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CKNX in 1951 ...In 1951, there was a full-time staff of 36. Live talent was used extensively - 17% of the operating costs was made up of talent fees. The telephone bill per month is over $300. from the gathering of local news and for lines for remote broadcasts. (25th Anniversary, 1951)
CKNX radio serves an area of over 11,000 sq miles and 350,000 people (in 1951). CKNX mottos in 1951were; The Voice of Community Service and The Ontario Farm Station.
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Early logo for 920 CKNX's radio station.1935-1955
920 CKNX, Wingham, Ontario
Credits:North Huron Museum, Wingham, Ontario
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CKNX's Letters from their Listners ...1942 Letters -
Clinton, Ontario.
Dear Sir: We enjoy your programs a great deal. The reception is perfect most of the time and the odd time another station interferes but can't complain. The programs on the networks which you broadcast are certainly appreciated. I am in bed most of the time and do enjoy the radio which I have beside me. My husband thinks the fights you broadcast from the networks are the thing! Personally I have no favorite but do like the program from the United Church on Sunday in your town. It is really worth while. We enjoy Rev. Beecroft's singing a great deal and like his sermons. I am enclosing twenty-five cents for your almanac for the next year. I think it should be very interesting to have.
Plenty of good luck to the station.
(Mrs.) J.H.V
(CKNX Almanac, Apr 1942)
Tobermory, Ontario.
Dear Sirs: Enclosed find 25 cents for subscription to your monthly log of radio programs. Reception from your station is very good up here and we enjoy your programs very much - so much that some days the dial is rarely off CKNX.
Thanking you, I am
Yours truly,
(WRC)
(CKNX Almanac, Apr 1942)
- Letter - (CKNX Almanac - May1942)
Grindstone City,
Dear Boys;
I don't know how to start this, but here it goes anyway.
Every Saturday night from 7:30 to 9:30 we listen to your beautiful music and your station comes in so plain. I took out the United States map and found that Wingham is across from where we live. We have been listening to your station since two months or more.
Yours truly
Twins - Misses A. And B. H.
Grindstone City, Michigan, USA
- Letter - (CKNX Almanac - May1942)
Trout Creek, Ontario.
Gentlemen,
Could I send in a request for you to announce over the radio of Tuesday 12.30 a Happy Birthday and a song which you think suitable for my mother, Mrs. W.J.N. of Formosa. Her birthday is on Monday but you may announce that this request comes from her daughter and grandchildren.
Also send me your 1942 Almanac of your radio program. P.S. We enjoy your radio programs very much and they come in clear and distinct over our radio.
(Miss) O.N.
ED: Sorry - no dedications because of wartime censorship restrictions.
Letter(CKNX Almanac - July 1942)
Carlsruhe, Ontario - July 1942
Friends of the Radio,
While listening to your programs you announced having published a CKNX Almanac which can be obtained by sending you 25 cents. As we are always interested in our home station broadcasting, we are looking forward to receiving your almanac with the pictures and write-ups in it. I might say even though you cannot put on our requests we still enjoy your programs. As I was listening to the Early Birds this morning I thought how cheerful it was to hear "Shortie" whistling so nice while it was such a rough morning out-doors. I might mention other favorite programs but just will mention the Church of the Air. We were pleased to have it back at the 10:30 am time as we could not always listen to it when it was in the PM. Also Sarah's songs are missed if not given. (CKNX Almanac-4, 1942 p.2)
Letter(CKNX Almanac - July 1942)
Owen Sound, Ontario - July 1942
Dear Sirs,
Please find enclosed 25 cents for which please send me Almanac of programs over station CKNX. We enjoy the programs very much and think they are the best on radio, especially the old time music. Sometimes there is a lot of interference and we can't hear. We don't know what station drowns out CKNX, but it happens sometimes, but I think you should be congratulated on having such a good station. (CKNX Almanac-4, 1942 p.2)
Letter(CKNX Almanac - July 1942)
Drumbo, Ontario - July 1942
Dear Sirs,
Enclosed you will find 25 cents for a years subscription to the CKNX Almanac. I enjoy your programs very much especially the Gene Autry one on Sunday's and the Early Birds.
