CKCK-DT

CKCK-DT, CTV, Regina

Bell Media Inc.

StationYearChannelNetwork AffiliateOwner/Info
CKCK-TV20112.1 (8)CTVBell Media
CKCK-TV20062CTVCTVBellglobemedia
CKCK-TV19992CTVCTV Inc.
CKCK-TV19872CTVBaton Broadcasting Inc.
CKCK-TV19862CTVBaton 90% Harvard Communications 10%
CKCK-TV19772CTVHarvard Communications
CKCK-TV19692CTVArmadale Communications
CKCK-TV19542CBCArmadale Communications

1953

Transcanada Communications Ltd. (CKCK-AM) applied for a television licence, using channel 2 with an effective radiated power of 20,000 watts video and 10,800 watts audio. The application was approved.

According to a print ad, CKCK-TV channel 2 planned to be operational in 1954. It also noted that it would be the first private TV station licensed in the west. Hal Crittenden would be manager. Another ad promoted the fact that CKCK would be the first to bring television to Saskatchewan. Channel 2 would operate with an ERP of 18,800 watts video and 9,400 feet audio and use a 4-bay antenna on a 600 foot tower located at Victoria Plains, just outside the city. The station would use equipment from Canadian General Electric.

1954

Clifford Sifton filed an application seeking control of Transcanada Communications Ltd. (CKCK-AM-TV Regina and CKRC Winnipeg). This was approved.

CKCK-TV signed on the air July 28 at 4 p.m. with a live program including news, weather, and sports. CKCK-TV was Western Canada’s first privately-owned TV station and was a CBC affiliate. The studios, transmitter and 670 foot tower were located along Highway #1, three miles east of Regina. At the start, CKCK-TV was housed in a downtown basement storeroom, having only 250 square feet available. The $300,000 main facility (mentioned above) was still under construction and would provide 12,000 square feet of operating space. The transmitter-related equipment was worth $350,000. CKCK used mostly General Electric equipment.

Clifford Sifton was president and H. A. Crittenden, general manager. Lloyd Westmoreland was appointed commercial manager. He had been sales manager of CKOC Hamilton for the past 12 years and started in radio at CKCK-AM as a free-lance announcer for three years. In 1937 he became staff announcer. He moved to CKOC in 1941 to head production and later promotion activities. After serving in the RCAF, he returned to CKOC as sales manager. Larry Glover was production manager. He had been with CKCK Radio.

Many Canadian television stations were now entering into daytime programming. CKCK-TV planned to start its broadcast day at 3:00 p.m. in September.

An official launch of CKCK Television was held September 8.

Early local programs were Rita Spicer, Supper Club (Harold Van Wiebe) as well as news and information shows. CKCK-TV was a basic CBC affiliate. Network and syndicated programs carried at the time were Our Miss Brooks, Toast of the Town (Ed Sullivan Show) Howdy Doody, and Jackie Gleason, to name a few. Early personalities included Jim McLeod, Lloyd Saunders and Hugh Delaney.

CKCK-TV joined the American CBS-TV network as a secondary affiliate.

1955

“Rita’s Inn” was a cooking show on CKCK-TV. Lloyd Saunders did sports. Jim McLeod was news editor. Hugh Delaney did weather. At 3:45 p.m. (Mon-Fri), June and Neil Harris hosted a program on CKCK-TV.

Sogan: For a good buy – buy channel 2, CKCK-TV, Regina.

CKCK-TV had a mobile film unit to cover news and special events.

CKCK-TV produced a series (“Trend”) on the history, institutions and tourist spots of Saskatchewan. The shows were produced to mark the pr

1956

Clifford Sifton, owner of CKCK-TV, was appointed honorary lieutenant-colonel of the Governor-General’s Horse Guards, Toronto regiment.

1957

By this time, CKCK-TV Channel 2 operated with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts video and 53,500 watts audio.

Neil Harris was assistant production manager. He had been production supervisor.

1958

Betty Neiszner was scriptwriter and Victor Bull was photographer.

Ad slogans: Introducing 2 (to) 60,000 TV viewing homes (estimated) “Audy” and “Vidy”. CKCK-TV Regina. / The station with 50,000 display windows in Saskatchewan. / CKCK-TV channel 2 – You’re riding high in the Saskatchewan sales saddle.

