TVO Decommissions 8 over-the-air Transmitters

[mvcg66b3r]

TVO announced that it would decommission 8 over-the-air transmitters generating $1 million in ongoing annual savings. TVO will retain one transmitter in Toronto for the purposes of the CRTC licence and to minimize distribution costs.

“This announcement reflects the reality of today’s media environment”, said Lisa de Wilde, Chief Executive Officer of TVO. “TVO has to make tough choices about where to allocate resources in order to move forward with the strategic priorities of digital learning and high-quality current-affairs journalism, as well as cover inflationary pressures. TVO’s audiences overwhelmingly receive our content through cable, direct-to-home satellite or online platforms.”

This decision impacts transmitters in Belleville, Chatham, Cloyne, Kitchener, London, Ottawa, Thunder Bay and Windsor. TVO will cease transmitting from these locations on July 31, 2017.

This announcement does not impact Ontarians with basic cable or satellite subscriptions, or those living in the GTA who receive television over-the-air. Given the prevalent access to TVO’s high-quality educational video content either through a subscription to a cable or satellite service or through access to a broadband internet connection, this decision will impact less than 1% of Ontario households.

http://tvo.org/article/about/tvo-decommissions-8-over-the-air-transmitters

 

[mimo]

I just saw this. Unfortunately, Bell satellite has TVO in standard def, so I watch it over the air when they have something I'm interested in. I don't like this.

 

[ftballfan]

More proof there might be collusion between broadcasters and cable/satellite providers in Canada

 

[mimo]

To be honest, TVOs OTA transmitters may broadcast at 1080i resolution, but the programming itself is in standard 480p...just upscaled somewhat and fills the whole screen. Nothing they air looks as good over the air as my tv is capable of producing. Compare that to the other channels, and there is a noticeable decrease in picture detail and quality.

 

[Gregg.]

I wonder if TVO goes off the air in Ottawa, will it be dropped from Quebec cable systems? I remember when it was even carried in Montreal on standard cable. It may now be on an upper tier, but I think it's still available in Montreal.

I don't believe any U.S. systems carry it, not even in Detroit, despite a transmitter serving Windsor.

 

[ftballfan]

Comcast South Oakland (Royal Oak) does carry TVO, but that's the only US system to carry it as far as I know. Probably a holdover from the pre-Comcast cable system serving that area: http://tvschedule.zap2it.com/tvlist...rence=false&lineupId=MI21637:X&aid=tvschedule

 

[Gregg.]

Interesting that this cable system not only runs TVO but runs it on Channel 11! Meanwhile CBET, seen over the air on Channel 9, shows up on this cable line up on Channel 99. I wonder how it got moved from Channel 9 to 99? The analog Detroit VHF stations are still on their original channel numbers.

At one time CBET acted like Detroit's independent station, when it was commercial CKLW-TV. Detroit had only 3 VHF outlets, for each of the major networks, so plenty of Detroit viewers also tuned in Channel 9. As a CBC station, it still got carried on cable systems in Michigan, Ohio and elsewhere. At one time, when the CBC ran a significant number of U.S. shows, CBET had to break from the network because it couldn't show programs that were also on 2, 4 or 7.

I wonder if this cable system will continue carrying TVO if it can't get it over the air. Perhaps it has a microwave link? You'd think sitting so close to Canada, the Detroit market would carry TVO routinely and maybe a few other Canadian stations. NY and Vermont cable providers near the border carry CBC and CTV, as well as one or two French stations, although the French outlets are for transplanted Quebecois viewers in those states.

 

[ftballfan]

Interesting that this cable system not only runs TVO but runs it on Channel 11! Meanwhile CBET, seen over the air on Channel 9, shows up on this cable line up on Channel 99. I wonder how it got moved from Channel 9 to 99? The analog Detroit VHF stations are still on their original channel numbers.

At one time CBET acted like Detroit's independent station, when it was commercial CKLW-TV. Detroit had only 3 VHF outlets, for each of the major networks, so plenty of Detroit viewers also tuned in Channel 9. As a CBC station, it still got carried on cable systems in Michigan, Ohio and elsewhere. At one time, when the CBC ran a significant number of U.S. shows, CBET had to break from the network because it couldn't show programs that were also on 2, 4 or 7.

I wonder if this cable system will continue carrying TVO if it can't get it over the air. Perhaps it has a microwave link? You'd think sitting so close to Canada, the Detroit market would carry TVO routinely and maybe a few other Canadian stations. NY and Vermont cable providers near the border carry CBC and CTV, as well as one or two French stations, although the French outlets are for transplanted Quebecois viewers in those states.

My guess is that TVO gets dropped. CBET is on almost all Detroit-area systems (channel 99 on Comcast, usually channel 9 on other providers; CBET also still has cable carriage as far west as East Lansing and as far south as Toledo and Sandusky) and Comcast Port Huron carries CIII. CTV doesn't have any cable carriage in the Detroit area (Windsor never had a CTV of its own).

Another example of odd cable carriage of Canadians in America: Charter Sault Ste. Marie does not carry CHBX or any other Canadian station with a transmitter in the Sault (it gets CBMT via satellite for CBC). However, Charter St. Ignace does have CHBX (and CBMT) on cable. Sault Ontario doesn't get any local Americans on cable, despite each of the Big Four having a viewable digital signal there.

 

[Yeziknoradio]

TVO CHANGES TUNE TVO’s 8 over-the-air transmitters will continue to send signals: http://tvo.org/article/about/tvos-8...e=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=tvo

 

[mimo]

A lot of people I know are very happy about that.