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January 20, 2022 12:00 pm  #1


Hard To Believe, But There Are Still Some Analog TV Stns. In Canada

And there will be one less in Cape Breton starting Jan. 28th, when the CTV affiliate there converts to digital only.

I wasn't aware there really were any non-HD TV network stations left in a city of any major size in Canada. The conversion to digital happened for the most part way back in 2011. But this announcement from Bell shows that, 11 years later, there's still at least one. I wonder what took them so long. 

Signal Frequency Update Changes Viewer Access to CTV Atlantic in Cape Breton Effective January 28, 2022

 

January 20, 2022 12:57 pm  #2


Re: Hard To Believe, But There Are Still Some Analog TV Stns. In Canada

I believe the station is in Sydney, Cape Breton Island  which has a population of 30,000.  The station (CJCB) also had six rebroadcasters around Cape Breton but some or all of these may be closed.  The rebroadcaster in Dingwall was shut down recently early in December. 

Does anyone know if the CRTC has any sort of deadline when stations needed to convert to HD?  They would have had different timeframes for major, medium and small markets.   In the US the drop dead deadline for all HD conversions for transmitters was last July on the 14th. . 

 

January 20, 2022 1:12 pm  #3


Re: Hard To Believe, But There Are Still Some Analog TV Stns. In Canada

Tim Brown 2016 wrote:

I didn't think Cape Breton was a market mandated to go digital, so what would Bell's business case be for this?

Could be that the analog transmitter was on its last legs? Regardless, a new antenna would have been needed.
Analog still exists though: In Ontario, Global's big 100kW ch. 2 in Vennachar and CTV stations in Pembroke, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Timmins and Kapuskasing are still analog.
Back to Sydney, what is ironic though is Bell Satellite only just dropped CTV Sydney HD from their line up [as well as other CTV stations]. CJCB is still available in SD.

 

 

January 20, 2022 1:17 pm  #4


Re: Hard To Believe, But There Are Still Some Analog TV Stns. In Canada

I beleive what andysradio just said, they could have waited until the analog equipment became too old.  I read some of these rural markets yes it wasnt mandatory but became cost prohibitive to fix and a lot were shut down.  Its strange that Global still running their Bancroft on Ch2 analog but their site such as "Midland ont" (which its actually on Gibson River area along the 400) was digital right away in 2011?  

CTV (CFTO repeater for Orillia) for example only went digital two years ago 

 

January 20, 2022 1:21 pm  #5


Re: Hard To Believe, But There Are Still Some Analog TV Stns. In Canada

markow202 wrote:

Its strange that Global still running their Bancroft on Ch2 analog

Probably the main reason Bancroft is still analog is just because it is on ch. 2. A whole new antenna would be needed to get them up to ch. 7 or higher. I believe they were allocated ch. 11 in the digital world. 
 

 

January 20, 2022 1:29 pm  #6


Re: Hard To Believe, But There Are Still Some Analog TV Stns. In Canada

Tim Brown 2016 wrote:

If old age is the reason, why not just shut down?

Global has permission to do so [granted over a year ago].

Last edited by andysradio (January 20, 2022 1:29 pm)

 

January 20, 2022 2:58 pm  #7


Re: Hard To Believe, But There Are Still Some Analog TV Stns. In Canada

andysradio wrote:

markow202 wrote:

Its strange that Global still running their Bancroft on Ch2 analog

Probably the main reason Bancroft is still analog is just because it is on ch. 2. A whole new antenna would be needed to get them up to ch. 7 or higher. I believe they were allocated ch. 11 in the digital world. 
 

If its not broken why fix it, might be applied here.   Being at Channel 2 analog, they are probably using one of those 100ft batwing turnstiles currently.

 

January 20, 2022 5:33 pm  #8


Re: Hard To Believe, But There Are Still Some Analog TV Stns. In Canada

None of Jim Pattison's Citytv stations in BC and Alberta (CFJC, CKPG, CHAT) are broadcasting in digital yet either. Kamloops, Prince George, and Medicine Hat are not digital mandatory markets. 

CTV also have CIPA Prince Albert and CICC Yorkton still broadcasting in analog.

And of course, we have CBC's short sighted decision in 2011 to not convert analog re-transmitters of CBC/SRC stations in major centres like Saskatoon, London, and Calgary. 

Last edited by ED1 (January 20, 2022 5:34 pm)

 

January 20, 2022 5:39 pm  #9


Re: Hard To Believe, But There Are Still Some Analog TV Stns. In Canada

andysradio wrote:

Tim Brown 2016 wrote:

Back to Sydney, what is ironic though is Bell Satellite only just dropped CTV Sydney HD from their line up [as well as other CTV stations]. CJCB is still available in SD.

Maybe that's part of the reason why Bell is going ahead with digital transmitters for CJCB Sydney. They'll tell Sydney viewers to tune in over the air they want to watch whatever local programming remains on that station instead of keeping a spot on the satellite for the same station. When CFRN Edmonton fired up their DTV transmitter, they promoted their over-the-air signal because they weren't on Bell Satellite or Shaw Direct yet.

 

January 20, 2022 6:10 pm  #10


Re: Hard To Believe, But There Are Still Some Analog TV Stns. In Canada

In many cases Bell is upgrading these transmitters simply because they can't get analog replacements. Channel Zero (CHCH) had a different problem in their northern Ontario markets because of the repack, but has said they can't afford digital units.

