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CBC Tells London & SW Ontario "No DTV For You!" (see Post #616)

111K views 616 replies 62 participants last post by  stampeder 
#1 · (Edited)
A picture is worth a thousand words... so here's the CBC's intended OTA DTV coverage map of Southern Ontario. Notice a certain large, well-populated, empty area? If you live in London, Woodstock, St. Thomas, Strathroy, Lucan, and surrounding areas... you've been told by the CBC that your OTA transition is not important.



Seeing is believing, yet looking at that map it is unbelievable that the CBC would consider such a plan. As you can see, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation will not be providing Digital OTA TV to the London and Southwest Ontario area as it switches over the rest of the country in all other large population centres.

In the leadup to the national DTV transition the CRTC had established the following list of mandatory markets:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=1080441&postcount=27

London, Ontario is clearly listed as a mandatory transition market, and so far all other Canadian broadcasters have arranged for their London-area transition from their old, original NTSC Analogue transmitters to new ATSC Digital TV equipment. The CBC, on the other hand, has decided to simply kill off their London transmitter, period, full stop, rather than transition it to DTV. The CBC claims that transitioning to DTV in the area is not cost effective or affordable.

Our members in the area are angered by the CBC's decision and see it as not only being against the spirit of the CRTC Mandatory Markets list but as a great disservice to an area containing almost 400,000 Canadians.

This thread contains all discussion of the CBC's decision, including efforts that are being made by our members to raise this issue with regulators, politicians, media, and fellow citizens.

The purpose of this thread is not activism (see our site's Rules of the Forum, which prohibit public appeals and solicitation of public support) but rather the sharing of information and public sentiment regarding the CBC's decision.
 
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#2 ·
Hmmm,
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2011/2011-215.htm
Administrative renewals

1. The Commission renews the broadcasting licences for the television programming undertakings set out in the appendix to this decision from 1 April 2011 to 31 August 2012, subject to the terms and conditions in effect under the current licences.

2. This decision does not dispose of any substantive issues that may exist with respect to the renewal of these licences. The Commission will consider at a later date the renewal of these licences, and interested parties will have an opportunity to comment at the appropriate time.

3. The Commission notes that it does 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 31 August 2011. By that time, the Commission expects licensees to have the necessary authority to broadcast in digital. In addition, the Commission imposes the following condition of licence on the stations listed in the appendix to this decision that operate in mandatory markets or on channels 52 to 69 outside the mandatory markets:

Unless otherwise authorized by the Commission, the licensee shall not transmit analog television signals after 31 August 2011 in mandatory markets designated as such by the Commission in Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2011-184 or transmit television signals on channels 52 to 69.

4. The Commission also notes that pursuant to Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2010-69, it does not intend to renew authorizations to operate transitional digital transmitters included in these licences, beyond 31 August 2011.

Secretary General
No CBLN.

"CBLT Toronto and its transmitters"

read ya l8r,
Al
 
#3 ·
Hmmm,
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2011/2011-215.htm

No CBLN.

"CBLT Toronto and its transmitters"

read ya l8r,
Al
Just like the CBC itself, I have also given up on ever seeing CBLN in London, and any of the other CBLN-1, CBLN-2, etc transmitters converted to OTA digital.
If the CBC had the public in their best interest, then these transmitters would be converted to digital, especially in highly populated areas.
CBLN and the other CBLN-1, CBLN-2, etc transmitters technically rebroadcast the Toronto CBLT signal though.... just food for thought.
 
#6 ·
CBC not in London Ontario

For CBC cancleing their service in London Ontario, I have now sent an email to Joe Preston, as well as Talked to my council member, and now its going to be on the blog with Phil McCloud Next Week. He is a famous Blogger. I have also talked to Don Mumford, of the A Channel and he tells me that A Channel is going HD, plus News in HD Plus going to broadcast Sub Channels. Esp with the new Mobile devices showing the digital tv
 
#7 ·
For CBC cancleing their service in London Ontario, I have now sent an email to Joe Preston, as well as Talked to my council member, and now its going to be on the blog with Phil McCloud Next Week...
I also contacted the mayor and my council member, but heard nothing back. Also, I had a nice chat about with Doug Ferguson (Liberal candidate for London West) and he called the situation "ridiculous." He also said that if he is elected and it wasn't sorted to contact him directly and he'd try to address it.
 
#8 ·
CBC not in London Ontario

Matt Brown, is my friend so he is going to Let Council know as soon as possible. Joe Preston has told me that he is also going to deal with it, after the election. Don Mumford, told me that he could not believe it as well. I have also started letting the media about here in London. Once Phil releases his blog next week on it, its going to get big here in London. Am I allowed to post a link to his blog next week?
 
#10 ·
CBC not in London Ontario

Hey Philip, is there anyway you can put the word out that the CBC, has decided to pull out of London after the digital Conversion in August 31 2011. Not a lot of people know what is going on. Is there anyway, that you can help a publicly funded station stay here? So because of the recession, a lot of people do not have cable or satellite like they used to, (just can not afford it) and now London is getting shafted.

http://cbc.radio-canada.ca/tvn/pdf-maps/TN-0015_TVE_ON.pdf

Here is the official map of CBC.

