U.S. Affiliates seen in Canada

[w9wi]

I often wondered myself why the lack of Canadian TV in the states. Could it be due to Canada's politics? Or perhaps those in charge believe there would not be any interest in the United States to see programming from Canada?

Except for CBC, any Canadian channels on U.S. cable systems would probably be blocked by syndex most of the time. They air vast amounts of American programming, to which local stations would have priority rights.

CBC programming, however, is mostly Canadian in origin. I'd think about subscribing to cable if I could receive it...

 

[azumanga]

CBC programming, however, is mostly Canadian in origin.

Though they do carry Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy, which no doubt would be blacked out on US cable systems. Windsor's CBET already blacks them out and has other programming instead, as they didn't want to make WDIV angry.

(On the other hand, CBET shows Martha Stewart's show in the afternoons, even though WJBK shows it in the mornings.)

 

[Poledo]

As far as foreign stations being carried in the states, down here in Pensacola, FL, Mediacom cable offers CCTV9 on an expanded digital tier but no other foreign stations... not even a single Spanish language station. There are shops set up all over town selling DirecTV and/or Dish targeting the Latino market. This is kinda strange because a couple of local radio stations carry limited Latino programming, so there must be enough Latinos here to justify Univision and Galavision on digital cable.
I have no idea why they carry CCTV9, I don't see many people with slanted eyes around here. Over in Fort Walton Beach there are a significant number of Koreans and some Vietnamese, but I don't think they have any Chinese people there either. Does CCTV9 pay for cable carriage?

 

[cyberdad]

I recall reading something online about how the people in Winnepeg were getting tired of Detroit affiliates 'cause the stations reported on too much crime.

Anyone know of any stations like in Montana or North Dakota (etc) that can be recieved over the air? I know Channel 8 in Presque Isle, Maine reaches into New Brunswick.

On balance, I think the variety and diversity of choices available on Canadian cable is generally superior to the US, but not the UK. My daughter lives and teaches just outside of London. The full serve cable in her apartment has at least a dozen or two major US cable channels, as well as multiple choices from various European countries and other major countries worldwide.

As a frequent business traveler to Canada, I can say firsthand that the outlet source of US broadcast programming in Canada varies.  In Vancouver, you get Seattle.  In Toronto its Buffalo.  Elsewhere in Ontario, its often Detroit.  However in Ottawa, its Rochester NY, and in London its a mix of Erie, PA and Detroit.

Winnipeg?  Haven't been there for a few years.  For a while, indeed it was Denver.

OTA U.S. signals....absolutley.  Channel 12 in Pembina, ND functions to some extent as a Winnipeg station. Over in Montreal, same goes for the stations in th Burlington/Plattsburg (sp?) market.

 

[mimo]

I recall reading something online about how the people in Winnepeg were getting tired of Detroit affiliates 'cause the stations reported on too much crime.

Anyone know of any stations like in Montana or North Dakota (etc) that can be recieved over the air? I know Channel 8 in Presque Isle, Maine reaches into New Brunswick.

On balance, I think the variety and diversity of choices available on Canadian cable is generally superior to the US, but not the UK. My daughter lives and teaches just outside of London. The full serve cable in her apartment has at least a dozen or two major US cable channels, as well as multiple choices from various European countries and other major countries worldwide.

As a frequent business traveler to Canada, I can say firsthand that the outlet source of US broadcast programming in Canada varies. In Vancouver, you get Seattle. In Toronto its Buffalo. Elsewhere in Ontario, its often Detroit. However in Ottawa, its Rochester NY, and in London its a mix of Erie, PA and Detroit.

Winnipeg? Haven't been there for a few years. For a while, indeed it was Denver.

OTA U.S. signals....absolutley. Channel 12 in Pembina, ND functions to some extent as a Winnipeg station. Over in Montreal, same goes for the stations in th Burlington/Plattsburg (sp?) market.

