''CBC Family Hour'' is an

anthology series An anthology series is a written series, radio, television, film, or video game series that presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a different ca ...

of Canadian programming intended for family viewing, which aired on

CBC Television CBC Television (also known as CBC TV, or simply CBC) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language terrestrial television, broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcasting, p ...

with a regular weekly timeslot of Sundays at 7:00 p.m. (7:30 p.m.

Newfoundland Time The Newfoundland Time Zone (NT) is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting 3.5 hours from Coordinated Universal Time ( UTC) during standard time, resulting in UTC−03:30; or subtracting 2.5 hours during daylight saving time. The cloc ...

). The title was in use from fall 1989 until no later than 2001, though CBC resumed airing family dramas in the same timeslot in 2007, and continues to do so . Early promotion for the series suggested a variety of programs would air in the hour, including

figure skating Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games, with its introduction occurring at the Figure skating at the 1908 Summer Olympi ...

exhibitions and a

Raffi Raffi Cavoukian (, born July 8, 1948), known professionally by the mononym Raffi, is an Armenian-Canadian singer-lyricist and author born in Egypt best known for his children's music. In 1992, ''The Washington Post'' called him "the most p ...

concert film A concert film or concert movie is a film that showcases a live performance from the perspective of a concert goer, the subject of which is an extended live performance or concert, by either a musician or a Stand-up comedy, stand-up comedian. Ea ...

. However, from January 7, 1990, to March 31, 1996, the hour's primary, if not sole, occupant was ''

Road to Avonlea ''Road to Avonlea'' is a Canadian television series first broadcast in Canada between January 7, 1990, and March 31, 1996, as part of the '' CBC Family Hour'' anthology series, and in the United States starting on March 5, 1990. It was created ...

'', a

period drama A historical drama (also period drama, period piece or just period) is a dramatic work set in the past, usually used in the context of film and television, which presents history, historical events and characters with varying degrees of fiction s ...

series produced by

Sullivan Entertainment Kevin Roderick Sullivan (born c. 1955) is a Canadian writer, director and producer of film and television programs. He is best known for detailed period movies such as the ''Anne of Green Gables'' series of films, his movie adaptation of Timoth ...

based on the works of

Lucy Maud Montgomery Lucy Maud Montgomery (November 30, 1874 – April 24, 1942), published as L. M. Montgomery, was a Canadian author best known for a collection of novels, essays, short stories, and poetry beginning in 1908 with '' Anne of Green Gables''. Sh ...

. Shortly after that series concluded in 1996, it was succeeded by a different Sullivan Entertainment series, ''

Wind at My Back ''Wind at My Back'' is a television series which aired in Canada on CBC Television between 1996 and 2001. It was created and produced by Kevin Sullivan (producer), Kevin Sullivan, best known for his adaptation of ''Anne of Green Gables (1985 film ...

'', later sharing the timeslot seasonally with ''

Emily of New Moon ''Emily of New Moon'' is the first in a series of novels by Lucy Maud Montgomery about a Canadian orphan girl growing up in Prince Edward Island. Montgomery is also the author of ''Anne of Green Gables'' series. It was first published in 1923. ...

'', based on another book series by Montgomery. The ''Family Hour'' branding was dropped by the time ''Wind at My Back'' concluded in 2001, though possibly well before. In any event, following its initial season, the ''Family Hour'' title was rarely promoted outside of brief announcements at the beginning and end of the hour. Other programming, including ''

The Wonderful World of Disney The Walt Disney Company has produced an anthology television series since 1954 under several titles and formats. The program's current title, ''The Wonderful World of Disney'', was used from 1969 to 1979 and again from 1991 onward. The program mo ...

'', aired in the timeslot from fall 2001 through the end of the 2006–07 season. In fall 2007, CBC premiered a new Canadian family drama titled '' Heartland'', which has been the main occupant of the timeslot ever since, with second-run episodes of ''

When Calls the Heart ''When Calls the Heart'' is a Western drama television series inspired by Janette Oke's book of the same name from her ''Canadian West'' series and created by Michael Landon Jr. and Brian Bird. The series began airing on the Hallmark Channel ...

'' airing as summer replacement programming for several years beginning in 2015.

References

{{reflist CBC Television original programming Historical family drama television series 1990s Canadian anthology television series