According to Elliott-Haynes CKCK-TV reached a total of 138,093 adult viewers every day.

139 microwave units across Canada went into operation on July 1, carrying TV signals 3,900 miles over the longest microwave network in the world. The CBC’s Dominion Day program “Memo to Champlain” inaugurated the system. The network linked together Canada’s 40 privately owned TV stations and 8 CBC stations, providing live TV to 80% of the Canadian population between Victoria, B.C. and Sydney, N.S. Newfoundland was expected to be on the network in 1959. The CBC, in cooperation with CFRN-TV Edmonton, CKCK-TV Regina, CKLW-TV Windsor and CHSJ-TV Saint John, used the inaugural program as an electronic travelogue to visit 15 Canadian cities. The microwave network was called the Trans-Canada Skyway.

1960

Red River Television Association was among the applicants for Winnipeg’s second television station. Red River’s main stockholder was Clifford Sifton, publisher of the Regina Leader Post and Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, and owner of CKCK-AM-TV Regina and CKRC-AM Winnipeg. The group also included members of the Richardson family and Hal Crittenden, general manager of CKCK, who would have moved to Winnipeg to act as general manager of the new station if it had been approved. Red River was not the winning applicant.

Canadian General Electric ad: Hal Crittenden, richly experienced general manager of Transcanada Communications Ltd., and CKCK-TV: “Canadian General Electric helped us to plan our initial operations at CKCK-TV, smoothed our expansion through six successful years. We use CGE equipment throughout the station. I can recommend this service, these products, without qualification”.

The BBG turned down colour telecasting for now. There was mixed reaction to the decision. CKCK’s Lloyd Westmoreland said, “I am not particularly in favour of colour television”.

1965

By this time, CKCK-TV was operating the following rebroadcast transmitters: CKCK-TV-1 Colgate (channel 12 with effective radiated power of 15,100 watts video and 7,500 watts audio), CKCK-TV-2 Willow Bunch (channel 6 with ERP of 9,000 watts video and 4,500 watts audio) and CKMJ-TV Marquis (channel 7 with ERP of 55,400 watts video and 27,700 watts audio). Michael C. Sifton was president of Transcanada Communications Ltd.

Donald R. Dawson was transferred to sister station CKOC-AM in Hamilton as general manager. He was replaced by G. Don Tunnicliffe, who had been the station’s general sales manager.

Lorne Harasen joined CKCK-TV as city hall and legislative reporter.

1966

Colour network broadcasting began.

Harold Hamilton joined CKCK Radio and TV – hired by News Director Grant Kennedy.

1967

Ron Lamborn, general sales manager of CKCK-AM became general manager of the station, succeeding Jim Struthers who took up the same position at CKCK-TV.

1968

E.L. (Lee) Hambleton left CKCK-TV as sales manager to take up the same position with CFCF-TV in Montreal.

1969

CKCK switched networks from CBC to CTV, when the CBC purchased CHRE-TV Regina and CHAB-TV Moose Jaw and operated them as CBKT-TV. The CRTC approved the network change on September 12.

Jim Struthers was general manager.

Slogan: Your CTV station in Saskatchewan. CKCK-TV Regina.

1970

Hal Crittenden invited a group of Program Managers to meet in Regina to form a new annual Canadian Program production seminar, and the following year the station hosted the first CanPro, a competitive festival of locally produced Canadian programs in various categories.

Transcanada Communications became Armadale Communications Ltd.

Frank Flegel joined CKCK Radio & TV as News Director in February.

Lorne Harasen was named director of public affairs for CKCK-TV and Radio.

1971

CKCK-TV was authorized to add a transmitter at Fort Qu’Appelle, operating on channel 11 with an effective radiated power of 5 watts video and 1.0 watt audio. It would transmit a directional signal from an 86 foot tower. Programming would be received directly from CKCK-TV in Regina.

1972

Bruce Cowie
Bruce Cowie

Bruce Cowie became general manager.

1976

CKCK-TV received approval to operate a rebroadcast transmitter at Swift Current, operating on channel 12 with effective radiated power of 13,000 watts. CKCK was not to solicit advertising in Swift Current.

