BUT-TV was started by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) as a means of providing television service to the people of Vancouver and the surrounding area. The CBC, as a public broadcaster, was established to provide a national public broadcasting service that would serve the needs and interests of all Canadians. The CBC began to roll out television service across the country in the early 1950s, with CBUT-TV being the first station to launch in Vancouver. The station was started with the goal of providing a mix of educational, cultural, and entertainment programming to the local community, and it continues to operate under that mandate to this day.

The mandate of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) in the 1950s was largely similar to its current mandate. At that time, the CBC's primary goal was to provide a national public broadcasting service that would serve the needs and interests of all Canadians. This included providing a mix of educational, cultural, and entertainment programming to the Canadian public, reflecting the diversity of regions and cultures across the country, and promoting greater understanding and appreciation of Canadian culture.

In the 1950s, the CBC was also responsible for rolling out television service across the country, with the first television stations launching in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. The launch of television service was seen as an important step in expanding the reach and influence of the CBC, and in providing Canadians with access to a new medium for news, information, and entertainment.

The CBC also had a mandate to be innovative and to make the best use of new technologies to deliver its programming and services to Canadians. This was exemplified by the launch of television service, which was a new technology at that time.

In summary, the mandate of the CBC in the 1950s was to provide a national public broadcasting service that would serve the needs and interests of all Canadians, reflecting the diversity of regions and cultures, and promoting greater understanding and appreciation of Canadian culture, while also being innovative and making the best use of new technologies to deliver its programming and services to Canadians.

Some of the first and most popular shows on CBC TV were programs such as "Hockey Night in Canada," "The National," and "Front Page Challenge." The CBC faced some challenges in its early years. One of the main challenges was funding, as the CBC was initially funded by a combination of government subsidies and advertising revenue. This led to concerns about the influence of advertisers on the content of the CBC's programming.

Another challenge was competition from private broadcasters, who saw the CBC as a threat to their own interests. This led to a long-standing tension between the CBC and private broadcasters, which continues to this day.