P.S. What ever you do keep little Pauline singing with the Early Birds. (CKNX Almanac-4, 1942 p.2)
Letter(CKNX Almanac - July 1942)
Mildmay, Ontario - July 1942
Dear Sirs,
Enclosed you will find 25 cents for which please send me your monthly program sheet for one year. And also a picture of your CKNX Early Birds and also of Jack Brent, your new announcer over CKNX. We like your new announcer as he is a great speaker. We also take great interest in your Early Birds or Ranch Boys as they are considered the best players over that station. And we love to hear Pauline's singing as she is good for only six years old. (CKNX Almanac-4, 1942 p.2)
Letter(CKNX Almanac - Aug 1942)
Belgrave, Ontario - August 1942 edition
Dear Sirs,
Please accept my sincere thanks for the program presented by H.V. Pym yesterday afternoon. His recitals are not only a delight to the ear, but a real musical education. Have you noticed that many of the numbers he presents are highly appreciated in all parts of the world, where lovers of high quality music abound. His talents are quite worthy of a coast-to-coast broadcast. I consider he is the supreme artist on CKNX. It would be interesting to obtain - through CKNX Almanac - the opinion of your many listeners, whether they prefer the kind of music that will live for ever, or tunes that are born, die and buried, within a year or less. (CKNX Almanac-5, 1942 p.2)
Letter(CKNX Almanac - Aug 1942)
Mildmay, R.R.2 - August 1942 edition
The CKNX staff certainly operate a good farm station, friends from a distance tell me its their best station. I especially enjoy the Studio presentations like the Early Birds and Barn Dance, of course on the farm there is not much time to listen in the summer time to other programs.
Mrs. J.S.
P.S. Hope to get to Wingham and see the station there this summer. (CKNX Almanac-5, 1942 p.2)
Letter(CKNX Almanac - Aug 1942)
Echo Bay, Manitoulin Island - August 1942 edition
CKNX Cheerio,
I am just writing a few lines to say how much we appreciate your broadcast, the farm and home hour. We are quite interested in hearing the news of all the old home towns. The crops in this north part of Ontario are very good and everything is two or three weeks ahead of previous years. Yours truly has potatoes in blossom and we are situated 20 miles east of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. (CKNX Almanac-5, 1942 p.2)
Letter(CKNX Almanac - Apr 1943)
Kitchener, Ontario - Jan 22, 1943
Staff of CKNX,
Sorry I've been so tardy sending in my 25 cents for the Almanac. I really intended sending it in before I received the notice but as usual the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Just now I am listening to hymn time and I must say I like it very much. There are quite a few programs I like, for instance Sunday afternoon programs are lovely, I go for sacred music and songs, serenades, and waltz music and other fine music. The noisy stuff is out with me, but there are others that go for music like that so you have to please everybody. One Sunday shortly before Christmas I heard Richard Maxwell singing on the funeral home program at 2 pm. He is my favourite gospel singer, and I know many others who like to hear him, how about hearing him more often. There are or were some pretty nice looking young men or their pictures in the Almanac. I also have a liking for nice faces, one of my weaknesses my daughters tell me. I hope I'm not tiring you with my letter. It's all meant in fun. Wishing one and all a successful year.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. James Wambod (44 Brubaker St, Kitchener) (CKNX Almanac-12,1943,p.2)
Letter(CKNX Almanac - Apr 1943)
Forest, Ont - March 8, 1943
Dear Mr. Gallagher:
I heard your discourse this morning and you wondered if the Broadcasts were appreciated. So I though I would write and let you know that I enjoy and appreciate the morning devotions on CKNX. They are all helpful and inspiring and I pray that God will bless the messages to the saving of souls and that our eyes may be opened to see our need more and more. Hoping to hear you quite often over the radio.
Sincerely
(Mrs. E. Sutcliffe)
P.S. I first heard of the Broadcasts through Rev. Wm. Matheson of Chesley.(CKNX Almanac-12, 1943) p.2
Jumbletown, November 5, 1942
We are regular listeners of the "Early Birds" Program and certainly enjoy it very much, as we always find it both cheerful and interesting. Was wondering all week where Shorty is. Thought perhaps he had gone south with all the whistling birds. This morning a little bird whispered the secret. So trusting he will soon be able to return as he is missed by many listeners.