Ottawa is all Detroit, NBC is on 9, CBS is on 13 ABC is on 20 FOX is on 36. All are Detroit stations. I don't know where the PBS comes from. I don't watch it. WPCH is on 47

When I was last in Winnipeg back in the 80's all the American tv came from North Dakota.

 

[fybush]

Ottawa is all Detroit, NBC is on 9, CBS is on 13 ABC is on 20 FOX is on 36. All are Detroit stations. I don't know where the PBS comes from. I don't watch it. WPCH is on 47

When I was last in Winnipeg back in the 80's all the American tv came from North Dakota.

Ottawa used to be Rochester - there was a microwave link that went in back in the 60s and remained in place until just a few years ago, when it was taken out of service, at which point the Detroit stations replaced the Rochester ones.

PBS came (and I think still comes) from WPBS in Watertown, which gets a substantial amount of its viewership/membership from the Ottawa market.

 

[compubit]

Parts of Manitoba (including Winnipeg) have picked up KARE/11 and WCCO/4 from Minneapolis, along with WDAZ/8 and Prairie Public TV from ND and WUHF/31 Rochester as basic networks.

Winnipeg also has KREM/2, KXLY/4, KHQ/6 & KAYU/28 as "Time Shifting US Nets". If you go HD, then you will add KOMO/4, KING/5, KIRO/7 and KCPQ/13 from Seattle and WDIV/4, WXYZ/7 & WWJ/62 Detroit plus WUHF/31 Rochester, for US nets from essentially 4 different markets (eastern US Fox, excluded...).

Similar for Star Choice Sat TV:
Standard Definition Options:
US East: Big 4 from Detroit (WJBK/2, WDIV/4, WXYZ/7, WWJ/62) or Big 3 from Buffalo+Rochester (WGRZ/2, WIVB/4 & WKBW/7 + WUHF/31)
US West: Big 4 from Seattle (KOMO/4, KING/5, KIRO/7, KCPQ/13) or Big 4 from Spokane (KREM/2, KXLY/4, KHQ/6 & KAYU/28)

For HD you Get 4 from Seattle, plus the same Big 3 from Detroit + Fox Rochester. With the appropriate "selections", you can get 4 markets...

Jim

 

[mimo]

Ottawa is all Detroit, NBC is on 9, CBS is on 13 ABC is on 20 FOX is on 36. All are Detroit stations. I don't know where the PBS comes from. I don't watch it. WPCH is on 47

When I was last in Winnipeg back in the 80's all the American tv came from North Dakota.

Ottawa used to be Rochester - there was a microwave link that went in back in the 60s and remained in place until just a few years ago, when it was taken out of service, at which point the Detroit stations replaced the Rochester ones.

PBS came (and I think still comes) from WPBS in Watertown, which gets a substantial amount of its viewership/membership from the Ottawa market.

Yes it is WPBS! I just never knew it's city of license. I remember back in 96 visiting my parents in Ottawa and saw the Rochester stations on their dial. I don't know what year it changed. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[azumanga]

PBS came (and I think still comes) from WPBS in Watertown, which gets a substantial amount of its viewership/membership from the Ottawa market.

Yes it is WPBS! I just never knew it's city of license.

In Ottawa's case, it may be technically WNPI, WPBS's satellite in Norwood.

 

[cyberdad]

Ottawa is all Detroit, NBC is on 9, CBS is on 13 ABC is on 20 FOX is on 36. All are Detroit stations. I don't know where the PBS comes from. I don't watch it. WPCH is on 47

I stand corrected. I get into Ottawa 2-3 times a year, and this shows how much TV I watch. I typically stay in the Byward Market (Marriott Courtyard). Definitely better things to do in the Market than watch TV! ;D

 

[fybush]

PBS came (and I think still comes) from WPBS in Watertown, which gets a substantial amount of its viewership/membership from the Ottawa market.

