View source for CKX-TV

{{Short description|Television station in Brandon, Manitoba (1955–2009)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign = CKX-TV
| logo = Ckxtv.svg
| logo_size = 200px
| branding = {{ubl|CKX Television (general)|''CKX News'' (newscast)}}
| analog = 5 ([[VHF]])
| translators = ''see {{section link||Transmitters}}''
| affiliations = [[CBC Television|CBC]]
| airdate = {{start date|1955|1|28}}
| last_airdate = {{ubl|{{end date|2009|10|2}}|({{Age in years and days|1955|1|28|2009|10|2}})}}
| location = [[Brandon, Manitoba]]
| country = Canada
| callsign_meaning = taken from its former sister radio station, [[CKXA-FM|CKX]]
| owner = [[Bell Media|CTVglobemedia]]
| licensee = CTV Limited
| sister_stations = [[CKY-DT|CKY-TV]]
| erp = 100 [[kW]]
| haat = {{convert|406.9|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| coordinates = {{Coord|49|40|6|N|100|0|41|W|type:landmark}}
| licensing_authority = [[CRTC]]
}}
'''CKX-TV''' (channel 5) was a [[television station]] in [[Brandon, Manitoba]], Canada, which served as a private affiliate of [[CBC Television]]. Owned by [[Bell Media|CTVglobemedia]], it was the first privately owned television station in Manitoba. It shared its call letters with its former [[sister station]], [[CKX-FM]], owned by [[Astral Media]] (formerly [[Standard Radio]]).

CKX-TV shared studios with CKX-FM and [[CKXA-FM]] (then known as "101.1 The Farm") on Victoria Avenue in Brandon; CKX-TV's [[CKX-TV Craig Television Tower|transmitter]] was located in [[Oakland, Manitoba]] (it is now occupied by [[CKY-DT]] rebroadcaster CKYB-TV, which Bell Media has applied to close<ref>{{cite web|url=https://applications.crtc.gc.ca/instances-proceedings/Default-Defaut.aspx?S=O&PA=A&PT=A&PST=A|title=All Public Proceedings Open for Comment|publisher=[[Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission]]|accessdate=October 13, 2024}}</ref>).

As a private affiliate of the CBC, the station aired most CBC network programming, but also aired some programs from [[A (TV system)|A]]. Currently, CBC programming is available through CBC's [[Winnipeg]] station [[CBWT]], on Westman Cable channel 6, taking up CKX's former slot.

In February 2009, CTV announced that CKX was up for sale as CBC would not continue its affiliation agreement.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2009/19/c2188.html|title=CTV Inc. Places CKX-TV Brandon Up for Sale|date=February 19, 2009|website=[[CNW Group]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223153101/https://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2009/19/c2188.html|archive-date=February 23, 2009|access-date=September 15, 2019}}</ref> In July 2009, it was announced that Bluepoint Investment Corporation would buy the station for a dollar.<ref name="bluepoint">{{Cite web|url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2009/16/c6860.html|title=CTV Secures Sale of CKX-TV Brandon|date=July 16, 2009|website=[[CNW Group]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719075556/http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2009/16/c6860.html|archive-date=July 19, 2009|access-date=September 15, 2019}}</ref> However, Bluepoint pulled out of the sale on October 1, resulting in the station's closing a day later.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.brandonsun.com/story.php?story_id=161531|title=BREAKING NEWS - Bluepoint walks away from CKX-TV|date=October 1, 2009|website=Brandon Sun|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091006051134/http://www.brandonsun.com/story.php?story_id=161531|archive-date=October 6, 2009|access-date=October 1, 2009}}</ref>

==History==
The station was founded by John Craig and went on the air on January 28, 1955, a day which marked [[Craig Media]]'s start in television broadcasting.

In February 1959, CKX asked [[Manitoba Telephone System]] (MTS) to apply to the CBC to extend their television signals to four additional Manitoba communities; [[Dauphin, Manitoba|Dauphin]], [[Swan River, Manitoba|Swan River]], [[The Pas]] and [[Flin Flon]].<ref>{{cite news | title = Four TV Stations Promised North | pages = 7 | publisher = Winnipeg Tribune, Canadian Press | date = February 28, 1959}}</ref>

For nearly half a century, the station remained under the ownership of Craig Media.

During the early 1980s when the CRTC had called for applications for a new television station serving southern Manitoba, CKX-TV had raised fears that extending CKND-TVs signal into the Westman area would split the revenue from national advertisers which could cause CKX-TV to operate in the red.<ref>{{Cite news|title=CKX scrambles CRTC reception with mid-stride plan change|last=McKinley|first=Patrick|date=June 18, 1981|work=Brandon Sun|page=2}}</ref>

In 2004, Craig Media announced a deal to sell its broadcasting assets to [[CHUM Limited]]. The sale was approved by the [[Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission]] (CRTC) on November 19, 2004, and became official on December 1.