A group of regular listeners
Attached is a cartoon of a man in bed under the sign "Quiet", whistling Tweet Tweet. The caption says "Stranger things have happened among various peoples of the earth. It is customary for the father to go into confinement after a baby is born." (SC-Merkeley)p.13
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At the 1946 Internation Plowing Match in Port Albert, the CKNX Barn Dance drew a crowd of 40,000.1946
Internation Plowing Match, Port Albert, Ontario
Credits:Wingham Library, Wingham, Ontario
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Remote Broadcasts - A Community Service ...Many listeners have wondered how Remote programs, that is programs originating from points outside the studios, are sent back to the station for broadcast. Here once again the Bell Telephone Company is called upon for service. Let us take the CKNX Barn Dance for instance. The CKNX Technical Department takes a small control panel to the hall where the Barn Dance is to be presented. The local telephone company installs a line from the hall to the local telephone office, where it is connected to a Bell Telephone long distance circuit to Wingham. At Wingham Telelpone Office this long distance line is connected to a line running to the control panel at the studios. Network programs are brought in by telephone line in a similar manner. CKNX maintains its own lines to four Wingham churches, the Wingham Arena, Town Hall and Armouries. (25th Anniversary, 1951)
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CKNX did remote broadcasts for rural fairs across southwestern Ontario.1950s
Rural fair in southwestern Ontario
Credits:North Huron Museum, Wingham, Ontario
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1951 Farm Department ...Some of the community service requests for CKNX - "Blyth dedicates a new arena, Ontario Crop Improvement Meeting is held in Toronto, farmer loses a dog, Bruce County Agricultural Rep needs some recording equipment, Junior Farmers are looking for help in arranging an oratorical contest, Women's Institute is stuck for a guest speaker, Walkerton man wants to know road conditions to Detroit, war bride would like to send a recording home, a distant church celebrates its centennial, promotion is needed for March of Dimes campaign, Kinettes need loudspeakers for their fashion show, just a beginning of a long list of requests or events to which CKNX will always say "Yes we can help or Yes, we'll be there" (25th Anniversary, 1951)
CKNX has been the voice of the farmer since the days of 10 BP when farm items were important to the station's broadcasting. In 1951, the Farm Department has a full-time Farm Editor who looks after Farm Markets broadcasts, reports the Farm meetings, summarizes the trends and developments in the sphere of agriculture and keeps farmers informed. The farm department covers farming events in three counties - plowing matches, fall fairs, annual meetings, protest meetings, junior farmer events.
An example of programming - 7:15 am - Early Morning Farm Review with summary of the markets, weather forecasts, farm news and coming events, 7:55 am - Farm Bulletin - a review of the Review with markets of the previous day and a summary of auction sales & farm meetings for that day, 12:35 - Markets Broadcast with 25 minutes of auction sale advertisements, farm produce ads, farm machinery ads, Lost & Found notices, noon-time summary of Toronto Livestock Market report and reports from stockyards of Montreal, Detroit & Local Livestock Markets and the Ontario weather forecast, 6:00 pm - On the Farm Front - CKNX Farm Editor, Bob Carbert returns with 15 minutes of farm items, farm news, editorials on agriculture, Ontario Weather forecast, complete Markets broadcast-closing Toronto stockyard market report, Montreal, Detroit and local livestock reports, produce market report from Toronto & regional outlets with price paid up to closing time - no matter what is being sold on the farm, cattle, hogs, sheep, poultry, cream, eggs, or butter you can be brought up to date on the latest prevailing prices through the market reports."
