'A' Television Stations in Wingham and Windsor to be Shut Down - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

Dr.Dave · 2009-02-25, 12:25 PM

CTV Inc. announced today that, given the ongoing structural problems facing the conventional television sector in Canada and the current global economic crisis, it will not be applying for renewal of the CKNX-TV Wingham and CHWI-TV Wheatley licences (and its rebroadcaster in Windsor).

The CKNX-TV Wingham and CHWI-TV Wheatley licences expire at the end of August 2009.

CTV is blaming this on the fee-for-carriage dispute.

RobWindsor · 2009-02-25, 12:31 PM

I cannot believe this! They dont even try to sell them or something? CHWI is the only channel in the area that offers local news unless this causes the local CBC station to actually make more than the worst news program I've ever seen. Well, I am sorry to see this station go.

ScaryBob · 2009-02-25, 12:40 PM

So much for protecting Canadian "culture" and broadcasting. I wonder when the government will admit that their policies have failed?

hugh · 2009-02-25, 12:40 PM

I'm sure like the Brandon station, they offered them up to any takers for next to nothing but no one wanted them.

Lindsay649 · 2009-02-25, 01:12 PM

The areas will continue to receive some sort of local news from London's A channel. The sad part is seeing a part of Canadian television history, the Wingham station, going black. It had a long history and was a huge success in its formative years. It appears that the new "mantra" is blame the CRTC for not caving in to the broadcasters demands on carriage fees. Maybe it is time to revisit the concept of "Canadian" broadcasting as it only remains in the conceptual attitudes of the regulators and not in the realities of the current situation.

hugh · 2009-02-25, 01:17 PM

I just looked at the Windsor stations line-up. With the exception of a local newscast, there was nothing but simulcast U.S. programming.

RobWindsor · 2009-02-25, 02:27 PM

It's true, CHWI is just CFPL with different local news. I'm wondering though, Windsor is one of the areas in country with lower cable subscription due to over-the-air TV, does this mean we wont recieve this station anymore, or will they just replace it with a feed from CFPL?

DonR · 2009-02-25, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hugh

I just looked at the Windsor stations line-up. With the exception of a local newscast, there was nothing but simulcast U.S. programming.

Unfortunately, that is pretty much the definition of any Canadian TV station.

leaffan1967 · 2009-02-25, 02:40 PM

This whole fee-for-carriage thing is going to get old as all the networks are going to cite that as the main reason for shuttering a station.

Blackburst · 2009-02-25, 02:51 PM

Let them shut down.

It's clear that CTV's parent company has more interest in getting you to subscribe to their Bell Sat Service than operate a OTA network. Well, let them shut those 3 stations down (including the Manitoba station). Somebody else will step up and open a new station.

Hell, with all the sub-channels available from the Detroit market, perhaps some US station will provide local Windsor news, and make a profit. Bye-Bye CTV. Take your marbles and go home back to Toronto. And the same goes for Global.

If the CRTC really wanted to get back at these broadcast groups, they would order them to sell off assets, and separate Sat/Cable services from owning speciality cable networks.

cm023 · 2009-02-25, 03:11 PM

Glad to see they haven't decided to shut down CFPL. Maybe in a way this saved CFPL at least to the transition?

LONSat · 2009-02-25, 03:23 PM

Just speculation but after the Olympics are over and the have used the A's to carry the regular CTV fare look at them to shutter or threaten to shutter the rest of the A stations.

HDTV101 · 2009-02-25, 04:30 PM

Why did they even bother to buy these stations from CHUM when they don't have the money to run them. They should just give them to Rogers. I bet CKVR and CFPL will be next. (The 'New' PL and the 'New' VR heheheh will soon be the old and dead too.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lindsay649

The sad part is seeing a part of Canadian television history, the Wingham station, going black.

Yes I think it's very sad too ... the station has been on the air since 1955 and had a very interesting history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CKNX-TV

nakedgord · 2009-02-25, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackburst

Hell, with all the sub-channels available from the Detroit market, perhaps some US station will provide local Windsor news, and make a profit. Bye-Bye CTV. Take your marbles and go home back to Toronto. And the same goes for Global.

Agreed. The Buffalo stations already cover some Canadian news and WKBW's main anchor, Keith Radford, is actually Canadian.

I'm sure since they have the studios, are paying staff and have all these new sub channels to fill the idea of some quick $ to do our news just south of the border might catch their eye.

Quote:

If the CRTC really wanted to get back at these broadcast groups, they would order them to sell off assets, and separate Sat/Cable services from owning speciality cable networks.

If they'd *really* want to kick it to them I'd love for the CRTC to mandate that cable/Bell TV/Star Choice have an unencrypted free service for everyone that just includes OTA broadcast stations plus public service stations like CPAC, OPAC, Vision and CBCNW/Newsnet and let them make their money of the specialty channels.

I'm sure that'd get them to quiet down over fee-for-carriage.

