Broadcast industry defends itself against CRTC chair’s criticism

Following CRTC Chair Konrad von Finkenstein’s stinging rebuke that Canada’s biggest networks are dragging their feet on making the transition to digital television, the broadcast industry says it is doing its best, given that the deadline is still two years away.Echoing an earlier statement by Glen O’Farrell, president of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB), Pierre Pontbriand, CAB’s VP for communications, says any perceived shortcomings by the industry are likely to be rectified before the upcoming August 31, 2011 deadline. Pontbriand stresses that CAB’s Task Force on the Implementation of Digital Television has been mandated to look into issues regarding the impending switch to digital.The CRTC chair’s criticism was delivered in a speech last week at the 2008 Broadcast Invitational Summit in Cambridge, ON. von Finkenstein said the broadcast industry’s investments are falling far short of what is needed to make the switch to digital television, noting that only 22 over-the-air (OTA) digital transmitters have been put up compared to 740 high power analog antennas.But Pontbriand says these figures do not necessarily reflect builds that are already being planned by CAB members.“Obviously there’s a lot to learn, but our members are working on it and we are still two years away from the deadline,” he says.David Goldstein, senior VP, regulatory affairs with CTVglobemedia, also brushed aside accusations that the broadcast industry is slow in implementing steps towards digitalization.“We are very cognizant of the digital transition conversion date of 2011. CTVglobemedia is part of CAB’s digital transition task force, which will be taking a pan-industry approach to the many serious issues in particular, consumer awareness,” he said in a statement.In his wide-ranging speech, von Finkenstein also criticized the broadcast industry for not taking steps to educate the Canadian public about the impending switch to digital television. He pointed out that in the U.S.—where the deadline for the switch is February 2009—Congress has set aside $2.5 billion, which will be cashed in vouchers, to help consumers buy set-top converter boxes. He added that Canadian consumers will expect similar help, once the U.S. plan becomes widely publicized, but expressed disappointment that the industry has not spoken about it.“Frankly, I am surprised that neither the industry nor its various umbrella groups have raised this issue more forcefully,” said von Finkenstein.However, Pontbriand points out that with the deadline two years away, it is still too early to pass judgement.“Whether there will be a need for that, it still has to be determined,” he says.Ian Morrison, spokesperson for the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, which describes itself as a Canadian content watchdog for radio and television, says whatever happens in the U.S., will have an effect in Canada. Morrison says the U.S. deadline is not necessarily final since various pressure groups, including seniors and low-income people are likely to raise objections about the switch to digital and Congress might listen to their views and reverse the process.While he agrees that von Finkenstein is correct in saying not enough commitment is being shown for efforts to switch to digital, Morrison says he believes broadcasters are ambivalent because “they are not really sure the deadline is real.”“If you and I have to put a $100 million into something, and we were aware that the American deadline might fly back, we might just be a little cautious on this too,” he says.

Broadcast industry defends itself against CRTC chair’s criticism

Broadcast | June 25, 2008

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