CHUM relaunched the original Craig Media [[A-Channel]] stations as new affiliates of Citytv on August 2, 2005, at the same time as the existing [[NewNet]] stations picked up the "A Channel" name. It generally left CKX's programming alone, though the A-Channel logo was occasionally seen during primetime programming.

On January 15, 2007, master control for CKX-TV was moved back from [[Portage la Prairie]] to Brandon.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2006/12/c9578.html |title=CNW Group |access-date=July 13, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060820053636/http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2006/12/c9578.html |archive-date=August 20, 2006 }}</ref>

Ownership changed hands once again on June 22, 2007, as CHUM Limited was sold to CTVglobemedia. Originally, CTVglobemedia wanted to retain CHUM's Citytv system and sell CKX-TV, CHUM's A-Channel stations, and several speciality channels to [[Rogers Communications]]. However, this was denied by the CRTC, and CTV was forced to sell the Citytv stations to Rogers instead. Richard Gray was named the head of news for CKX-TV and the A Channel stations. Gray reports directly to the CTVgm corporate group, as opposed to CTV News, to preserve independent news presentation and management. CKX-TV was CTV's first CBC affiliate since selling their CBC stations in [[Northern Ontario]] and [[Saskatchewan]] to the CBC in 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://micro.newswire.ca/release.cgi?rkey=1507269890&view=39118-0&Start=0 |title=CTVglobemedia<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=October 18, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018152141/http://micro.newswire.ca/release.cgi?rkey=1507269890&view=39118-0&Start=0 |archive-date=October 18, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In early 2009, CBC decided it would not renew CKX's affiliation agreement past its expiration date of August 31, 2009. When CTV offered to sell the station directly to the CBC for a dollar, they refused, saying they could not afford the station's ongoing operational costs, and costs associated with the upcoming [[Digital television in Canada|digital transition]]. Because of this, CTV put the station up for sale, saying it would shut it down on August 31 if no buyer was found.<ref name=":0" />

On April 30, 2009, [[Shaw Communications]] announced it would purchase CKX, along with two of CTV's [[A (TV system)|A]] stations ([[CHWI]] in [[Windsor, Ontario]] and [[CKNX-TV|CKNX]] in [[Wingham, Ontario]]) from CTVgm for a dollar each.<ref name="shawsale">[https://web.archive.org/web/20090610065013/http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2301992 CTV Accepts Shaw Offer to Buy Local Stations], CTVglobemedia press release via TradeMarkets, April 30, 2009</ref> However, it was reported on June 30 that Shaw had backed out of the deal.<ref name="globe-shaw-decline">Grant Robertson, [https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/shaw-cancels-deal-for-3-ctv-stations/article1202528/ "Shaw cancels deal for 3 CTV stations"]. ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', June 30, 2009.</ref> Instead, on July 16, CTV announced that Bluepoint Investment Corporation, a new company owned by media veteran Bruce Claassen, would buy CKX for a dollar. The deal was planned to close by December 31, 2009, pending [[CRTC]] approval.<ref name="bluepoint" /><ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/ctv-sells-brandon-tv-station-for-1-1.825008 CBC News: "CTV sells Brandon TV station for $1", 7/16/2009.]</ref> Bluepoint intended to keep at least some CBC programming,<ref>Matt Semansky, "[http://www.marketingmag.ca/english/news/media/article.jsp?content=20090717_150954_5372 Claassen’s company enters TV market with Brandon station]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}", ''Marketing'', 2009-07-17, accessed August 26, 2009</ref> though CKX was still a full CBC affiliate after August 31.
[[File:CKX's Final.jpg|thumb|left|This CTVglobemedia slide was the last message to air on CKX-TV before going off the air on October 2, 2009. A black screen aired on CKX until the transmitters were shut off.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVWcu2b4ZrM CKX News Final Broadcast Fade to Black]</ref>]]
[[File:CKX-TV Website Closed.png|thumb|right|Graphic after CKX's 6 PM newscast on CKX and announcing the closure of CKX-TV, on ckxtv.com, on October 2, 2009.]]
However, Bluepoint pulled out of the sale on October 1, citing inability to get satellite coverage. As a result, CTV shut the station down the next day, after its 6 p.m. newscast, bringing the station to show a screen thanking viewers for several hours.<ref>{{cite news |title=CTV to close station in Brandon, Man., after 6:00 newscast this evening |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/whitehorse-daily-star-ctv-to-close-stati/173092038/ |access-date=May 25, 2025 |newspaper=Whitehorse Daily Star |agency=[[The Canadian Press]] |date=October 2, 2009 |location=Whitehorse, Canada |page=26 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The last image televised on CKX-TV before going to black was the corporate logo and copyright notice for CTVglobemedia.<ref>[http://www.marketingmag.ca/english/news/media/article.jsp?content=20091002_135305_2944 Brandon TV station goes dark after deal falls through]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ''Marketing'', 2009-10-02, accessed October 2, 2009</ref> The station's website, ckxtv.com, also switched to a slate, thanking viewers and directing them to [http://www.localtvmatters.ca/ localtvmatters.ca] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091005091659/http://localtvmatters.ca/ |date=October 5, 2009 }} and redirecting to the [[Bravo (Canada)|Bravo Canada]] website, to learn about CTV's position that local television was being endangered.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120713111933/http://forums.canadian-tv.com/showthread.php?t=29378 Ku Satellites, "Brandon's CKX-TV closed", 10/3/2009.]</ref>

