Family Channel launch (September 1, 1988)

On the channel's 25th anniversary, here are opening moments of Family Channel on day 1, September 1, 1988, featuring an introductory message by the channel's president, the late Susan Rubes (who also founded Toronto's Young People's Theatre in 1966), leading to the start of Family Channel's first program, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" (Cinar-produced anime).
#FamilyChannel

[@lacanuck1]

I worked for Allarcom (Superchannel, ITV, Studio Post at that time, I remember that day)

[@mutsortima174]

Originally a commercial-free premium channel (albeit carried on basic cable tiers of cable providers unlike other such networks), Family Channel (now owned by the DHX Media division of WildBrain) lost this status in 2016 due to the CRTC's changes to premium services, effectively forcing it adopt the same fully commercial-supported format as YTV.

[@taydrabrookshire347]

Wow

[@RetroWinnipeg]

It moved from premium to tiered in 1997.

[@LMGamerz40]

But 1997 launched Teletoon

[@Jotinko]

Wow. They debuted the same day as YTV!.

[@TF1Kid]

Ik

[@RetroTy]

These launch videos you're posting are amazing finds!

[@voxelvillager5093]

Same day that ytv launched.

[@simonesewitt1040]

Happy 35th anniversary, didn't know family channel was that old.

[@IdeaBox-dk5vj]

Here is the early morning schedule, for those who don't enjoy loud sounds: 6:00: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz(Cinar Anime(Yes, those exist!)) 6:30: Mousercise 7:00: Good Morning, Mickey! 7:30: Welcome to Pooh Corner 8:00: Donald Duck Presents 8:30: Dumbo's Circus

[@CelesteK]

I used to love watching Family Channel's Freeview weekends. :D

[@jerricherribomb]

the first 30 seconds makes for a perfect vaporwave sample

[@TimBurVlogs]

Yep!

[@synulia]

It's Three Silver Ladies Dance by Andreas Vollenweider

[@arhsmacdude]

RIP family channel! I miss this network!

[@Em1n3mComment]

It still exists, dude, they just have a totally different style

[@M_D93]

+VideoMaster78 I miss the old Family. 2003-before. What a magical year that was.

[@isaiahcampbell3992]

@@M_D93 Family channel died in 2009 for me tbh

[@princeofpop8]

Patrick Healy Family may not be Disney orientated anymore since Corus bought Disney Channel to Canada. DHX Media owns Family now.

[@eenbudiarto2498]

Necause susan rubes die?

[@Kanelamiel]

I remember the family channel! I was on there once as they interviewed me when I was in Virginia Beach, VA.

[@TrustaMann]

WRONG family channel. Do you need a VPN?

[@DungeonTax]

Me too! They used to have a bumper at the end of shows, which featured rock music played over some old Disney cartoon clips of a party and someone playing a piano. Still stuck in my head. :P

[@Ripplin]

Back when you needed a separate box to view the channel. We had ours stolen around 3 times. :p

[@TimothyOnline]

Andreas Vollenweider precedes the inauguration

[@Retrodude1985]

Thanks for finding this Family Channel launch for us. Happy 25th anniversary Family Channel!!! I sure missed the shows that Family Channel used to have from late 80's and 90's. How about a YTV launch video? Keep the memories coming!!!!

[@Retrodude1985]

I found it already, thanks for those launch videos. I never seen the launches when I was little but I sure enjoyed the shows from Family Channel and YTV back in the day. :)

[@macecoronel8186]

Susan Rubes is a Canadian actress & worked w/ Jean Rubes in Max Glick sitcom on CBC.

[@TimBurVlogs]

They were both Rubes?

[@Grantheoldladyxoxo]

Wow That The Earth Needs Us

[@CelesteK]

It's hard to believe that Family Channel and YTV are 25 years old.

[@MegaQUEENH]

CelesteK that's because they are brothers

[@LMGamerz40]

@@MegaQUEENH no theyre not

[@LMGamerz40]

@@MegaQUEENH Reason: YTV is owned by corus formerly shaw communications and it is also the nick of canada and Family Channel Canada is owned by WildBrain formerly astral media and the former disney channel of canada but became the Universal/Dreamworks of canada which also make sense because some Universal/dreamworks shows/novies have aired also on ytv.

[@thetravenousgamer]

OMG Welcome to Pooh Corner

[@kimlavigne5947]

I want to see my old family channel from 2003 to 2009

[@pikwikfan3505]

Launches at 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

[@TrustaMann]

This came out the same year as Disney and Pixar's "Tin Toy"

[@MattJFisher]

Happy 25th, Family!!

[@Retrodude1985]

Hey guys, it’s Family Channel Canada’s 30th anniversary this year.

[@jmwloup5110]

It's quite funny that Disney turned around to latter put non family friendly shows on this channel

[@rockvilleraven]

+jmwloup5110 In January they will change their name to ABC Free Form. The disclaimer before the 700 club will change slightly.

[@RetroWinnipeg]

+rockvilleraven Actually, that's ABC Family in the USA (equivalent to ABC Spark in Canada). No rebranding for Family and its associated channels.