Other farm programs - as Community Service without a sponsor - Monday noon at 12:15 - 10 minute Federation of Agriculture report, Wednesday noon at 12:10 Fred Wilson & Doug Tipper, assistant agriculture representatives for Huron & Bruce report to the Junior Farmers, Saturday noon at 12:10 - agriculture representatives are invited to report to their counties and George Gear of Bruce and Gordon Bennett of Huron alternate this service week by week, Sunday afternoon at 2:45pm for 15 minutes, Bob Carbert reviews the farm happenings of the week. (25th Anniversary, 1951)
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Original news desk of Harry J. Boyle1935-1941
920 CKNX, Wingham, Ontario
Credits:Wingham Library, Wingham, Ontario
Wingham Professional Businesswomen's Association
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1951 News Department ...CKNX maintains its newsroom with the British United Press news service with its head office in Montreal. Dispatches from bureaux and correspondents located around the world and across Canada reach the newsroom by Bell teletype 24 hours a day. To gather local news, the station maintains a staff of over 40 news correspondents in areas across CKNX's Western Ontario listening area - they report on accidents, meetings, fires, deaths, weddings, anniversaries and other items of local importance. At election time, these correspondents and others coordinate their efforts with John Strong to give the finest possible coverage - for example 2 hours after the polls closed in Huron, Bruce and Grey, listeners had a complete picture of who was elected and with what majority.
At 12:30 each Sunday - there is a 10 minute summary of the previous local news happenings, condensed for easy listening so the listener can catch up with the week's events sitting in the ease of his armchair.
News is heard many times daily between 7:00 am til signoff time at 11:00 pm. The news office welcomes authentic items from anyone as long as they measure up to the news-value standard. To report a news item; a fire for example, pick up the telephone and ask the operator for local 6. (25th Anniversary, 1951)
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Johnny Brent broadcasting outside the original radio station on Josephine Street in Wingham.1935-1960
920 CKNX, Wingham, Ontario
Credits:North Huron Museum, Wingham, Ontario
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1951 Sports Department ...Sports Department - CKNX believed that future citizens have to be good sports to assure themselves of success. They believed the person that can extend a friendly handshake to his conqueror in the field of competition has the qualities of leadership and will strive toward making this a better world to live in. Good sportsmanship was something to be taught to everyone as soon as a person had reached the age of reasoning. Man was lost without the ability to be able to give and take and what better way to experience this than through the medium of sports. The CKNX sports department kept the public informed every day about the results and developments of all games in sport. The most important factor toward building better sports in Western Ontario was the forming of the W.O.A.A. (25th Anniversary, 1951)
Tory Gregg gave a nightly sports report, recounting the victories and losses of local teams as well as professional Canadian teams. On Saturdays, through the CBC, the station broadcasted games from the National Hockey League with commentary by famous sportscasters such as Foster Hewitt. The station also broadcasts fights from the States, a popular program since the station's early days.
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Early staff of CKNX radio standing outside the original station, Josephine Street, Wingham, Ontario.1940s
920 CKNX, Wingham, Ontario
Credits:North Huron Museum, Wingham, Ontario
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1951 staff of CKNX ...W.T. "Doc" Cruickshank - General Manager,
G.W. "Bud" Cruickshank - Assistant General Manager,
John J. Cruickshank - Station Manager,
Programs - Johnny Brent, Iona Terry,
Sports - M.L. "Tory" Gregg,
Women's Department - Margaret Brophy,
Announcers - Tom Rafferty, Norm Fry, Barry Kay, L. Browne,
Controls - Doug Fry, Elmer Purdon, John Langridge, Jack Salter,
Sales- T.R "Bert" Mathers, C.Ross Hamilton,
Traffic - Jean Tervit,
Continuity - R. "Bob" Clark, Frank Eidt, Shirley Boucher,
Musicians - Harold Victor Pym, Earl Heywood, Jack Kingston, Lloyd Bank, Ward Allen, Mel Lavigne, Bill Mankiss,
Publicity - Vin Dittmer,
Farm Department - Bob Carbert,
News - John Strong,
Office - Lillian Gorbutt, Lillian Darling, Mildred Jones, Mary Louise Flach,
Engineers - Scott Reid, Glenn Scheifele. (25th Anniversary, 1951)
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Wilfred "Doc" Cruickshank working in his office.1960s
CKNX Radio and Television building, Carling Terrace, Wingham, Ontario
Credits:North Huron Museum, Wingham, Ontario
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