CBC's OTA Future: Discussion

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by Doppelganger399

The OTA shutdown & the satellite discussion are connected the lack of CBC in smaller communities is linked to the transmitters being shut off & the lack of a satellite feed to replace it.

Its all part of the same news story.

But there is a separate thread (CBC FTA?) for discussing that side of the story.

[Jase88]

Originally Posted by Doppelganger399

The OTA shutdown & the satellite discussion are connected the lack of CBC in smaller communities is linked to the transmitters being shut off & the lack of a satellite feed to replace it.

Its all part of the same news story.

Your point is noted...and I recognize the need to discuss a CBC reception replacement feed. However, as mentioned above, an existing thread, "CBC FTA?" exists to discuss the FTA aspect of the discussion.

Several FTA posts have been moved to the aforementioned thread.

[nbound-au]

Is there provision in Canadian broadcast law for groups to fund and operate low powered transmitters. (eg. Local Councils)?

Its common practice here in Australia for local councils to operate low power transmitters to service smaller communities in locations that the networks have decided was not cost effective to install their own transmitter, and do not receive reliable signals from elsewhere.

As OTA is far more popular here than in Canada, the idea may not translate directrly across due to people not wanting their councils to fund it Canada. But it still may be worth looking into.

Brief Overview: http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_410296

[Jase88]

nbound-au, that's an excellent question.

Indeed, some broadcasters--specifically, TVO in Ontario--have provided the option of groups to operate LP stations, or assume control of existing LP transmitters which the station/network intends to abandon.

It's not clear to me if the CBC in Canada is open to such arrangements.

In terms of legality, our broadcast regulator (Canadian Radio Television Commission) does not prohibit separate or third party ownership of transmitter stations.

Though it's fair to say that such a process of local involvement is not as formalized here as it is in your country.

[Techno_Dweeb]

Does anyone know if there is any kind of public movement that has been started to keep the rural transmitters online? I thought there was a petition that might get some of the transmitters back. We have a cottage that has now gone dark on Bruce Peninsula. It is not viable to spend money on equipment for a cottage when free TV was previously available.

1.7% percent does not sound like much until you realize that it means 600,000 people without CBC.

[alebowgm]

This was just sent to me today... maybe CBEFT isn't dead after all?

I would like to begin by apologizing for the lateness of my reply and you for your patience in this matter. Due to the high volume of correspondence my office receives, it can sometimes take longer to respond to letter than I would like.

As I am sure you are aware, this story has progressed since you first wrote me. The CRTC has scheduled a public hearing for November to examine the issue, and the CBC Radio-Canada appears to be reconsidering its decision to close the CBEF station. I would like to pay tribute to the tenacity and pride of south-western Ontario's FrancoOntarian community in this matter. This is a great example of collaboration and community mobilization.

French-language programming in Ontario is very dear to me, as it allows the FrancoOntarian community to come together, see their reality reflected in programming and to be actively engaged through Radio-Canada.

With regard to the CRTC public hearings in the fall, it is still too early to say whether or not the Ontario government will ask to participate. Ultimately the decision rests with the CRTC and Radio-Canada, both of which are federal bodies. Because of this, our participation will be contingent on an invitation from these organizations. Nevertheless the Franco-Ontarian community has my continued support in this fight, and I will work to the best of my ability to make sure the CRTC and radio-Canada are aware of the concerns of all French-speaking Windsorites.

Teresa Piruzza, MPP
Windsor West

[miss_my_ota]

Hello,

I watched CBC and TVO (Radio Canada?) all the time until they went off the air in July. I live in Sarnia. I briefly flipped through this thread. Is there a way we can tell the stations we would be interested in receiving their broadcast? I see the Windsor MPP is a good connection, but here in Sarnia we do not receive Windsor broadcasts. (At least I don't with my living-room antenna).

Thanks!

[alebowgm]

You could have intervened when CBC said they were shutting down CBLN-TV-2, which was the Sarnia repeater but it did no good. You can contact CBC but that won't change anything. Consider applying for LTSS as you will get at least something.

[argilo]

Write to your MP (regarding CBC) and MPP (regarding TVO). In the CBC's case, they shut down their analog transmitters as a cost-cutting measure in response to a 10% funding cut in the last federal budget.

[roger1818]

miss_my_ota, The other option is talk to your city counsel and propose they setup a community transmitter. A single transmitter could easily broadcast CBC, SRC, TVO plus a local community channel using multicast services. They would likely all be in SD, but it is better than nothing.

[schoenbe]

In the CBC's case, they shut down their analog transmitters as a cost-cutting measure in response to a 10% funding cut in the last federal budget.

How did this 10% funding cut translate throughout the different areas of the CBC? In an ideal world (without the stranglehold of the unions), a majority of reductions should have been applied towards reduction of personnel (it's a government-like body, therefore overstaffed and overpaid). Reduction of service to viewers - which visibly happened across the country - should have been the last area of cost reduction.

[rmchahn]

I agree with you. But their argument has always been they're cutting a service used only by 5 - 7% of the population. So in their mind, in the overall scheme of things, it's a cut in service that would not be missed by the majority.

[El Gran Chico]

In the CBC's case, they shut down their analog transmitters as a cost-cutting measure in response to a 10% funding cut in the last federal budget.

This is how CBC is choosing to frame the issue. The analog system was on its way out, cuts or no cuts. The cuts just expedited it by about a year and a half.

[roger1818]

^^^Agreed. The CBC announced over a year ago that they were planning all along to shut down all of its (analog) repeaters with no plans to replace any of them with digital transmitters. I don't feel this is a wise plan, but it has been their plan.

[El Gran Chico]

Just noticed

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

Technical amendment

Ottawa, Ontario

CBOT-DT

2012-1030-2

Open application for applicant contact information.

Deadline 28 September 2012

https://services.crtc.gc.ca/pub/inst...PST=A&Lang=eng

So it looks like the CBC is open to spending money on OTA by improving existing digital transmitters. Not sure what to say about this?! CBC just got finished telling us OTA was dead (doing their part to make it so).