Yes it is WPBS! I just never knew it's city of license.

In Ottawa's case, it may be technically WNPI, WPBS's satellite in Norwood.

Indeed it may - but I'm not sure how one would even tell the difference!

 

[gr8oldies]

No Canadian TV for the snowbirds in FL?

 

[azumanga]

No Canadian TV for the snowbirds in FL?

Not unless you have a "gray market" subscription to Bell TV or Star Choice. The only Canadian TV that I know of otherwise is WZRA, a LPTV in Oldsmar (near Tampa), though they only carry news from CTV and Newfoundland's NTV -- most other programming on that channel's Greek (for the Greek-speaking residents in nearby Tarpon Springs).

 

[hintomedia]

As far as foreign stations being carried in the states, down here in Pensacola, FL, Mediacom cable offers CCTV9 on an expanded digital tier but no other foreign stations... not even a single Spanish language station. There are shops set up all over town selling DirecTV and/or Dish targeting the Latino market. This is kinda strange because a couple of local radio stations carry limited Latino programming, so there must be enough Latinos here to justify Univision and Galavision on digital cable.
I have no idea why they carry CCTV9, I don't see many people with slanted eyes around here. Over in Fort Walton Beach there are a significant number of Koreans and some Vietnamese, but I don't think they have any Chinese people there either. Does CCTV9 pay for cable carriage?

Not every Chinese is slant-eyed, you know.

 

[gr8oldies]

Lafayette IN cable has AZN in a prominent spot presumably for the Japanese management of the Subaru plant

 

[azumanga]

Lafayette IN cable has AZN in a prominent spot presumably for the Japanese management of the Subaru plant

Didn't that network fold earlier this year?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AZN_Television

 

[gr8oldies]

Could be should have disclaimed it as "last time I saw cable there"

 

[mleach]

I recall reading something online about how the people in Winnepeg were getting tired of Detroit affiliates 'cause the stations reported on too much crime.

I have heard the same thing in reguards to Buffalo TV being seen in Toronto. I have also heard the story many years ago about how some viewers in Toronto actually got a "kick" watching Irv Weinstein "topping" WKBW's Eyewitness News about some Buffalo fire, as if it was some comedy show, not an actual newscast. I don't get that.

 

[mjlarochelle]

I recall reading something online about how the people in Winnepeg were getting tired of Detroit affiliates 'cause the stations reported on too much crime.

That scenario played out not only in Winnipeg, but also in a few towns in the Maritimes. There was a big article on the topic of the controversy of Detroit stations on cable in Broadcaster Magazine back in the mid-1980s. One person interviewed, I think he was from New Brunswick, said that he outright won't let his kids watch WJBK. Others complained about getting WTVS instead of MPBN, which was much closer to the region. Winnipeg was pretty high profile though, as some believed an increase in the violent crime rate there in the 1980s was caused by Detroit stations on cable!

 

[BRNout]

It is very unfortunate that the Detroit affiliates are what represents the USA to much of Canada. First off, Detroit is the most depressed and one of the most crime-ridden places in the country. The level of violence and urban poverty in Detroit is unmatched by any other big city in North America. As a result, the local newscasts are full of appalling things. Lord knows how many Canadians think that what goes on wholesale in Detroit is typical of every American city. It's not.

Sure, most of our big cities have pockets of poverty and desperation - but Detroit is a post-apocalyptic city. As our cities go, only New Orleans comes as close to being a part of the third world.

Secondly, only 2 of Detroit's big 3 affiliates are decent stations. WWJ is a joke. Last time I checked, they didn't even offer local news. When I last watched them (2 years ago) they were an amateurish operation that looked more like a station serving a city of 50,000. Pretty much any other top 20 market CBS affiliate would be better to offer Canadian viewers.

Boston, Buffalo, New York or Chicago stations would all be better to uplink to Canadian cable providers than Detroit. Certainly more representative of what is "normal."