[@jeffreycooljonestestepisod209]

+RetroWinnipeg funny how FREEFORM isn't on yet it was supposed to come on Januraey 1st lo now it's Janurary 12th hmm

[@beautifulflowersafterhours]

3:03 PADDINGTON BEAR!!!

[@RaginRonic]

RetroWinnipeg, correct me if I'm wrong, but during the launch era of Family Channel, when it went off the air at night, wasn't the channel's logo on top of the green color bar, as it was in the start of the clip?

[@douglassouzavieira5338]

Que Horas entered the broadcaster's debut schedule.

[@Retrodude1985]

I agree, there nostalgia!!!!!

[@stevesibaja3123]

The Cable Channel was Family Channel

[@ramiroezequielnoriega2599]

Family Channel™ Canadá Adds Some Disney™ Mágic

[@CaydensToonTown]

The Family Channel coming up schedule music is Contraband by Network Music Ensemble. 2:29

[@VoxelPie]

i wish this was in USA

[@M_D93]

Well I did use miss the Disney channel when my trip to the US would come to an end.

[@VBaskin2010]

Uh you know we did have a Family Channel in 1988, as The CBN Family Channel.

[@thisisnt_brndn]

What song was that at the beginning? Anyway, the TV Channel launch was TOTALLY different than from today's standards

[@synulia]

Three Silver Ladies Dance by Andreas Vollenweider

[@Ripplin]

She was the wife of Jan Rubes, whom I remember first of all from Guess What.

[@M_D93]

Today is the 28 year anniversary in case nobody knows.

[@MegaQUEENH]

sept 1 is say ytv is made

[@taydrabrookshire347]

Unrelated, but I just got an ad for a fake Mr. Beast giveaway before this started

[@douglassouzavieira5338]

0:00 A medida que suena la canción y las llamadas que precedieron a la inauguración.

[@DisneyStudioNetwork]

Now it's no longer their Disney channel in Canada

[@isaiahcampbell3992]

lol yeah. Family channel used to be pretty much Canadian Disney channel since it just showed all the Disney channel shows. But now that we have Disney channel in Canada they are doing their own thing and the channel is garbage now.

[@LMGamerz40]

Yes because of Teletoon's sister network la chaine disney

[@LMGamerz40]

@@isaiahcampbell3992 but not Disneys rival universal

[@VBaskin2010]

Is Canada's Family Channel Diiferent From America's Family Channel?

[@AsmrAddict29]

Vaughn Baskin US Don't have the family channel. They only have the Disney channel

[@VBaskin2010]

I Know That, I Mean The Canadian Version Of The Family Channel Is Different From The American Version Of The CBN Family Channel?

[@RetroWinnipeg]

That would be DTV.

[@loogle]

At 2:26, that’s the opening for the animated series of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Was Family actually airing that at the time or was your VHS tape, at that point, just running into something you recorded on a different channel?

[@RetroWinnipeg]

First program ever aired on Family Channel.

[@loogle]

@@RetroWinnipeg Wow I never knew they carried that! I loved that show as a kid. And thanks for the fast response 🙂

[@douglassouzavieira5338]

0:00 As and calls the song is playing that preceded the inauguration.

[@stevesibaja3123]

It was on Thursday September 1, 1988 Family Channel was Launched on the Air

[@CrystalProductionz]

f a m i l y c h a n n e l

[@Landncomics746]

Why I’m I here? *DENIS AND ME*

[@douglassouzavieira5338]

As and calls the song is playing that preceded the inauguration.

[@406kal]

0:02 can someone identify the song at this time stamp?

[@snr_gbe]

Three Silver Ladies Dance by Andreas Vollenweider.

[@pikwikfan3505]

2:26

[@RetroWinnipeg]

Look at my channel again. You might find what you are seeking...

[@VBaskin2010]

What's the difference between the Canadian Family Channel and the CBN Family Channel?

[@RetroWinnipeg]

Not only different ownership, but the channel was originally the de facto Disney Channel for the Canadian market.

[@LMGamerz40]

Cbn family channel is the old name of freeform

[@OctocatPower]

It was launched the same date as YTV cause it was owned by YTV

[@OctocatPower]

I’m lied

[@LMGamerz40]

Family Channel is not corus beacuse its owned by WildBrain Now

[@joeedangerously4295]

Wow, this really puts some things into perspective. In the US if you said you'd be featuring shows from other countries and advertising it proudly that would be the kiss of death. From what I gather Canada doesn't hate foreigners like we do. In the US it's all about "MURICA! NUMBER ONE! LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT! FREEDOM! GUNS! FLAG!" If you showed Danish programming Fox News would launch a 100 million dollar hate campaign against you and it would work. We would HATE you. Why are you showing foreign trash when you have American shows? What are ya, some kinda commie?! You hate America! USA! USA! USA! That may be surprising to some but it's been this way for a long time, sadly.

[@itscrumbelivable]

It may be true for some, but Jebus, you're exaggerating at least a bit

[@beckigreen]

Joe E Dangerously S T F U.