[goforit]

Sub Channels for OMNI TV

All the discussion of how the CBC has there head in the sand in regard to the digital transition (e.g., London, ON), and how OTA is gaining in popularity in the U.S., has made me think of how OTA expansion could be possible in Canada.

If anyone should try for OTA sub channels, it should be OMNI out of Toronto. The two main channels they run (OMNI One and OMNI Two) have various programs of different cultures/languages.

But what would it cost if they added sub-channels that were an expansion of the unique cultural programming?

A sub-channel entirely for East Indians, Chinese, Italians, Greek, etc. I think this already exists in the States; in nearby Buffalo there is a sub-channel entirely in Spanish (WNYB 26.4). I wonder what the cost would be to start a language/cultural specific specialty channel on BDU vs. a sub on OMNI? But I bet the BDUs would be all over it in legal ways to stop OTA subs from happening.

With the way things are going in the U.S. with OTA providing unique local programming, it seems possible that this could eventually happen in Canada, especially in the large market areas.

 

[El Gran Chico]

CFTV subchannels approved

For all those who said,

- no Canadian broadcaster would ever use a subchannel
- CRTC would never approve a subchannel
- subchannels are "illegal" in Canada (pretty sure I saw someone claim this but not sure if it was on this forum)

here is the proof all of the above have no basis in fact.

http://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2012/2012-446.htm

 

[ota_canuck]

Hopefully this is just the begining of broadcasters making better use of the DTV spectrum.

 

[octopod]

Although this is good news, it is pretty sad that it takes a community station to realize the gift that is multiplexing.
Alas this is the reality when most content providers in this country are also the same people trying to deliver it to us at "incredible prices" lol

 

[nbound-au]

Its indeed interesting, most brodcaster here are trying to get as much in their multplex as possible (sometimes even with the loss of some PQ)

 

[roger1818]

Now lest hope it actually happens. With the loss of the Local Programming Improvement Fund (LPIF), they may no longer be able to afford the upgrade.

 

[rimor]

Although this is good news, it is pretty sad that it takes a community station to realize the gift that is multiplexing.

Actually, Fort St James, BC and Logan Lake, BC already have digital over-the-air TV signals using multiplexing. I guess they didn't need CRTC approval.

 

[BOUVAL]

I guess they didn't need CRTC approval

Don't think they need some approval for sub-channels, as long as they follow CRTC's rules.

The good thing is when some people who's on cable or sat find out they cannot get those sub-channels may go OTA.
.

 

[dsspredator]

already have digital over-the-air TV signals using multiplexing. I guess they didn't need CRTC approval.

Digital 62.1 CBC
Digital 62.2 TSN
Digital 62.3 RadX
Digital 62.4 EqHD

WOW! TSN OTA would be amazing in Toronto.

 

[dsspredator]

This place is unreal.

"The Logan Lake TV Society

Today, we broadcast 24 digital channels and an on-screen program guide. We offer every major Canadian and US network, including 2 all-Sports networks, a movie channel and a number of specialty channels."

 

[JamesK]

The good thing is when some people who's on cable or sat find out they cannot get those sub-channels may go OTA.

Who says BDU customers won't be able to receive them? If a cable company decides to carry a sub channel, it won't be much different from them providing regular channels.

 

[BOUVAL]

Who says BDU customers won't be able to receive them?

I SAY SO, but I never meant to generalize.

Here in Montreal we receive many sub-channels from the States that we will never see on cable or sat here in . . . Montreal.

Now who says that our local cable company will decide to carry those sub-channels ?

And my point was good about . . . going OTA.
.

 

[classicsat]

The American channels will need added to the list of US channels providers can carry, before a provider can carry them. And with that likely essentially as specialty channels.

 

[octopod]

But those two examples are still community initiatives, instead of say Bell deciding to add TSN to all of their CTV transmitters, or CBC adding CBC News NEtwork to all of their transmitters.
Hopefully though after a few years of people cutting the cord, we will get those options

 

[Wayne]

What are you smoking? TSN gets a ton of revenue from subscriber fees and Bell has a vested interest in making people keep their BDU subscription. TSN appears to get about $4 per month from each of their 9 million subscribers. How would they make up for their lost revenue if they started giving it away for free?

 

[bigoranget]

Now lest hope it actually happens. With the loss of the Local Programming Improvement Fund (LPIF), they may no longer be able to afford the upgrade.

I don't believe low power community channels are eligible for LPIF anyway. They are not-for-profit services.

 

[roger1818]

WOW! TSN OTA would be amazing in Toronto.

Would never happen as a free service in Toronto. These societies were created in the 70s as an alternative to cable since it wasn't financially viable to provide cable to 100% of residents. DTH satellite did not exist and even if it did, it wouldn't work for many residents because of the mountainous terrain. The subscription fees for the cable channels are paid out of their taxes and both communities are in valleys so the mountains prevent the signal from bleeding into neighbouring communities.

The only way it TSN could be provided OTA in Toronto would be to encrypt the signal and charge a fee for a decoder. Not sure if there is a business case for such an operation or not.

 

[octopod]

Not smoking anything, illegal, and never said that TSN would be free I was just pointing out that those two stations multicasting were still small community stations, not ones owned by Bell, Rogers, Shaw or CBC.
Also if you clicked on the links one of them is broadcasting TSN as a sub-channel of CBC.

 

[roger1818]

octopod, they are community owned transmitters and not owned by CBC/CTV/Global/etc. TSN is not a sub-channel of CBC, but a multiplex that happens to share the same carrier as CBC. One station has to be the first in the multiplex, and in this case it happens to be CBC. It could just as easily have been TSN first with CBC as a "sub-channel."

This is no different than cable having CBC and TSN share the same carrier, only cable is able to hide that from the user by remapping all the channels to whole channel numbers.

 

[octopod]

I know I said community, I just stated that for Wayne that TSN was being broadcast there and only mention CBC to point out again that this was a community thing and nothing directly to do with Bell or CBC(which obviously doesn't have rights to TSN), just that technically TSN is out there on OTA.

How exactly they get the rights to re-broadcast TSN specifically kind of puzzles me unless there is no possible way to get sat or cable into the area that they are broadcasting to. Still can't see Bell giving up subscription fees unless they charge the station owner for every household that can received the signal