CBC/Radio-Canada remains committed to
serving the Province of New Brunswick
Ottawa, March 23, 2011 –
The CRTC’s rejection today of CBC/Radio-Canada’s application for
a new digital transmitter that would provide over-the-air
service to Fredericton, New Brunswick, will not deter the
Corporation’s commitment to providing local service in that
community.
“CBC/Radio-Canada’s proposal to install a new digital
transmitter in Fredericton – where our CBAT-TV station is
located – was rejected by the CRTC on the grounds that it would
not also serve the market of Saint John,” said Steven Guiton,
Vice President and Chief Regulatory Officer at CBC/Radio-Canada.
“We studied the option of installing a digital transmitter that
would cover both Fredericton and Saint John from our current
transmission site on Mount Champlain. That option is not
financially viable given the frequency we’ve been allocated by
Industry Canada for the transmitter.”
The infrastructure required to replicate the coverage of the
Corporation’s current analogue transmitter from Mount Champlain
would cost over $3 million. Annual operating costs would
approach $350,000. These costs would be six times greater than
those of the Fredericton transmitter proposal denied today by
the CRTC. The Corporation concluded that an investment of that
magnitude to serve Saint John – where over 95 per cent of the
population subscribes to cable or satellite – was unfeasible
given resources and given the continuing decline in over-the-air
usage in that market.
CBC/Radio-Canada intends to re-file its application with the
CRTC to provide more detailed cost estimates that will allow the
Commission to better understand the unfeasibility of replicating
the Corporation’s current analogue coverage.
“We understand the Commission’s wish to find a solution for
over-the-air viewers in Saint John,” continued Guiton. “We share
that wish, and have suggested a simple and efficient solution:
allow CBC Television to continue providing the analogue service
it offers today – much in the same way the Commission permitted
recently in the case of Yellowknife, Whitehorse and Iqaluit.”
CBC/Radio-Canada announced its plans for the digital transition
in August 2010. The Corporation is installing a digital
transmitter for every one of its television stations – a total
of 27 transmitters – and is committed to continue operating over
600 analogue transmitters across the country, in every location
it is permitted to by the CRTC.
CBC/Radio-Canada’s new five-year strategic plan places the
regions as a top priority. The Corporation will be investing in
the regions over the next five years. But instead of investing
in transmitters that serve fewer people as over-air-usage
continues to decline, the strategy consists of enhancing our
regional programming offer on multiple platforms and finding
ways of providing local radio and web service to the 7 million
Canadians who aren’t currently served by a local station.
About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada's national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, Internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages, plus seven languages for international audiences.
For additional information, please contact:
Angus McKinnon
Manager, Media Relations and Issues Management
CBC/Radio-Canada
613-296-1057
angus.mckinnon(at)cbc.ca