1977

Armadale Communications Ltd. sold CKCK-TV to Harvard Communications. Harvard was headed by Regina businessman Frederick W. Hill who was president of the McCallum Hill Group of companies. Armadale president Michael Sifton said he was selling the TV station because of constant criticism in political circles of the combined ownership of the Leader-Post newspaper and CKCK Radio and Television, and the potential threat of enforced divestiture in the future. Armadale held on to CKCK-AM.

Frank Flegel moved to CKCK-TV only, giving up his news work at CKCK Radio.

1978

CKCK-TV purchased a package of RCA equipment which included a TT-50FL transmitter (two 25,000 watt units combined) and a TCR-100 video tape cartridge recorder, which provides push-button playback of VTR segments such as commercials and station IDs.

1979

At licence renewal time, CKCK-TV’s new owner (Harvard) was commended for improvements made during the past two years. The CRTC called for an increase in the station’s contribution to the CTV network.

1981

Harvard Communications Ltd. purchased CKRM-AM and CFMQ-FM Regina from Buffalo Broadcasting.

1984

On January 11, the CRTC renewed CKCK-TV’s licence until September 30, 1985.

1985

Douglas Lee, director of administration and community relations at CKCK-TV was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada.

Five western CTV affiliates announced they would join forces for the production of quality TV dramas. Initially, resources of up to $2 million would be pooled by CKCK Regina, CFQC Saskatoon, CFCN Calgary, CFRN Edmonton, and CKY Winnipeg. The stations hoped to obtain additional funds from Telefilm Canada for ongoing drama production in the prairie region.

1985

Bill Stevenson became program director

1986

Baton Broadcasting Inc. of Toronto announced plans to make two major purchases in Saskatchewan that would give it domination of the province with only one exception – CJFB-TV Swift Current. Baton already owned CFQC-TV Saskatoon and had now agreed to buy (90%) CKCK-TV Regina from Harvard Developments Ltd. Harvard in turn would purchase 10% of CFQC-TV and would participate in the management of both stations. Baton had owned CFQC-TV (and AM) for 14 years.

The deal came only two weeks after Baton agreed to buy Yorkton Television (CKOS-TV/CBC and CICC-TV/CTV Yorkton and CKBI-TV/CBC Prince Albert). Joe Garwood, vice president and managing director of Baton, said the purchases would create a large unit capable of taking on new challenges, such as the recent approval for CanWest Broadcasting to operate new TV stations at Regina and Saskatoon (SaskWest Television Inc.). The CRTC had described CKCK-TV and CFQC-TV as being among the most profitable TV stations in Canada.

A CRTC hearing in April was to hear proposals by Baton to acquire Yorkton Television Co. Ltd. and Prince Albert TV Inc. Prince Albert TV had also applied for a new CTV station at Prince Albert (channel 9 with 27,000 watts video ERP), which if licensed, would be part of the Baton purchase. Included in the deal were some 14 rebroadcast transmitters of the three existing stations. The CKCK-CFQC deal was also to be heard. If approved (Baton 90%, Harvard 10%), both stations would be owned by limited partnerships in each city. The Baton subsidiaries involved in the deals were CFTO-TV Ltd. and Russwood Broadcasting Ltd.

The Baton Saskatchewan deals were approved by the CRTC. This included the application for the new CTV affiliate at Prince Albert. The resulting new twin-stick operation in Prince Albert would employ 15 additional staff. Baton planned to spend $5.6 million to upgrade studio and production facilities, $2.8 million for transmitting facilities, $2.3 million for a 2-way microwave system, and over $1 million for drama production. 44 new jobs were expected to be created. There would be increased regional programming, including a major provincial Mon-Fri 6:30 p.m. newscast, and expanded availability of the CBC network. Baton also undertook provisions to ensure the continued viability of CJFB-TV Swift Current, the only independent TV station left in Saskatchewan.

The Baton-Harvard partnership took ownership of CKCK-TV and CFQC-TV on August 29. It should be noted that Baton continued to hold the licence for CFQC-AM in Saskatoon.

