CRTC OTA Review November 2006 Discussion Thread

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by HDTV4free

50%? Depending on who you ask, OTA represents a mere 10-13% of the Canadian TV market.

The 50% figure came from losing the right to simulsub their programming on the US feed as a result of no longer broadcasting OTA. Random chance has people watching the program on CTV as opposed to the original US feed 50% of the time. You could argue this number could be either larger or smaller based on people intentionally choosing to watch it on one channel or the other, location of the channels on the "dial" and not having access to one of the channels, but without this data I stuck with random chance.

CTV I am sure will want to have their cake and eat it too, and be able to simulsub even if they don't broadcast OTA, but I would hope the CRTC would have enough sense not to grant this.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by rob50312

CTV is not going to lose simsub rights or stop OTA near the border.They are just after more money.

One news article mentioned in this forum quoted CTV executive as being anayed that people are able to watch their programming for free and so they want to stop broadcasting OTA completely so that they can charge for their programming.

The CRTC has created the problem by approving too many channels.Also basic cable should have been for OTA channels only.Then basic cable would only be about 20 bucks and CTV,Global would have have no claim to ask for a fee for their signals.

I totally agree with you on this one!

[SpaceHog]

I had an email exchange with SRC journalist Jean-Hugues Roy who did the report on CRTC hearings and analog OTA (he never mentioned the existence of DT OTA) and he told me that 25% of TV viewers in Montreal are OTA!

When you think Montreal is the largest market in the province and that it is disserved by 4 U.S. OTA stations I think OTA represents real competition to Videotron and Bell!

It is really a shame that electronic stores don't promote OTA and may not even know it exists! One must understand that it is much simpler for them to sell a subscription to satellite or cable than a trunkload of antenna gear and then having to provide support!

Unless a vendor like Raybel comes in and offers to sell OTA packages trough retailers!

[HDTV4free]

Originally Posted by roger1818

The 50% figure came from losing the right to simulsub their programming on the US feed as a result of no longer broadcasting OTA. Random chance...

Gotcha. I was just looking at it from my narrow minded perspective, which is that there's a 100% chance I'll be watching the direct US OTA feed if CTV doesn't migrate to digital OTA If given the choice, I'd prefer to watch Canadian commercials (call me crazy).

[HDTV4free]

Originally Posted by SpaceHog

I had an email exchange with SRC journalist Jean-Hugues Roy who did the report on CRTC hearings and analog OTA (he never mentioned the existence of DT OTA) and he told me that 25% of TV viewers in Montreal are OTA!

Yeah, I saw that too. I've also recently seen an "infomercial" at the Montreal airport talking about HDTV where I'm pretty sure they stated that a TV capable of 720p was an HD Ready TV and that one capable of 1080i was an HDTV. I'll keep an eye out for it the next time I'm there to confirm.

Costco in Brossard has little cards that say "All of our TVs are HDTVs", when in fact most of them don't have an integrated ATSC tuner, a requirement for qualifying as an HDTV.

Other retailers like FS have "*requires HDTV source" on all of their TVs, including those with ATSC tuners. OTA never comes up as a possible HD source though.

Given all of that, it's no wonder that the transition to digital OTA is moving so slowly (or may not even happen at all in some areas).

Originally Posted by SpaceHog

It is really a shame that electronic stores don't promote OTA and may not even know it exists! One must understand that it is much simpler for them to sell a subscription to satellite or cable than a trunkload of antenna gear and then having to provide support!

Unless a vendor like Raybel comes in and offers to sell OTA packages trough retailers!

That's actually one of the biggest advantages of digital OTA you don't necessarily need a trunkload of gear to get decent reception (it's all or nothing). I can pick up Mountain lake PBS from the south shore of Montreal with a set of amplified "rabbit ears". Digital signals originating from Mount Royal would reach a significant number of people with minimal antenna requirements on the receiving end.

[roger1818]

It looks like the CRTC has released their report on this Review. I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but thought I would provide the links:

News release

Report in HTML

Report in PDF

[99gecko]

roger1818
Actually that is the report on Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2006-72.
The report on Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2006-5, which this thread deals with has not been released yet.

[roger1818]

Ahh. OK. Thanks.

Roger

[Knight]

Hi!

Does anybody have any idea in how many weeks/months/years? when can expected the CRTC to render a decision on this?

Thanks!

Nick

[stampeder]

It is very hard to tell - there are so many interesting things happening with the CRTC at this point (new chairman, Conservative Party pressures, etc. etc.) that we just don't know when a decision will be released.

[99gecko]

Remember this review isn't merely a licensing hearing with a quick decison. This review is expected to reshape the policy framework of OTA, CATV, DTH, etc.
For a frame of reference.....

A previous "biggie", Public Notice CRTC 1998-44, dated 06 May 1998, the CRTC announced that it would undertake a review of its policies relating to private television. That review occured September 1998. The resulting Public Notice CRTC 1999-97 BUILDING ON SUCCESS - A POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR CANADIAN TELEVISION was released 11 June 1999.

So, yes,

months/years?

is more realistic. IMHO considering all of what is going on right now, I would expect the later, unless the ruling gov. tries to expedite in case an election is forced on them. I can't really see how shuffling the CRTC could be really high on the agenda.

[blakew]

you never know? Writing your MP couldn't hurt

In February's issue of Scientific American (pg.70) there's a 4-page spread about DTV and the analogue cut-off in the States. Maybe somebody in Ottawa will read it and get the ball rolling here for a cut-off date.

[roger1818]

blakew,

I am from Ottawa (though I am imported from BC), but I am not sure what I can do that you can't (I am not in politics), as all Canadians are allowed to write to their MP (snail mail doesn't even require postage). What you are probably wanting is for an MP to read it, but the vast majority of them are not from Ottawa.

Let me see, the CRTC apparently reports to the Minister of Canadian Heritage who is currently The Honourable Beverley J. Oda (Durham, Ontario). Since the Durham electoral boundary is just outside Oshawa (not Ottawa) you were hoping that someone who lives just outside Oshawa would read the article and write to his/her MP who just happens to be the Minister of Canadian Heritage who is responsible for the CRTC. Am I close to being correct?

[blakew]

no, I meant Ottawa, as in the government and/or CRTC in general. Not necessarily someone from Ottawa, as they'd have no more or less "power" than myself to change anything (as you've pointed out).

Thanks for including the links 'tho... it will make it easier for other OTA lobbiest to contact the right people.

I've already contacted all local, and ministerial MPs involved... even David Emerson (in charge of government's involvment with 2010 olympics), and the PM himself. This was a while ago. Depending on how long the CRTC takes in arriving at a decision, I might refresh my letter writing campaign. I urge everyone to drop them an email or snail mail, telling them that you want the CRTC to promptly come to a pro-OTA position regarding DTV and the future of television in Canada for the 21st century.

[Knight]

Thank you all!

I guess we'll just have to wait and see...

Have a nice day!

Nick