Per, this December 9, 2020 message from the Digital Forum OTA station status thread:

CHCH off-the-air in Northern Ontario

Well this sucks. An email that I received when inquiring about the status of CHCH's over-the-air signal in North Bay and Sudbury. No word yet whether Sault-Ste-Marie & Timmins have been affected.

Thank you for contacting us regarding the over-the-air transmission of CHCH-TV in the Sudbury area. We regret to inform you that CHCH is, at present, no longer available via over-the-air transmission locally.

Background:
In the spring of 2019, the Government of Canada completed its auction of the 600 MHz frequency across Canada. CHCH-TV had used a portion of that frequency to operate our over-the-air television transmitter which provided signal into Sudbury and surrounding areas. In total, the Government sold the 600 MHz frequency for more than $3.4 billion dollars.
ISED (Innovation, Science and Economic Development), who regulates the use of broadcast frequencies in Canada, mandated that broadcasters using the 600 MHz frequency transition to different frequencies if they wished to continue broadcasting over-the-air. This transition would have required investment in new broadcast equipment and a retrofit of each transmission tower prior to the deadline in 2020.
To date, Canadian broadcasters have not been provided with any compensation or assistance to fund the cost of this transition, despite the fact that the auction generated over $3.4 billion in revenue for the Government of Canada. In other countries, such as the United States, broadcasters have been compensated when similar frequency auctions and mandated evictions have occured, to assist them in transitioning to new frequencies.

CHCH has worked tirelessly to lobby various ministries of the Federal Government to release funding to allow small independent broadcasters to fulfill the 600MHz transition forced upon us, but to no avail. Further compounding the situation, the COVID-19 pandemic has made completing the scheduled transitions technically difficult and economically impossible. Despite this market reality, ISED has held firm, requiring CHCH to terminate over-the-air transmission in your local market.

To get CHCH back on the air in your local area, we could really use your help.

We are hopeful that together, we can petition the federal Government to change its position and offer 600-MHz relocation expense reimbursement to small independent broadcasters like us. Voice your concern and show support for independent broadcasters by contacting :

The Honourable Navdeep Bains
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
C.D. Howe Building
235 Queen Street, 4th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H5
Phone: 613-954-5031
Toll-Free: 1-800-328-6189
TTY (for hearing-impaired): 1-866-694-8389
Email: ISI.minister-ministre.ISI@canada.ca
Twitter: @NavdeepSBains
Twitter: @AskISED
Facebook: @CanadianInnovation

The Honourable Chrystia Freeland
Minister of Finance
90 Elgin Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G5
Phone: 613-369-3710
TTY (for hearing-impaired): 613-369-3230
Email: fin.financepublic-financepublique.fin@canada.ca
Twitter: @financecanada
Twitter: @cafreeland
Facebook: @FINCanada

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
Minister of Canadian Heritage
15 Eddy Street, 12th Floor
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0M5
Phone: 819-997-0055
Toll-free: 1-866-811-0055
TTY (for hearing-impaired): 1-888-997-3123
Email: PCH.info-info.PCH@canada.ca
Twitter: @s_guilbeault
Twitter: @CdnHeritage
Facebook: @CdnHeritage

Explain to them that getting CHCH-TV back on the air in your local market matters to you.

In the meantime, until we are able to fully restore the over-the-air transmission you’ve been accustomed to seeing, CHCH is committed to providing alternative options for viewers in your area. Please see below for additional ways to watch in the Sudbury area.

We’re grateful for your viewership and we look forward to informing and entertaining you. Thank you for watching CHCH-TV.

Last edited by Ida Spencer (January 20, 2022 7:46 pm)

 

January 20, 2022 7:06 pm  #11


Re: Hard To Believe, But There Are Still Some Analog TV Stns. In Canada

andysradio wrote:

Analog still exists though: In Ontario, Global's big 100kW ch. 2 in Vennachar and CTV stations in Pembroke, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Timmins and Kapuskasing are still analog.
 

CIII ch2 Vennachar will be moving over to a multiplex on CKWS KIngston
https://gta.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=5583

 

January 21, 2022 12:29 am  #12


Re: Hard To Believe, But There Are Still Some Analog TV Stns. In Canada

markow202 wrote:

I beleive what andysradio just said, they could have waited until the analog equipment became too old.  I read some of these rural markets yes it wasnt mandatory but became cost prohibitive to fix and a lot were shut down.  Its strange that Global still running their Bancroft on Ch2 analog but their site such as "Midland ont" (which its actually on Gibson River area along the 400) was digital right away in 2011?  

CTV (CFTO repeater for Orillia) for example only went digital two years ago 

Global Midland was considered to serve Barrie, which was one of the mandatory DTV conversion markets in 2011.

 

January 21, 2022 11:46 am  #13


Re: Hard To Believe, But There Are Still Some Analog TV Stns. In Canada

Tim Brown 2016 wrote:

This is a little baffling. I didn't think Cape Breton was a market mandated to go digital, so what would Bell's business case be for this?.

I would only be guessing here...    They likely see a justification based on population needed to justify CTV in that area and local support via advertising dollars.   They may also make money off their tower from other broadcasters on it.

The cost to run a analog transmitter vs digital is considerably more.   Parts for old analog transmitters are harder to find.    If the transmitter is OLD and near end of life, it makes sense.   They may also have moved equipment used at a site no longer used within the change making the cost to flip over much less than needing to start fresh. 

For Bell to make this investment for sure has found justification...