The station was the second major TV station in Canada to have gone dark since 1977 (when [[CFVO-TV]] in [[Hull, Quebec]] left the air; all other defunct stations in Canada became repeaters of other stations almost seamlessly), the other being [[CHCA-TV]] in [[Red Deer, Alberta]], closing about one month before CKX. The station's license was still active after the station's closure, although CHCA's license was revoked in December [[2009 in Canadian television|2009]], and CFVO-TV's license was transferred to Radio-Quebec (now [[Télé-Québec]]) as that station later became CIVO-TV. The [[Access Alberta]] stations CIAN-DT and CJAL-DT went dark on August 31, 2011. Two months later, it was [[Quebecor]]-owned [[CKXT-TV]], which went dark on November 1, 2011.

By the time the CBC closed down its network of rebroadcasters on July 31, 2012,<ref>[http://cbc.radio-canada.ca/en/media-centre/2012/04/04/ Speaking notes for Hubert T. Lacroix regarding measures announced in the context of the Deficit Reduction Action Plan]</ref><ref>[http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2012/2012-384.htm Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2012–384, July 17, 2012.]</ref> the network never reestablished an over-the-air presence in Brandon.

==Digital television==
Before its closure in 2009, CKX had not begun broadcasting in [[Digital terrestrial television|digital]] on its allocated channel 49.

Had the station remained on the air, after the phaseout of analogue television in [[Canada]] on August 31, 2011, CKX-DT was to remain on 49. With the use of [[PSIP]], television receivers would have displayed CKX-DT's virtual channel as 5. Following the station's closedown, the allocations for its analog and digital frequencies became open for future stations.<ref>[http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/vwapj/DTV_PLAN_Dec08-e.pdf/$file/DTV_PLAN_Dec08-e.pdf Industry Canada: "DTV Post-Transition Allotment Plan", December 2008]</ref>

==News==
CKX aired a one-hour local noon program, ''The Noon Show'', from 12 noon to 1 p.m. daily while it also aired a live one-hour evening newscast, ''CKX News at 6'', from 6 to 7 p.m. every weekday. CKX used to air a late-night half-hour newscast from 11 to 11:30&nbsp;p.m. until cuts were made to the station in the 1990s and 2000.

Despite its local orientation, CKX news programming generally lagged in the ratings behind Winnipeg-based CTV station [[CKY-TV]], which has a rebroadcaster in Brandon but limited news coverage of the region.

==Notable former on-air staff==
* [[Shawn Churchill]] – former sports anchor
* [[Darren Dreger]] – former sports anchor, now with [[The Sports Network|TSN]]
* [[Dawna Friesen]] 
* [[Leah Hextall]] – former sports anchor, now with [[ESPN]]
* [[Jill Officer]] – former reporter

==Transmitters==
These were CKX's rebroadcasters at the time of its closure.
* '''CKX-TV-1''' 11 [[Foxwarren, Manitoba|Foxwarren]]
* '''CKX-TV-2''' 9 [[Melita, Manitoba|Melita]]
* '''CKX-TV-3''' 11 [[McCreary, Manitoba|McCreary]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://broadcasting-history.ca/television/television-stations/manitoba/ckx-tv/ CKX-TV] at The History of Canadian Broadcasting by the [[Canadian Communications Foundation]]
*{{RecnetCanada|CKX-TV}}

{{Manitoba TV}}
{{Defunct Canadian TV stations}}
{{Bell Media}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ckx-Tv}}
[[Category:1955 establishments in Manitoba]]
[[Category:2009 disestablishments in Manitoba]]
[[Category:Defunct mass media in Manitoba|KX-TV]]
[[Category:Defunct television stations in Canada|KX-TV]]
[[Category:Mass media in Brandon, Manitoba]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations disestablished in 2009]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1955]]
[[Category:Television stations in Manitoba|KX-TV]]