Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

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

Any memories?

Thanks,

Kevin

Views: 767

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

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
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.
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

Comfort over courage: The cost of playing it safe in agriculture

There is a quiet crisis in Canadian agriculture. It doesn’t make headlines or trigger emergency meetings, but it is real. Across too much of our industry, initiative has been replaced with hesitation, courage with caution, and leadership with maintenance. We have grown timid, content to manage the past instead of creating the future. We’ve seen this before in Canada. We led the world with Nortel, a company born from Canadian innovation, and watched it collapse under the weight of indecision and caution. We had a second chance with BlackBerry, a global icon that redefined communication, yet we hesitated again. Twice, we mistook comfort for success, and twice we lost the leadership we had earned. Agriculture now stands at a similar crossroads. We have built a world-class system admired for its science, efficiency, and resilience. But if we keep managing yesterday instead of building tomorrow, we will repeat the same national mistake: protecting what we have until it is gone. If we are

New Wheat Crop Report Includes Assessment of Eastern Canada Wheat for First Time

Cereals Canada has released its annual New Wheat Crop Report, the first time the assessment has included wheat from eastern Canada. Compiled for global and domestic customers of Canadian wheat, the report includes information on milling performance, flour/semolina quality, and end-product functionality for Canada’s 2025 wheat crop. Cereals Canada generated the data for the 2025 New Wheat Crop Report through its Harvest Assessment Program, which has traditionally only included wheat from Western Canada. This year, through a partnership with Grain Farmers of Ontario, the organization also assessed eastern wheat classes. According to a Cereals Canada release, favourable weather throughout the eastern Canada winter wheat growing season resulted in “strong yields and good quality.” “This was a milestone year for Cereals Canada,” said Elaine Sopiwnyk, vice president of technical services. “Having the opportunity to analyze wheat from across the country broadened the expertise of o

IGC Raises World Grains Production Estimate Again

The International Grains Council’s estimate of 2025-26 total world grains production is continuing to move higher. The inter-governmental agency’s monthly Grain Market Report on Thursday pegged total global grains output (wheat and coarse grains) at a new record of 2.43 billion tonnes, up 5 million from the October projection and 5% above the previous year’s 2.325 billion. Harvests have so far been “better than expected,” the IGC said, noting that its 2025-26 production estimate has been revised higher in consecutive months since August. This year’s expected larger global harvest will more than compensate for the tightest opening stocks in 10 years, the IGC said, boosting the overall 2025-26 grain supply by 3%, to an all-time high of roughly 3.02 billion. On the demand side, increases for food, feed and industrial uses are projected to push total 2025-26 consumption to a record 2.4 billion tonnes, a 2% increase on the year. At an estimated 619 million tonnes, total global grains

Ont. farmer raises money for employees affected by Hurricane Melissa

An Ontario farmer raised more than $15,000 for his Jamaican migrant workers

CFIA suspends certain livestock shipments from the U.S.

Horses in Arizona tested positive for vesicular stomatitis

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service