Baton Broadcasting made the following appointments: R.L. Skinner to president of Shamrock Television Systems Inc., Bruce Cowie to president of CKCK-TV Ltd. and Dennis Fisher to president CFQC Radio. Shamrock was the Baton subsidiary that took ownership of the Prince Albert and Yorkton television stations.

1987

On February 27, Baton purchased the remaining 10% of CKCK Broadcasting Limited Partnership from Harvard and re-acquired its 10% interest in CFQC-TV from Harvard.

Joe Soehn died at age 64 on May 10. He was CKCK-TV’s first art director. Soehn joined the station a month before it went on the air in 1954, and remained with CKCK-TV until he suffered a stroke in 1981. A commercial artist, Joe Soehn developed a keen interest in animation, winning a number of awards for his films.

1988

Mel Friesen was named president and general manager of CKCK-TV. He had been station manager.

Bruce Cowie, president of CKCK-TV and president of Harvard Broadcasting, left for Edmonton to become president and chief operating officer of Sunwapta Broadcasting, effective July 1.

The CRTC approved an application by CKCK-TV to provide service to south-western Saskatchewan. The approval came despite opposition from Monarch Broadcasting that the move would financially hurt its CBC affiliated CHAT-TV in Medicine Hat, and rebroadcast stations in south-eastern Alberta. CKCK would be allowed to operate a transmitter at Golden Prairie, SK, with an effective radiated power of 106,000 watts on channel 10. The extension of CTV programming to one of the last remaining un-served areas of the country would add a potential 12,000 viewers to CKCK’s audience. The CRTC also approved the application by CKCK Broadcasting Ltd. Partnership to acquire CKQV-TV-1 Fort Qu’Appelle, SK, from the Fort Qu’Appelle B-Say-Tah Television Association, to change the channel from 11 to 7 and to increase transmitter power from 5 watts to 241 watts. CKQV-TV-1 rebroadcast and would continue to rebroadcast CKCK-TV.

CKCK-TV received approval for a rebroadcast transmitter at Golden Prairie, using channel 10 with 106,000 watts of power.

Gayle Robinson left CKTV (CKCK-TV) as vice president of sales to become general manager at CKCK-AM/CKIT-FM.

Changes at Baton Saskatchewan’s Russwood Broadcasting: James Rusnak, executive vice president and general manager; Ronald Skinner, executive VP; Mel Friesen, general manager of CKCK-TV; Howard Cooper, president and general manager of CFQC-TV; Leon Brin, VP and GM of CKBI-TV and CFQC-TV.

1990

Mel Friesen, president and general manager of CKCK-TV, announced the appointment of Dean Cross to the position of director of engineering. Cross had been with the station over 35 years and was instrumental in the growth of CKCK-TV’s signal from one transmitter to seven, covering one of the largest broadcasting areas in the country.

CRTC power increase approvals: CKCK-TV-1 Colgate to 46,400 watts from 15,200 watts and CKCK-TV-2 Willow Bunch to 27,100 watts from 9,000 watts.

Harold Hamilton retired from CKCK Radio after 24 years of anchoring newscasts – most of them during morning drive on radio and the noon newscast on CKCK-TV. Hamilton became known as “The Voice of the Great Prairie West.” He also served as administrator of the CK Children’s Fund.

Frank Flegel left CKCK-TV in July. He had been Managing Editor.

1991

Leon Brin became general manager. He replaced Mel Friesen who retired.

Baton Broadcasting’s CKCK-TV Regina, CFQC-TV Saskatoon, CKBI-TV and CIPA-TV Prince Albert and CKOS-TV and CICC-TV Yorkton all had their licenses renewed to June 30, 1996. The stations were owned or controlled by Baton’s Russwood Broadcasting, which had spent a total of $16.1 million on the stations, including construction of a microwave system linking the four broadcast centres.

1993

Manfred Joehnck moved from news director at CKRM / CFMQ-FM to assignment editor at CKCK-TV. Alex Docking was CKCK-TV’s news director.

1994

George Young, 53, died on May 6. He was host of CKCK-TV’s “Action Line” program.

