Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

CKNX TV in Wingham Signs Off for the final time.

I was wondering how people felt about the closing of this local TV station?

Any memories?

Thanks,

Kevin

Views: 820

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Joe Dales on September 1, 2009 at 2:02am
Hi Kevin:

I grew up with only one channel....CKNX TV channel 8.
It was the only station until we had cable introduced sometime in the 70's I recall.

CKNX had hockey night in Canada in those years and you never missed that on Saturday nights.

Thanks CKNX.

Joe
Permalink Reply by Wayne Black on September 1, 2009 at 4:00am
There was some concern from various people that the local news would not be heard. In today's society where policy is perceived to be developed based on what is in the news media, local policy could be hampered since there is no local media other than small town localized print media and radio. With more urban based media reporting, the rural issues could be skewed incorrectly or completely missed.
CKNX offered a great media outlet for local residents in the surrounding counties. CKNX farm news was on the top list of things to watch and listen to. A respected farm news broadcaster from CKNX is even in the Ontario Agriculture Hall of Fame. A few people who have worked at CKNX TV have moved on to develop great ideas.
As Joe pointed out - Saturday night hockey games were a must.
But with new technology and the increased (perceived) need to increase in size for economies of scale, local TV has lost the respect from some residents. Society is more interested in what dress Michelle Obama is wearing than the fact the neighbour a mile away lost their heirlooms in a theft.
Changing of the times, changing of the guard. Make the best of it and remember the great things (and people) that have come out of the CKNX building near the top of the hill.
I still remember touring the station in public school and sitting in the chair that Bryan Allen sat in for many years. I do not recall the name of the sports guy.
Thanks a bunch CKNX for the memories.
Permalink Reply by Kevin Stewart on September 2, 2009 at 2:03am
The sports guy you're likely refering to Wayne is Fred Burton.
Local news did not make CKNX unique. Community newspapers will continue to do a fine job covering that. What made this station so special was the people they attracted to become farm directors. These guys became celebrities in a unique way, Bob Carbert, Rodger Schwass, Cliff Robb and Murray Guant to name just a few. The unique brand each developed and their trusted work is what we miss today.

Wayne Black said:
There was some concern from various people that the local news would not be heard. In today's society where policy is perceived to be developed based on what is in the news media, local policy could be hampered since there is no local media other than small town localized print media and radio. With more urban based media reporting, the rural issues could be skewed incorrectly or completely missed.
CKNX offered a great media outlet for local residents in the surrounding counties. CKNX farm news was on the top list of things to watch and listen to. A respected farm news broadcaster from CKNX is even in the Ontario Agriculture Hall of Fame. A few people who have worked at CKNX TV have moved on to develop great ideas.
As Joe pointed out - Saturday night hockey games were a must.
But with new technology and the increased (perceived) need to increase in size for economies of scale, local TV has lost the respect from some residents. Society is more interested in what dress Michelle Obama is wearing than the fact the neighbour a mile away lost their heirlooms in a theft.
Changing of the times, changing of the guard. Make the best of it and remember the great things (and people) that have come out of the CKNX building near the top of the hill.
I still remember touring the station in public school and sitting in the chair that Bryan Allen sat in for many years. I do not recall the name of the sports guy.
Thanks a bunch CKNX for the memories.

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Spring Wheat Condition Improves; Winter Wheat Harvest 11% Done

The 2026 U.S. spring wheat crop improved over the past week but remained slightly below a year ago, while the winter wheat harvest moved ahead quickly and crop ratings remained historically poor. Monday’s USDA crop progress report rated the national spring wheat crop at 52% good to excellent as of Sunday, up 5 points from the previous week but still a single point below last year. In North Dakota, the largest spring wheat-producing state, the crop was rated 61% good to excellent, up 3 points from a week earlier. Minnesota improved to 86% good to excellent, up from 78% the previous week. South Dakota rose to 52%, compared with 44% the previous week, while Montana remained under heavy stress at just 10% good to excellent, although that was an improvement from only 1% a week earlier. Spring wheat development continued to advance. Planting was 98% complete, up from 94% a week earlier and ahead of the five-year average of 95%. Emergence reached 87%, up from 72% the previous week and

Manitoba Seeding Nears Completion Amid Stormy Conditions

Manitoba seeding is nearly wrapped up, even as severe storms brought intense rainfall, strong winds, and hail to parts of the province.  The weekly crop report on Tuesday showed seeding across the province at 93% complete, up from 71% a week earlier. That’s just modestly behind 99% last year and the five-year average of 95%, after earlier weather-related delays.  Precipitation was highly variable across Manitoba over the past week, with stormy weather between June 2 and 4. Environment Canada confirmed three tornadoes, including sightings in the Manitou and Carman areas. Heavy rainfall in parts of the Northwest later in the week triggered overland flood warnings, while portions of the Northwest, Interlake and Central regions have now received more than 60 mm of rain since May 1.  Despite the stormy weather, seeding of most major crops is nearly finished. Spring wheat seeding is mostly complete, although the Northwest is still only about 80% done. Corn planting is complete, while cano

Supervised autonomy solution aims to optimize field operations

EMILI is using Verge Ag’s Launch Pad software to automate route planning on Innovation Farms powered by AgExpert during the 2026 season. In May 2026, Innovation Farms Associate Sarah Wilcott worked with Verge Ag to generate tillage plans specific to the farm’s field boundaries, elevation, and equipment. The plan was then synced to a John Deere 590 tractor before tilling began. Verge Ag’s Launch Pad is a web-based precision agriculture platform that aims to unlock autonomy on a farmer’s existing equipment.  “The current version uses smart heuristics to estimate how ‘costly’ any maneuver in the field is, along with various meta-heuristic algorithms to optimize the route ordering,” said Verge Ag Product Manager AJ Nolin. Its core feature is Path Planner, which helps farmers plan out the most efficient route before any equipment enters a field. The made in Canada technology is designed to be accessible and cost effective. It uses standard GIS shapefiles, costs only $5 to plan seeding f

CANZA Marketplace available for farmers

The marketplace is open to Ontario farmers first with plans to expand across Canada

Supporting wood-waste innovation in the Kootenays

A Kootenay-based project is receiving provincial funding to convert forestry waste into a soil supplement, benefiting agriculture and forestry sectors, while supporting training and good-paying jobs in the region. “People in rural communities are finding innovative ways to create new opportunities for their families and neighbours while caring for the environment,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth. “By turning wood waste into valuable new products, this project is creating jobs, supporting local businesses and helping build a stronger future for the community. Through our Look West strategy, we are investing in the people, ideas and industries that keep rural British Columbia thriving.” Through the Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP), the Province is providing approximately $182,000 to Wildsight to support its Fire for Healthy Soils project in Creston. The funding supports a pilot project to convert wood waste into biochar, which is

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service