Before social media and 24‑hour news, one flickering black‑and‑white signal brought Saskatchewan together.
CKCK‑TV Regina signed on the air at 3 p.m. June 24, 1954, becoming Saskatchewan’s first television station and Canada’s second‑oldest private TV outlet. Owned by Harvard Broadcasting, the station beamed out local programs over a modest 300‑watt transmitter. Early shows like Camera Club and Teleview News were produced live from the Hill Avenue Studio — often in one take.
Viewers packed appliance stores just to glimpse moving pictures, and within a year, more than 10,000 television sets were sold in the province. The excitement spurred towers to rise in Saskatoon and Prince Albert, linking Prairie families in a new way.
Learn more about 100 Years of CKRM at 620ckrm.com.
100 Years of Saskatchewan History
This article is part of a series that celebrates both the history of Saskatchewan and the 100th anniversary of one of Saskatchewan’s most storied radio stations. For more key moments from the last 100 years, visit the CKRM timeline.