1995

BBS Saskatchewan: Shirley Stus became sales manager. She had been regional sales rep. Bruce Acton became director of communications while keeping his position as CFQC-TV promotion manager. David Fisher became creative director and CFQC-TV creative services manager. Michael Fulmes became executive producer, working out of CKCK-TV.

CFQC-TV General Manager Howard Cooper and VP of Programming Bill Stevenson were given early retirement packages. 34 other BBS Saskatchewan employees were laid off at CKCK-TV (12), CICC/CKOS (12) and CIPA/CKBI (10). A change would see the jobs of reporters and camera operators combined into photo journalists.

1996

Lorne McBride passed away December 24. He had joined CKCK-TV before it went on the air in 1954 and became chief engineer on the retirement of Ernie Strong. McBride later became director of engineering for Armadale Communications (owner of CKCK). He had retired in 1978.

1997

Baton eliminated the job of president of its Saskatchewan group of stations, leaving Deryl Ring out of a job after four years in that position. Managers in the province now reported to Fred Filthaut at CFRN-TV Edmonton.

BBS Saskatchewan General Sales Manager Shirley Stus died in February at age 41

1998

Leon Brin left CKCK-TV as general manager and was replaced by Dennis Dunlop.

After purchasing the CTV Television Network, Baton Broadcasting Inc. changed its name to CTV Inc. The name change was effective December 21.

1998-99

Brian Zawacki became community relations director at CTV Regina. He had been in sales management at Air Canada.

1999

CTV Inc. announced the retirement of Bruce Cowie, 60, as Chief Operating Officer. The former CKCK-TV manager would stay on as a part-time adviser to CTV President Ivan Fecan.

2000

Rumours had many of the big media companies eyeing CTV.

In a surprise move, late in February, BCE (Canada telephone giant) through its subsidiary BCE Media, proposed to purchase CTV Inc. for $ 2.3 billion, the largest transaction in Canadian broadcasting.

Later in March the CTV board approved the deal, which required CRTC approval.

In June BCE submitted their brief to the CRTC with the largest “benefits package” ever presented to the regulative body. The benefits, money allocated over the proposed seven year licence term, were almost entirely to be spent on new Canadian programming. Ivan Fecan agreed to stay with the network under BCE ownership.

The CRTC hearing was held in September and was approved on December 7th.

2001

Bill O’Donovan left CKCK-TV for CFJC-TV Kamloops. He had joined CKCK-TV from the Kamloops station in the mid 1980s.

On September 1st, CKCK-TV was rebranded as CTV Regina.

2006

On July 21, the CRTC approved an application for ownership restructuring by Bell Globemedia (BGM), parent company of CTV, stemming from a deal in December 2005 that saw two new investors added to the company. Thomson family’s Woodbridge Co. Ltd. increased its stake in BGM to 40 per cent from 31.5 per cent, while BCE Inc. reduced its holding to 20 per cent from 68.5 per cent. Two other investors were added to the deal, including Torstar Corp. and Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, each with 20 per cent.

On December 14th, it was announced that effective January 2007, Bell Globemedia would be renamed CTVglobemedia Inc.

2009

On May 15th, the CRTC announced a one-year licence renewal, effective September 1st 2009, for all of CTVglobemedia’s Over-The-Air stations, including CKCK-TV, “….to give these broadcasters some flexibility during the current period of economic uncertainty.” Group-based licence renewals would then be addressed in the spring of 2010. The Commission also stated that it recognized the impracticability of imposing any conditions relative to 1-1 ratios between Canadian and non-Canadian programming in the ensuing year, given the programming commitments that were already in place.

The Commission would however continue to explore various regulatory measures “…to ensure that English-language television broadcasters devote an appropriate proportion of their expenditures to Canadian programming.”

2010

It was expected that, by summer, CTV Calgary would host master control for most of the Western Canadian CTV stations: four in Saskatchewan, three in Alberta, CTV Vancouver and BC Interior feeds.

On October 7, the CRTC denied an application by CTVglobemedia Inc., on behalf of its wholly owned subsidiary CTV Television Inc., to reduce the overall minimum level of Canadian programming broadcast by its conventional television stations from 60% to 55%.

