletin. However, under the single national feed, the Vancouver newsroom had to link up with Toronto at 4:30 p.m. Pacific
in order to meet the 7:30pm Eastern deadline for the newscast. As such, the Vancouver newsroom now had to tape Global BC’s noon or even morning newscast instead (which often carried items from the previous day), resulting in Vancouver news items often being shown on a one-day delay.
To partly remedy this problem, the station launched an 11 p.m. newscast, titled Western Canada Late News (加西晚間新聞). This gave the Vancouver newsroom another opportunity to link up at 8 p.m. PT for an 11 p.m. ET deadline, and allowed it to use footages from Global BC’s 6pm newscast. Western Canada Late News was completely produced at the Vancouver studio.
The main evening newscast's starting time was moved up from 7:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. local time in June 2003. In conjunction with the schedule change, the Vancouver operation debuted a new open studio, with a view of the newsroom behind the anchors.
Since the Vancouver newsroom now had more airtime and no longer had to run any items on a one-day delay, “Western Canada Late News” was promptly cancelled.
In early 2006, the entire Vancouver studio was relocated to the third floor of Richmond's
Aberdeen Centre
(a shopping mall owned by the Fairchild Group
), and a new newsroom studio was opened. Visitors of Aberdeen Centre can now watch the studio production of newscast through the windows.
In 2003, in conjunction with the move to a 7 p.m. starting time, the evening newscast also became completely duo-anchored, with two anchors based in Toronto and another two in Vancouver. With the introduction of the duo-anchor format also came "happy talk
", involving the two co-anchors exchanging supposedly casual conversations. Initially the bantering was at times rather forced and awkward; however, the conversations now sound more natural, as the anchors have apparently become more accustomed to this format. The “happy talk” format was further supplemented with the addition of a Toronto-based sports anchor in 2004.
For its entire existence, Western Canada Late News was solo-anchored.
Sports reporting is present in the Toronto segment with alternating sports anchor.
There is no specific weather or business presenter, the task is completed by one of two anchors.
Most of the news stories use footage from CBC News
and Global News to the point where the FTV's anchors just translate.
’s TVB during these day-parts:
.
In total there are 21 onscreen personalities in the news division.
Fairchild TV
Fairchild TV or FTV is a Canadian Cantonese language Category A specialty channel. It is co-owned by majority owner Fairchild Media Group and Television Broadcasts Limited which owns 20% of the business...
, a Cantonese
Standard Cantonese
Cantonese, or Standard Cantonese, is a language that originated in the vicinity of Canton in southern China, and is often regarded as the prestige dialect of Yue Chinese....
cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
network in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It competes against the Cantonese newscasts on Toronto’s
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
OMNI.2
CJMT-TV
CJMT-DT is a Canadian television station, which broadcasts multicultural programming in Toronto, Ontario. As one of the Omni Television stations owned by Rogers Media, it uses the on-air brand OMNI.2, and is a sister station to CFMT ....
and Vancouver’s
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
OMNI BC
CHNM-TV
CHNM-DT, channel 20 , is a television station based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
.
Operations
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
From 7pm to 7:30pm, the newscast is produced separately from newsrooms in Vancouver and Toronto, and the audience in each market receives its own appropriate edition. Domestic and international news items are covered (with the items often shared between the two editions). Local news items are tailored specifically for each edition so the coverage is relevant to its local audience (i.e. local news items from Toronto will seldom appear on the Vancouver edition, and vice versa). The two editions are also presented by different anchors, with each newsroom supplying two of its own on-air personnel.
From 7:30pm to 8pm, the newscast segments are solely produced at the Toronto newsroom, presented by the anchors in Toronto, and received by viewers in both cities. This section of the newscast covers news items from the Greater China
Greater China
Greater China is a term used to refer to mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. As a "phrase of the moment", the precise meaning is not entirely clear, and people may use it for only the commercial ties, only the cultural actions, or even as a euphemism for the Two Chinas, while others may...
region (People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
), lifestyle and feature reports, business news, sports and weather. A separate Toronto-based sports anchor presents the sports segment, and the two Toronto news anchors handle the business report and weather forecast.
Fairchild TV does have several reporters based in both cities to cover local news. However, most local and national/international news footages are usually sourced from the mainstream networks (in general Global TV
Global Television Network
Global Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
for the former, and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
for the latter), with footages from the Greater China region provided by China Central Television
China Central Television
China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV, is the major state television broadcaster in mainland China. CCTV has a network of 19 channels broadcasting different programmes and is accessible to more than one billion viewers...
(CCTV) in mainland China, TVB in Hong Kong, and various sources in Taiwan.
The newscast is repeated at 11:30 p.m. local time.
News production is completely handled in Toronto on weekends. The newscast goes from 7 p.m. to 7:40 p.m. on Saturdays, and 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Sundays.
Fairchild TV does not have designated anchors for its newscast. Instead, its anchor lineup varies from night to night, as was the usual practice at television stations in Hong Kong. (Hong Kong’s TVB currently assigns shifts to its anchors on an approximately monthly basis).
