Country of origin Canada Original release 1986 – present Genre News Executive producer Tracy Lightfoot | Running time 60 minutes First episode date 1986 Language English | |
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Presented by Bruce Rainnie
Sara Fraser
Kevin "Boomer" Gallant Original network CBC Television (CBCT-DT)
Air at: 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM Daily Awards Gemini Award for Best News Special Event Coverage Similar The National, Dragons' Den, Power & Politics, X Company, Schitt's Creek | ||
Compass is a 60-minute local CBC television news program based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Broadcast weeknights from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. AT on CBCT-DT (CBC PEI), it is the only PEI-specific television newscast available in the province.
Contents
The newscast launched as a single 60-minute newscast in 1986, with Roger Younker as its anchor from its inception until 2002. Younker became well-known and trusted within Prince Edward Island. The program's humorous and popular weatherman, Kevin "Boomer" Gallant, has also been with the program since 1986, and still remains.
Bruce Rainnie replaced Younker as the show's permanent host in 2003, and announced on February 23, 2017 that he would be departing Compass at the end of April. Less than a week later, longtime weatherman Kevin "Boomer" Gallant announced his retirement after 30 years with Compass. Both Gallant and Rainnie will end their tenures with the program on Friday, April 28, 2017.
Overview
In about 1995, reporter Sara Fraser was brought on as co-anchor with Younker. But in 2000, as a result of budget-cuts, all local supper-hour CBC newscasts were replaced with CBC News: Canada Now, a hybrid national and local newscasts. Younker continued as sole anchor of the PEI-specific half from Charlottetown, with a national program following at 6:30PM local time, presented by Ian Hanomansing from the network's Vancouver studios. In 2002, with Younker's departure, former co-host and long-time correspondent Sara Fraser temporarily succeeded him for one year. In 2003, newcomer Bruce Rainnie was brought in as a permanent replacement for Younker/Fraser as the anchor, and brought his own unique style to the program. Sara Fraser continues as a frequent substitute anchor and correspondent. In May 2006, the local half of the newscast was renamed CBC News at Six: Prince Edward Island.
In February 2007, Canada Now was scrapped. The same day, the Prince Edward Island newscast was expanded to a full hour, with local news in the first 30 minutes and national & international news in the second half-hour - albeit, produced and presented locally. The title of the program was also changed back to the original Compass.
In September 2009, Compass was split into two separate half-hour newscasts, at 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM, with the pan-regional program CBC News: Maritimes at 5:30 from CBAT-TV aired at 5:30 PM. In January 2010, CBC News: Maritimes at 5:30 was cancelled and replaced with a 5:30 p.m. edition of Compass, effectively creating a 90-minute program. In October 2015, Compass returned to a one-hour format.
Recognition
In October 2008, the program won a Gemini award for its coverage of a major ice storm earlier that year.