The CRTC approved an amendment to the licence for CKCK-TV Regina, to add a digital transmitter (post-transitional). CKCK-DT would operate on channel 8 with an average effective radiated power of 19,000 watts horizontal and 6,800 watts vertical (maximum ERP of 23,000 watts horizontal and 9,800 watts veritcal). A directional antenna would be used from an effective height above average terrain of 187.2 metres, using the existing CTV tower.

Danelle Boivin became co-anchor of CTV Regina’s News at Six as of December 13, joining Manfred Joehnck. Boivin had been an anchor with Global Saskatoon.

2011

On March 7, the CRTC approved an application by BCE Inc. on behalf of CTVglobemedia Inc., for authority to change the effective control of CTVgm’s licensed broadcasting subsidiaries to BCE. The Commission concluded that the transaction would be beneficial to the Canadian broadcasting system by ensuring the long-term stability of a significant Canadian television network and advancing the Commission’s objective of providing relevant high-quality Canadian programming to Canadians through conventional and new media distribution channels. BCE was a public corporation and controlled by its board of directors. Before this approval, BCE held 15% of the voting interest in the capital of CTVgm. The other shareholders were 1565117 Ontario Limited (a corporation ultimately controlled by Mr. David Kenneth R. Thomson) (40% of the voting interest), Ontario Teacher’s Plan Board (25% of the voting interest) and Torstar Corporation (20% of the voting interest). Under the transaction agreement dated September 10, 2010, BCE would acquire the remaining 85% of the voting interest in the capital of CTVgm and would therefore exercise effective control. Condition: enhance local news in Western markets – incremental new local morning newscasts and programming content in Regina – 3 hours x 5 days per week.

On March 15, CTV Inc., CTV Corp., CTV Limited and CTVglobemedia Inc. amalgamated to continue as CTV Inc.

On March 29, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for a number of conventional television and transitional digital television stations until August 31, 2011. The CRTC noted that it did not intend to renew authorizations for full-power analog transmitters operating in the mandatory markets or on channels 52 to 69 outside the mandatory markets beyond August 31, 2011. By that time, the Commission expected licensees to have the necessary authority to broadcast in digital.

BCE Inc. announced on April 1 that it had completed its acquisition of CTV and that it had launched Bell Media (replacing CTVglobemedia), a new business unit that would make CTV programs and other Bell content available on smartphones and computers as well as traditional television. In addition to CTV and its television stations, Bell Media now also operated 29 specialty channels, 33 radio stations, Dome Productions, a mobile broadcast facilities provider, and dozens of high-traffic news, sports and entertainment websites, including the Sympatico.ca portal.

On July 27, the CRTC renewed the licence of CKCK-DT and its transmitters CKCK-TV-1 Colgate, CKCK-TV-2 Willow Bunch, CKCK-TV-7 Fort Qu’Appelle, CKMC-TV Swift Current, CKMC-TV-1 Golden Prairie, and CKMJ-TV Marquis, until August 31, 2016. As a condition of licence, the licensee shall allow Swift Current Telecasting Co. Ltd., licensee of CJFB-TV Swift Current, to delete local commercials carried on CKMC-TV Swift Current and to substitute therefore any other commercials, including national, regional or chain operation advertisements. For the purpose of this condition, local commercial is defined as any commercial that is a non-advertising agency account. The licensee shall not solicit advertising in Swift Current. The Commission noted the licensee’s commitment to broadcast 7 hours of local programming per week, averaged over the broadcast year, on each station (CKCK-TV and CFQC-TV).

On August 31, CKCK-TV channel 2 ended its analog broadcasting. At 12:05 a.m. on the same date, CKCK-DT began digital broadcasting on channel 8 (virtual channel 2.1). The deadline for the conversion of analog television to digital in mandatory markets was August 31.

The CRTC approved a change to the ownership of Bell Media Inc., from BCE Inc. to Bell Canada. This transaction would not affect effective control of Bell Media Inc. and of its licensed broadcasting subsidiaries, which continued to be exercised by BCE Inc. Bell Media Inc. held, directly and through its licensed broadcasting subsidiaries, various radio and television programming undertakings as well as specialty and pay-per-view television services.

