It’s a sad day for Lloydminster media with the shuttering of the local TV station, CKSA-CITL after 65 years of service.
Community members are feeling the loss, reflects Mayor Gerald Aalbers.
“It’s going to be missed in our community because that was the local source of news for many residents. We have a lot of seniors that look to Prime-Time Local News.”
Many of the broadcasters and staff over the years moved on from what was seen as a training ground to more lucrative careers across Canada and North America.
“I thank everyone that has put in time over the years providing local news and coverage for our community and the greater community.”
He says his thoughts are with the staff of came to work on Tuesday, May 13, only to realize that they don’t have work tomorrow and are without a pay cheque.
Aalbers says there is a feeling of loss in the community.
“It’s like losing a friend. It had been locally owned for a long time. It moved to a larger ownership group. We have talked about this over the last number of years; the challenge in the media. We have just become the casualty of that challenge.”
From news, sports, agriculture, energy, entertainment, community events and history for Lloydminster, Wainwright, the Lakeland area, and parts of Saskatchewan were recorded and will now become archival material, some of it already with the Lloydminster Museum and Archives.
“There are miles of reel that have been digitized at the Archives from reporting from the TV station over a number of years to help keep track of that history.”
With the loss of local television, the city will look at its options going forward to ensure it gets its messaging out on local radio, print and social media.
“It is challenging because it’s something that people had come to expect each and every day, from the weather forecast to the sports and the news,” concludes Aalbers.
In September 2010, the local television station celebrated its 50th anniversary with reminisces in this online YouTube video.