This is from the website http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=123571&page=33

His Reply was

Philip R. McLeod March 31 at 8:20pm Report


HI -- I can and I will next week. Thanks for the tip. Cheers. Phil
 
#11 ·
CBC not in London Ontario

I just informed London Today, CJBK, about the transmitters taken down in London, after August 31. Andy the host, has told me he is going to look into it for me as well. I have personal Contacts over at AM980, that I will let them know as well. I think the public does not know what CBC has in mind. Esp with all the new information on how Digital channels can add revenue to the station. I bet you in two weeks, Once the Media knows... this will get big in London, We have 1/2 million people living arround here, they can not just ignore us.
 
#12 ·
@pwconsulting

I hope so, but it's probably too late for London.... CBC has already made the decision. Most of the known public information is found in this CBC/SRC DTV Transition Status thread. I hope that when you speak with your contacts, it will make the CBC reconsider their decision for London. About 500,000 people are affected, and I believe most people who live in the London & surrounding area, including Woodstock, Stratford, St.Thomas, Exter, etc. don't know.

Check out post #511 @ http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=1238144&postcount=511 in this thread for a cropped map of CBC OTA coverage post-Aug 31, 2011. There's a BIG VOID of CBC OTA coverage between Windsor and the GTA, along hwy 401. Its not right, since the CBC receives $1+ billion dollars a year from taxpayers.

For larger CBC coverage maps and information directly from CBC, check out http://cbc.radio-canada.ca/dtv/index.shtml
 
#13 · (Edited by Moderator)
CBC-Not in London Ontario

I just got an email back from Phil, he told me that he is going to write the blog tommorow about it. Also, got word back from Matt Brown, he has let Grant Hopcraft know (who is the City`s Intergovernmental and Community Liaison) Grant is going to get back to me tommorow. I have sent emails to CJBK, and will be letting AM980 know Tommorow. I have also given the link of this forum to him as well. I am determined to get the CBC to stay in London.. Micah, I could use your help as well.
 
#14 ·
The CBC is responsible to the federal government. Due to the federal election, I doubt we will see anything done until the Fall. We might get a few election promises but that's about it.
 
#16 · (Edited by Moderator)
CBC-Not in London Ontario

Just got another email from Grant H, and Matt Brown, they are bringing this up to Council tonight. I have also heard back from AM980, the news director, did not know about this either. By tommorow morning. People in London will be hearing about this. We will not go unheard, and its because of this Forum.

Thanks for this Forum, its been very helpful for this.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Thanks pwconsulting for your efforts!!

Everything posted in this forum regarding CBC dropping London is true. I also consider the "7%" figure referenced by the CBC madeup/inaccurate/untrue. Stats can be made to say whatever some wants them to say.

Hopefully more people living in and around London, Woodstock, Stratford, St.Thomas, Strathroy, and all other towns, will be informed shortly that the CBC, at this point, won't be broadcasting from London.

Bringing this topic to AM980, CJBK, maybe FreshFM and other radio stations, will definitely help. If this story were to be published in the London Free Press (which they were supposedly going to do, but never did), the new Metro "Free" newspaper (http://www.metronews.ca/london), and CFPL would do a story on the "DTV TRANSITION in London", then the London & area residents of 500,000 would all be aware of what's going to happen on Sept 1, 2011.
 
#21 ·
Just an update on the London situation. I've talked to a bunch of councellors after pwconsulting established contact and basically they have taken the issue away to be researched, so they can bring it back to councel and decide what to do.

Londoners, its time to get on the horn and let them know you want and deserve this service!
 
#23 ·
I agree that London should have it's own CBC station, as it did for 25 years before 1990. Letting the CBC get away with installing a repeater instead of giving London it's own station in 1990 was the first big mistake. OTOH, I don't see many people coming forward to start CBC affiliates these days.
 
#25 ·
OTOH, I don't see many people coming forward to start CBC affiliates these days.
That is my point. It is hard to start a CBC affiliate in a market that has a repeater. Same is true for any network. Once the repeater is there, good luck ever getting a local station for that network.
 
#27 ·
Lotsa luck. Tried that yesterday with the office of our local federal Conservative member of Parliament (Rob Anders, Calgary West), and was told they are too busy with the election, and to get back to them after May 4th. ... Huh ???

[Background] Calgary [1 million + population] is due to have French language CBC (CBRFT - SRC, Channel 16 analog) shut down completely on Aug 31st, with NO digital replacement. This is contrary to CRTC directions for mandatory markets; ref. April 14th info. bulletin.

Started contacting all the French Canadian organizations; nobody seems to have heard about this. About 145 days to go to darkness, or subscribe to cable or satellite). When does that on-screen notice of service cessation start ?
 
#29 ·
CBC not in London Ontario

I have a meeting with my councilor this afternoon (Matt Brown) I will let you know how that goes. We have started a pettion here in London, and hopefully, I can get some of the media on this. So far, its been pretty scarce, although I have received word, that CFPL might do a story on it. I want to get it in the media while there is an election, because it is the best way of getting the word out.
 
#31 ·
I know a while back there was talk of them doing Kitchener in 2012, I don't know if there is any truth to that or not.
Nope. CBC has made it clear they will only transition originating stations. All repeaters will be shut down over time.

It is for that reason that I think London has a much better chance of getting their own CBC station than getting the repeater transitioned. If the CBC makes an exception for London, it opens the door for other cities, so it will be a very tough sell.
 
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