History
Until 2001
Prior to 2001, Fairchild’s Vancouver and Toronto operations were separate. The station operated as two separate feeds, one for each city, and the two feeds often had slightly different schedules from each other.Each feed also had its own completely separate newscast, produced at its own facility. Viewers in Toronto never saw an anchor from Vancouver, and vice versa. The newscast was aired at 7:30pm local time, and presented by only one anchor. Each feed also had its local weather segment, which was aired immediately after the newscast as a separate program in and of itself.
2001-2004
However, this split-feed arrangement breached the station’s Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) licensing conditions. As such, Fairchild TV was forced to merge the two feeds back into a single national feed in 2001. Vancouver viewers now received exactly the same feed (other than local commercials) as those in Toronto, only on a three-hour delay due to time difference.Under the single national feed, initially the bulk of the newscast was produced in Toronto, with only a brief segment produced in Vancouver consisting of regional items from Western Canada (primarily from Metro Vancouver itself). The weather forecast was also completely produced in Toronto. Gradually, Vancouver’s production team received more airtime, as it took over production of the Greater China news segment.
Not only did the Vancouver newsroom receive less airtime overall; it was also unable to cover local news effectively. The Vancouver newsroom had been heavily dependent on Global BC
CHAN-TV
CHAN-DT is a television station in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, broadcasting over-the-air on digital channel 22, and available via cable providers in the area on channel 11. Owned by Shaw Communications as a part of its Shaw Media division, it is the West Coast flagship station of the...
for local news footages, and prior to the changeover, it routinely taped footages off Global BC’s 6pm newscast to air on its own bulletin. However, under the single national feed, the Vancouver newsroom had to link up with Toronto at 4:30 p.m. Pacific
Pacific Time Zone
The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
in order to meet the 7:30pm Eastern deadline for the newscast. As such, the Vancouver newsroom now had to tape Global BC’s noon or even morning newscast instead (which often carried items from the previous day), resulting in Vancouver news items often being shown on a one-day delay.
To partly remedy this problem, the station launched an 11 p.m. newscast, titled Western Canada Late News (加西晚間新聞). This gave the Vancouver newsroom another opportunity to link up at 8 p.m. PT for an 11 p.m. ET deadline, and allowed it to use footages from Global BC’s 6pm newscast. Western Canada Late News was completely produced at the Vancouver studio.
The main evening newscast's starting time was moved up from 7:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. local time in June 2003. In conjunction with the schedule change, the Vancouver operation debuted a new open studio, with a view of the newsroom behind the anchors.
Since 2004
The shortcomings of this national setup were apparent to Fairchild, which petitioned to the CRTC to amend its licensing conditions. The request was granted, and Fairchild revamped its news production in fall 2004. (Details of the revamped newscast have been discussed in the “Operations” section.)Since the Vancouver newsroom now had more airtime and no longer had to run any items on a one-day delay, “Western Canada Late News” was promptly cancelled.
In early 2006, the entire Vancouver studio was relocated to the third floor of Richmond's
Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond is a coastal city, incorporated in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Part of Metro Vancouver, its neighbouring communities are Vancouver and Burnaby to the north, New Westminster to the east, and Delta to the south, while the Strait of Georgia forms its western border...
Aberdeen Centre
Aberdeen Centre
Aberdeen Centre is a shopping mall in Richmond, British Columbia. It is located in the Golden Village district on Hazelbridge Way, bordered by Cambie Road to the north. It primarily serves the Asian Canadian population in the Metro Vancouver area, but is striving towards an appeal to Western...
(a shopping mall owned by the Fairchild Group
Fairchild Group
The Fairchild Group is a business conglomerate in Canada, with headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Fairchild Group operates various media properties under the Fairchild Media Group name. Fairchild operates Fairchild TV , Fairchild Radio , and Mandarin broadcaster TalentVision...
), and a new newsroom studio was opened. Visitors of Aberdeen Centre can now watch the studio production of newscast through the windows.
Format
Until 2001, each feed’s newscast was presented by a solo anchor, who was not seen at all on the other feed. After the single feed went into effect in 2001, most of the newscast is presented by a Toronto-based anchor, with a Vancouver-based anchor presenting a brief segment of Western Canadian news.In 2003, in conjunction with the move to a 7 p.m. starting time, the evening newscast also became completely duo-anchored, with two anchors based in Toronto and another two in Vancouver. With the introduction of the duo-anchor format also came "happy talk
Happy talk
Happy talk, also called banter, is the additional and often meaningless commentary interspersed into news programs by news anchors and others on set. It may consist of simple jokes or simply a modified wording in asking a question of another reporter...
", involving the two co-anchors exchanging supposedly casual conversations. Initially the bantering was at times rather forced and awkward; however, the conversations now sound more natural, as the anchors have apparently become more accustomed to this format. The “happy talk” format was further supplemented with the addition of a Toronto-based sports anchor in 2004.
For its entire existence, Western Canada Late News was solo-anchored.