Dan McIntosh joined Danelle Boivin as the new co-anchor of CTV Regina’s News at Six. He succeeded Manfred Joehnck who resigned earlier this year. McIntosh had been with CTV Regina as a video journalist for the past six years.

Rhonda Nye was promoted to Assignment Editor at CTV Regina. While she began in News, her most recent responsibility was in the station’s Creative Department.

CTV Regina’s new morning show line-up consisted of co-hosts Shallima Maharaj and Jonathan Glasgow, along with weather reporter Carey Smith and web/traffic/sports anchor Lindsay Dunn. Maharaj’s background included stints at Reuters TV and Times Now India, BNN and CTV Prince Albert. A NAIT Radio and Television Arts graduate, Glasgow worked at CTV News Edmonton as a news writer for Canada AM, occasionally filling in as a sports anchor.

2012

Denis Gilbertson, operations manager at CTV Saskatchewan, left the company after 25 years. Moving up the ladder, in 2001 he was offered, and accepted , the operations manager role at CTV Saskatoon and then CTV Saskatchewan.

Spence Bozak died at age 66. Bozak, the brother of Mitch (Global TV Regina), was best remembered as CKCK-TV’s booth announcer and weatherman, many years earlier. He began his career at hometown CHAB Moose Jaw, then moved to CHAB-TV as Host of a show called Teen Tempo. By the late ’70s, Bozak left TV to co-found Dome Advertising, which became Saskatchewan’s “agency of record” after the Conservatives took power provincially in 1982.

Wade Moffatt, the Vice President & General Manager of CTV Saskatchewan’s four stations (Regina, Saskatoon, Yorkton and Prince Albert), was no longer with Bell Media. Moffatt had been with CTV for 21 years.

2013

David Fisher was the new Vice President/General Manager of CTV Saskatchewan, overseeing the CTV stations in Regina, Saskatoon, Yorkton and Prince Albert. Most recently, he was manager of promotions and advertising for CTV Edmonton and CTV Two Alberta.

2014

Roy Brown died at age 75. He began his radio career at CKBI Prince Albert in 1958, and worked at CKRD Red Deer and WECL Eau Claire (WI) before moving to CKRM Regina and later CKCK-AM-TV. Brown was the in-park voice of the Saskatchewan Roughriders for 29 years.

In July, CTV Regina went HD. All local content, including CTV Morning Live, Indigenous Circle and CTV News at Noon, Six and 11:30, would now be broadcast in high definition.

2015

Former radio and TV news anchor James Allyn died at age 71. He joined CKCK Radio-TV in the early ‘70s and succeeded the late Jim McLeod as anchor of the evening news in 1979. He was in the TV anchor chair through 1995 while also doing news at CKRM Radio.

2017

Harold Hamilton (88) passed away March 23. He was known as the Voice of the Great Prairie West during his 24 years as a news anchor at CKCK-AM radio and television. He retired in 1990.

When the CKCK-DT licence was renewed in May, CKCK‐TV‐1 Colgate, CKCK‐TV‐2 Willow Bunch, CKCK‐TV‐7 Fort Qu’Appelle and CKMC‐TV‐1 Golden Prairie were removed from the licence at the request of Bell Media. The existing licence would expire August 31, 2017.

It was announced in June that CTV Regina would begin airing a 5:00 p.m. weekday newscast in the fall. This move was being made by all CTV stations not already airing news in this time period.

2018

Laurie Artiss (86) died on January 23. Artiss hosted a weekly show on CKCK-TV after working in the newspaper business. He left broadcasting in the early 1970’s to start Artiss Ltd., a curling equipment distribution company.

2019

On July 30, the CRTC gave Bell Media permission to delete 28 analog rebroadcasting transmitters across the country. Bell stated the transmitters did not generate any incremental revenue and generally attracted little to no added viewership. The following CKCK-DT transmitters would be shut down on February 26, 2021: CKMC-TV Swift Current and CKMJ-TV Marquis.

The story continues elsewhere…
Effective September 1st 2019, we will only be adding new material to these station histories in exceptional circumstances. Our intent to chronicle the early days of these radio and television stations has been achieved, and many new sources and technologies, from the CRTC website to Wikipedia, and others, are now regularly providing new information in these areas.

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