GATINEAU – Last week Corus Entertainment filed an application informing the CRTC that it will shut down 44 transmitters and requested an amendment to their station licences.
Twenty of those stations had not been converted to digital and Corus was required to do so, according to the conditions of the acquisition imposed by the CRTC when then CanWest Global stations were acquired by Shaw Communications back in 2010.
In the November 8th application, Corus is requesting permission to shift the remainder of the benefits money meant to upgrade the transmitters to other endeavours, and therefore not convert them to digital as it promised as a tangible benefit following Shaw’s acquisition of the Global TV stations.
The other 24 transmitters Corus is shutting down had already been converted to digital.
“As such, the rebroadcasting transmitters generate no incremental revenue, and attract little to no added viewership for Corus. They are also costly to maintain, and we expect expenses to increase as a result of the Government of Canada’s re-allotment plan for the 600 MHz band. In light of the challenges faced by Corus’s conventional broadcasting business, and the minimal disruption to viewers in the affected communities, this plan is sensible from a business perspective and upholds Corus’s commitment to its audiences," said Corus in its application.
The federal government has already indicated it will repurpose much of the 600 MHz band for cellular communications.
“Approximately 1.5 million Canadians live within the contours of the transmitters to be shut down. Corus estimates that less than 20,000 viewers will be impacted, assuming viewers are using outdoor antennas in the affected, rural markets. Subscribers of terrestrial and satellite BDUs would not be affected by the removal of these transmitters,” the application went on, as most households do subscribe to some sort of television package.
This is the continuation of a trend to shut off retransmission transmitters. CBC announced it would decommission 607 in 2012, TVO and TFO followed suit.
“BRP 2015-24 states that in electing to shut down transmitters broadcasters may lose certain regulatory privileges – distribution on the basic service, and the ability to request simultaneous substitution. Corus is fully aware of these potential consequences,” continues the submission to the CRTC. The company also said it will pay out the promised benefits of the 2010 Shaw acquisition of CanWest and has proposed to spend the $2.4 million remaining on a large number of groups, including $892,000 with the Canada Media Fund.
The list of transmitters being decommissioned is:
1 Wilson Creek CHAN-DT-6
2 Bowen Island CHAN-DT-2
3 Oliver CHAN CKKM-TV
4 Skaha Lake (Ni' kwalla) /Pentiction CHBC-TV-7
5 Taghum CKTN-DT-2
6 Brackendale CHAN-DT-5
7 100 Mile House CITM-DT
8 Squamish CHAN-DT-3
9 Santa Rosa CISR-DT
10 Salmon Arm CHBC-TV-4
11 Quesnel CITM-DT-2
12 Williams Lake CITM-DT-1
13 Canoe CHBC-TV-8
14 Oliver CHBC CHBC-TV-3
15 Castlegar CKTN-TV-1
16 Nelson CKTN-TV-3
17 Whistler CHAN-DT-7
18 Creston CKTN-TV-4
19 Grand Forks CISR-DT-1
20 Revelstoke CHRP-DT-2
21 Revelstoke CHKL-DT-3
22 Pritchard CHKM-DT-1
23 Enderby CHBC-TV-5
24 Apex Mountain CHBC-TV-9
25 Brooks CISA-TV-2
26 Burmis CISA-TV-1
27 Drumheller CICT-TV-1
28 Banff CICT-TV-2
29 Coleman CISA-TV-3
30 Pincher Creek CISA-TV-5
31 Waterton Park CISA-TV-4
32 Fort Qu'appelle CFRE-TV-2
33 Smith Falls CKWS-TV-3
34 Bancroft CHEX-TV-1
35 Miramichi CIHF-DT-13
36 Woodstock CIHF-DT-11
37 St. Stephen CIHF-DT-12
38 Bridgewater CIHF-DT-6
39 Truro CIHF-DT-4
40 New Glasgow CIHF-DT-8
41 Antigonish CIHF-DT-15
42 Yarmouth CIHF-DT-10
43 Shelburne CIHF-DT-9
44 Mulgrave CIHF-DT-16
