Media union says loss of free TV signals unfair

A recent Canadian Media Guild (CMG) survey showing that only 6% of residents of Kamloops, BC watch over-the-air (OTA) television doesn’t tell the whole story and the federal government shouldn’t allow broadcasters to discontinue OTA service in cities with small populations, says Lise Lareau, president of the CMG. “This idea of universality, which is so prized in Canada, is at risk,” says Lareau. The CMG, which represents workers and broadcasters such as the CBC and TVOntario, chose Kamloops for the survey, conducted in July, because it is representative of numerous Canadian municipalities that could lose OTA broadcasts in a couple of years. In Broadcast Regulatory Policy 2009-406, released last month, the CRTC said broadcasters would be obliged to provide OTA TV only in the national capital, provincial and territorial capitals, markets served by multiple originating stations, or with populations greater than 300,000 once the industry moves to digital transmissions. If broadcasters decide not to continue providing OTA TV outside of those areas, 11 million Canadians – about 30% of the population – would lose access to OTA TV, the CMG says. Lareau says the fact that just 6% of Kamloops’ population watches OTA TV doesn’t tell the whole story. She points out that 84% of the 502 survey respondents said it’s unfair they might lose OTA TV access in 2011. As well, 42% of people aged 18 to 34 would rather watch six free stations than pay for cable or satellite service, if the station mix consisted of the three OTA-available stations (the local E! affiliate CFJC, Global BC, and French CBC) and others (CBC English, CTV, and the Knowledge Network). And among the entire population, 30% would rather watch the six free channels than pay for cable or satellite. “I think a lot of people don’t know what’s available over the air,” Lareau says, adding that people would likely watch OTA TV if they understood it’s an option. “I think if they knew, there would be a lot more of them.” None of the Kamloops residents who watch OTA TV said they would pay for satellite or cable service, the CMG learned. About half said they would give up on TV altogether, while 42% would switch to watching programs online. More than three quarters of the Kamloops survey respondents reported knowing little or nothing about the transition to digital broadcasting scheduled for 2011. Lareau assumes most didn’t know about the OTA option either. “We have this incredible resource that nobody’s telling people about,” she says. The CMG wants broadcasters and the CRTC to reconsider the OTA obligations to ensure all markets continue to receive OTA TV. Even if the commission didn’t force broadcasters to offer OTA TV in all markets, the union argues that multiplexing technology, which lets broadcasters carry several stations on an individual signal, could make it inexpensive to support over the long term. The technology would require an up-front investment, but over time it cuts down on costs while ensuring space for all of the stations, Lareau says. The CMG proposed that the CBC use multiplexing, but it would cost money that the public broadcaster doesn’t have. “The CBC is not opposed in principle but... they’re terrified of anything that would be an extra bill for them to pay,” Lareau says. She adds that the funds should come from the government or an industry group. “It shouldn’t have to come from broadcasters’ bottom line. I think this is where infrastructure money could be useful.” Lareau says it’s ironic that the CRTC encourages local and Canadian-made programs, yet plans to let broadcasters shut down small-town OTA broadcasts, where local and Canadian-made programming is often created and consumed. “That’s an interesting policy dilemma,” she says. Stefan Dubowski is a freelance writer in Ottawa. You can reach him via sdubowski@rogers.com.

Media union says loss of free TV signals unfair

Broadcast | August 5, 2009

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