HT gearhead · 2009-02-25, 08:27 PM

The CRTC should have never allowed the homogenization of locals like Bell and Canwest have done to them. In doing so these two companies have managed to effectively destroy local tv. Add to that being forced to sub to every distant cookie cutter local at bloated prices on satellite....well you get the point.

And they wonder why some folks pirate or buy grey market satellite.

2009-02-25, 12:25 PM	#1
Dr.Dave Moderator Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 4,704	'A' Television Stations in Wingham and Windsor to be Shut Down CTV Inc. announced today that, given the ongoing structural problems facing the conventional television sector in Canada and the current global economic crisis, it will not be applying for renewal of the CKNX-TV Wingham and CHWI-TV Wheatley licences (and its rebroadcaster in Windsor). The CKNX-TV Wingham and CHWI-TV Wheatley licences expire at the end of August 2009. CTV is blaming this on the fee-for-carriage dispute.

2009-02-25, 12:40 PM	#4
hugh Member #1 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 47,492	I'm sure like the Brandon station, they offered them up to any takers for next to nothing but no one wanted them. __________________ As of January 2012, I am no longer the owner of the Digital Home website. If you have questions about the operation of the site, please contact VSAdmin. For personal inquiries contact me at the Hugh Thompson website.

2009-02-25, 01:17 PM	#6
hugh Member #1 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 47,492	I just looked at the Windsor stations line-up. With the exception of a local newscast, there was nothing but simulcast U.S. programming. __________________ As of January 2012, I am no longer the owner of the Digital Home website. If you have questions about the operation of the site, please contact VSAdmin. For personal inquiries contact me at the Hugh Thompson website.

2009-02-25, 02:40 PM	#9
leaffan1967 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Nova Scotia *Eastlink HD DVR (Motorola 6416 III) Posts: 909	This whole fee-for-carriage thing is going to get old as all the networks are going to cite that as the main reason for shuttering a station. __________________ RCA 26" HDTV - (ATSC/QAM Tuner) - 720p/1080i

2009-02-25, 03:23 PM	#12
LONSat Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 486	Just speculation but after the Olympics are over and the have used the A's to carry the regular CTV fare look at them to shutter or threaten to shutter the rest of the A stations. __________________ Living in the land of the mayor that won't do the right thing.

2009-02-25, 12:31 PM	#2
RobWindsor Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Windsor, Ontario Posts: 18	I cannot believe this! They dont even try to sell them or something? CHWI is the only channel in the area that offers local news unless this causes the local CBC station to actually make more than the worst news program I've ever seen. Well, I am sorry to see this station go.

2009-02-25, 12:40 PM	#3
ScaryBob Veteran Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The Dandelion City Posts: 7,133	So much for protecting Canadian "culture" and broadcasting. I wonder when the government will admit that their policies have failed?

2009-02-25, 01:12 PM	#5
Lindsay649 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Woodstock, Ontario Posts: 1,058	The areas will continue to receive some sort of local news from London's A channel. The sad part is seeing a part of Canadian television history, the Wingham station, going black. It had a long history and was a huge success in its formative years. It appears that the new "mantra" is blame the CRTC for not caving in to the broadcasters demands on carriage fees. Maybe it is time to revisit the concept of "Canadian" broadcasting as it only remains in the conceptual attitudes of the regulators and not in the realities of the current situation.

2009-02-25, 02:27 PM	#7
RobWindsor Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Windsor, Ontario Posts: 18	It's true, CHWI is just CFPL with different local news. I'm wondering though, Windsor is one of the areas in country with lower cable subscription due to over-the-air TV, does this mean we wont recieve this station anymore, or will they just replace it with a feed from CFPL?

2009-02-25, 02:51 PM	#10
Blackburst Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Saint-Laurent Borough, Montreal, QC Posts: 804	Let them shut down. It's clear that CTV's parent company has more interest in getting you to subscribe to their Bell Sat Service than operate a OTA network. Well, let them shut those 3 stations down (including the Manitoba station). Somebody else will step up and open a new station. Hell, with all the sub-channels available from the Detroit market, perhaps some US station will provide local Windsor news, and make a profit. Bye-Bye CTV. Take your marbles and go home back to Toronto. And the same goes for Global. If the CRTC really wanted to get back at these broadcast groups, they would order them to sell off assets, and separate Sat/Cable services from owning speciality cable networks.

2009-02-25, 03:11 PM	#11
cm023 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Alberta Posts: 339	Glad to see they haven't decided to shut down CFPL. Maybe in a way this saved CFPL at least to the transition?

2009-02-25, 08:27 PM	#15
HT gearhead Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,307	The CRTC should have never allowed the homogenization of locals like Bell and Canwest have done to them. In doing so these two companies have managed to effectively destroy local tv. Add to that being forced to sub to every distant cookie cutter local at bloated prices on satellite....well you get the point. And they wonder why some folks pirate or buy grey market satellite.

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