City council makes television debut following close vote
DEC. 12, 1965
Edmonton city council prepared to make its television debut, with half of council members opposed to it.
The decision to allow city council meetings to be televised squeaked by on one vote, after council watched a “technically imperfect pilot film.” It reversed council’s decision from the previous week not to let council meetings be televised.
Officials at CBXT (CBC Edmonton) and CFRN (now CTV Edmonton) television stations were working out the details after aldermen agreed to a three-month trial period.
Bruce Bogle of CFRN said he believed his station would move a camera into council chambers for a committee of the whole meeting within a week.
Dave Adams of CBXT said his station would start the first of the new year.
Both stations were going to shoot film clips for use on news broadcasts the night of council meetings, if possible, and the next day.
Adams said important topics would be covered in-depth in special programs 10-15 minutes long.
Council meetings would not be aired live.
“Half of council is not too happy with the role of television performers but because the other six approved the idea, a bid to reject television stations’ applications to televise council meetings was nullified,” the story said.
“I was against it from the start and that hasn’t changed my mind one bit,” declared Ald. Ethel Wilson.
Ald. Ivor Dent suggested a threemonth trial period for televised meetings “and we’ll see how the aldermen react then.”
“What sort of a trial?” demanded Ald. Julia Kiniski, the main promoter of television coverage. “You can curl your hair any time.”
“My objective is not to get my hair into curlers but into TV,” Dent replied.
“It will do the public a lot of good to see how long-winded a lot of our aldermen are.”
Wilson, who moved that the TV stations’ applications be refused, said she had spoken to at least 50 people and all but one said they were not the least bit interested in watching films of the meetings.
“She says she talked to 50 people,” sniffed Kiniski. “I talked to 500, everywhere I was — even at the symphony — and they all think it’s wonderful.”
Mayor Vince Dantzer agreed that television is the new means of communication and suggested “ultimately I am sure council will use it.”
The trial period was extended and eventually the council meetings were televised live. Since Nov. 23, 2009, the city has web-streamed all public meetings.
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