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jiminCT
Guest
Is there any logical reason why these stations are moving at a snails pace to digital? Any idea when they will step into the 21st century and offer a HDTV signal?
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The same question can be asked for most television stations across the country outside of Toronto and Vancouver. That said, I am not sure why CTV has not moved to get a digital signal for CJOH in Ottawa, since CBOT, CBOFT, OMNI.1 and 2, and (soon to open) Sun TV all have digital signals there. It is going to be pathetic that Ottawa will soon have three rebroadcasting stations broadcasting in digital, and yet their top-rated English station hasn't even applied for a digital license, and neither has CHRO (which could put its Sens games in HD if they moved to DTV). The same goes for London, where there will soon be a digital rebroadcasting station, but neither CFPL or any of the other rebroadcast stations have applied for digital there.
Smaller stations like CKWS are probably unlikely to apply for DTV transmitters until they are absolutely required to, because they likely don't have the money to do it. From a cost-benefit standpoint, since over 85% of television viewers get their signals via cable or satellite, it is harder to justify building a transmitter that virtually nobody will be receiving a signal from initially, and probably never more than 15% of all viewers ultimately. I am guessing that here in Canada, a lot of DTV stations will not sign on until the deadline to shut off analog transmissions in 2011. If it were to happen any sooner, it would probably require a lot of lobbying from viewers who want HD programming free over-the-air - but I can't see that happening, since it would seem (from my anecdotal experience) that Canadians are not even aware that digital HDTV signals can be transmitted over-the-air. They have been convinced through marketing that HDTV can only be received via cable or satellite packages.
Smaller stations like CKWS are probably unlikely to apply for DTV transmitters until they are absolutely required to, because they likely don't have the money to do it. From a cost-benefit standpoint, since over 85% of television viewers get their signals via cable or satellite, it is harder to justify building a transmitter that virtually nobody will be receiving a signal from initially, and probably never more than 15% of all viewers ultimately. I am guessing that here in Canada, a lot of DTV stations will not sign on until the deadline to shut off analog transmissions in 2011. If it were to happen any sooner, it would probably require a lot of lobbying from viewers who want HD programming free over-the-air - but I can't see that happening, since it would seem (from my anecdotal experience) that Canadians are not even aware that digital HDTV signals can be transmitted over-the-air. They have been convinced through marketing that HDTV can only be received via cable or satellite packages.
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jiminCT
Guest
I really dont believe Corus Entertainment is poor. I think they dont want to spend the money to upgrade until they are forced to/last minute 
. In the meantime...they will assume that people in Kingston and the 1000 Islands dont care about HDTV..and/or cite other financial priorities. As far as CJOH...it doesnt reflect highly when other CTV's are already in digital. Ottawa isnt exactly a tech backwater (lol...).
If WPBS and WWNY in a much smaller market like Watertown can move swiftly (read...4 years) before the mandatory transition, you would think that a larger market like Ottawa or Kingston (with a larger ownership group) could get their keesters in gear.
. In the meantime...they will assume that people in Kingston and the 1000 Islands dont care about HDTV..and/or cite other financial priorities. As far as CJOH...it doesnt reflect highly when other CTV's are already in digital. Ottawa isnt exactly a tech backwater (lol...).If WPBS and WWNY in a much smaller market like Watertown can move swiftly (read...4 years) before the mandatory transition, you would think that a larger market like Ottawa or Kingston (with a larger ownership group) could get their keesters in gear.
jiminCT said:I really dont believe Corus Entertainment is poor. I think they dont want to spend the money to upgrade until they are forced to/last minute
I don't think Corus is poor either, but I don't think CHEX/CKWS are exactly priorities to them. Their focus is on their high-rated radio stations, their specialty TV channels, and their animation/publishing sector. If CHEX/CKWS were higher priorities, it would show in their on-air presentation.
Isn't it funny how the companies that are suffering a loss are able to suddenly go digital while some of the companies that are doing well prefer to just do nothing at the moment?
(Sun TV is owned by Quebecor) interesting read:
http://www.globeinvestor.com/servle...0_BUSINESS-QUEBECORWORLD-RESULTS-COL/GIStory/
(Sun TV is owned by Quebecor) interesting read:
http://www.globeinvestor.com/servle...0_BUSINESS-QUEBECORWORLD-RESULTS-COL/GIStory/
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louisNatl
Guest
I am surprised as to how far behind Canada is with the digital TV revolution. If poor mom and pop companies here in the US can upgrade their stations to digital, then I would think that big broadcasters like CTV and CBC would have upgraded, at least in the major cities.
I learned about this after helping a friend (who lives near the border) setup a media center. We tried in vain to receive a digital signal of CBC Winnipeg only to learn that such a signal doesn't exist. Not only that...according to the guys at Digital Home Canada, there are no immediate plans to upgrade the stations there.
Also, other major cities like Calgary, Edmonton, and Halifax have no digital signals. In my home state of Mississippi (not exactly a hotbed of enlightenment and education) one is always in range of at least one digital signal and the statewide network of PBS-HD. If PBS, which Congress has practically stripped funding, can create a 24 hour HD network, why can't the CBC?
Canadians are far more educated and intelligent than their American counterparts. I am surprised that you would tolerate this. Is the CRTC trying to protect Rogers, Shaw, and the satellite companies? Maybe the Canadian government doesn't plan to auction the spectrum as the US does. You guys should start a interest group educating consumers in Canada about the advantages of digital TV. Just a thought.
I learned about this after helping a friend (who lives near the border) setup a media center. We tried in vain to receive a digital signal of CBC Winnipeg only to learn that such a signal doesn't exist. Not only that...according to the guys at Digital Home Canada, there are no immediate plans to upgrade the stations there.
Also, other major cities like Calgary, Edmonton, and Halifax have no digital signals. In my home state of Mississippi (not exactly a hotbed of enlightenment and education) one is always in range of at least one digital signal and the statewide network of PBS-HD. If PBS, which Congress has practically stripped funding, can create a 24 hour HD network, why can't the CBC?
Canadians are far more educated and intelligent than their American counterparts. I am surprised that you would tolerate this. Is the CRTC trying to protect Rogers, Shaw, and the satellite companies? Maybe the Canadian government doesn't plan to auction the spectrum as the US does. You guys should start a interest group educating consumers in Canada about the advantages of digital TV. Just a thought.
louisNatl said:
Seems like it. Though it's interesting to know that Canada was always several steps behind the US in new television technologies, mainly due to regulation and corporate pressure. And this wasn't the first time -- Canada didn't start colorcsting until 1966, several years after the US, Mexico and Japan. Also, stereo sound on TV programs didn't come to Canada until the late-1980s or early-1990s -- in fact, many viewers complained of Canadian stations with mono sound forcing simsubs over US stations with stereo sound.
With Canada's 2011 analog sunset just three years away, it seems that Canadian television is still acting blase over the issue.
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jiminCT
Guest
What is there to protect? All we are asking is to convert to digital. Most people receive their TV over satellite or cable anyway. Unless Shaw and Rogers would like to continue to get away with mediocrity (that would NEVER happen... : ) and continue to provide their viewers with analog. Heaven forbid the cable operators should have to upgrade their own systems for HDTV ;D...
Time to move into the 21st century.
) and continue to provide their viewers with analog. Heaven forbid the cable operators should have to upgrade their own systems for HDTV ;D...Time to move into the 21st century.
jiminCT said:
Expecially when the cost is being passed down to the customer anyway.
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