Sports reporting is present in the Toronto segment with alternating sports anchor.
There is no specific weather or business presenter, the task is completed by one of two anchors.
Most of the news stories use footage from CBC News
CBC News
CBC News is the department within the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on CBC television, radio and online services...
and Global News to the point where the FTV's anchors just translate.
Current affairs programming
Along with its nightly newscast, Fairchild TV News also produces programming pertaining to current and public affairs, including:- Headliners
- Magazine 26 (26分鐘見證實錄) - from Vancouver
- Timeline (時代雜誌) - from Toronto
TVB News
Instead of producing its own morning or noon newscasts, Fairchild TV airs satellite feeds of newscasts from Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
’s TVB during these day-parts:
- An overseas edition of TVB’s 1pm newscast is shown two times, at 7:30am and 7:45am local time;
- An overseas edition of TVB’s flagship 6:30pm newscast is shown three times, at 8:30am, 9am and 12noon local time.
News team
News production and bureaus are located in Toronto (Richmond Hill) and Vancouver (Richmond). Reporters (and camera crew) may travel to remote locations if needed and mostly within Canada. There have been several occasions where reporters have travelled overseas, mainly to Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
In total there are 21 onscreen personalities in the news division.
Toronto (Richmond Hill) Bureau
- Kate Chan (陳品姬) - anchor/reporter
- Eric Chau (周浩輝) - anchor/reporter
- Michael Fung (馮錦禮) - anchor (evening news)/reporter; formerly program host with OMNI2 (CFMT-TV)
- Kit Ching Ho (何潔貞) - anchor; former TVB news anchor
- Jenny Kwong (鄺芯榆) - anchor/reporter
- Siu Lun Lau (劉肇麟)- sports anchor/reporter
- Jimmy Leung (梁志權) - reporter
- Rebecca Liu (劉雨薇) - reporter
- Alice Ngan (顏智明) - correspondent, Timeline
- Ivan Wu (胡耀國)- sports anchor/reporter
- Nelson Yu (余世釗) - anchor/reporter
- Titus Leung (梁超明) - reporter
- Isa Lee (李思韻) - anchor (evening news)/reporter
Vancouver (Richmond, BC) Bureau
- Ada Luk (陸小雯) - anchor/reporter
- April Lee (李尹諾) - anchor/reporter
- Cissy Yee (余思詩) - reporter
- Vincent Ng (吳偉基) - reporter
- Wilson Lam (林渭森)
Former anchors and reporters
- Chan Yiu Yin (陳耀燕)
- Chai Hiu Tung (齊曉東)
- Chan Long (陳朗)
- Chan Yim Wai (陳炎威)
- Cheung Chi On (張子安)
- Endora Fan (范美芬)
- Zhang Xing Ping (張欣萍)
- Gu Ming (顧明)
- Shelley Huang (黄瑜) - anchor/reporter
- Ka Lai Ming (賈麗明)
- Kwok Kam Chou (郭錦洲)
- Jessica Lai (賴佩儀)
- Lam Wing Tim (林泳甜)
- Elim Lee (李琳) - reporter
- Lee Chai Ming (李濟明) - now with Talentvision
- Kenneth Li Lap Pun (李立本) - now reporter with OMNI.2 Toronto
- Lee Ping Yan (李炳恩)
- Eric Lee (李潤庭)
- Leung Kwok-Shu (梁國書)- now with KTSFKTSFKTSF is an independent television station serving the San Francisco Bay Area. Although licensed to San Francisco, the station's studio building is located in south suburban Brisbane, California. It is owned by Lincoln Broadcasting Company, and broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 27 from a...
-TV San Francisco - Lo Yan Wai(羅恩惠)
- Luk Man Yee (陸曼怡)
- Luk Ngai Pang (陸毅鵬)
- Stanley SoStanley SoStanley So is a Cantonese-speaking television journalist in Canada. He began his broadcasting career in Hong Kong, and currently serves as the co-anchor and senior editor of OMNI News: Cantonese Edition on Toronto, Ontario's OMNI.2....
(蘇凌峰) - now anchor and producer with OMNI.2 Toronto - Charles Mak - now producer with OMNI
- Karen So (蘇嘉欣)
- Wong Ka Yin (黃嘉妍)
- Wong Tai Guan (黃大鈞) - now with TVB NewsTVB NewsTVB News , formally known as the News and Information Division , is the newsgathering arm of Hong Kong's Television Broadcasts Limited...
in Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... - Simon Lee (李景鴻)
- Florence Ho (何潔雯)
- Anthony Ding (丁樂堯)
- Karen Cho (曹嘉欣)
- Karen Ha (夏婉嘉)
- Joanne Lau (劉頌恩)
- Spencer Gall (過智溢) - now with Now TVNow TVNow TV is a 24-hour pay-TV service provider in Hong Kong.It is transmitted through the company's Netvigator broadband network via an IPTV service...
News in Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... - Aurelien Ng (:zh:吳雲甫) - now with TVB in Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...