Low-power TV stations face uncertain future after digital transition

The future of low-power television (LPTV) stations operating in the 700 MHz band remains unclear as Industry Canada consults on their possible displacement following the digital transition next year. “The continued operation of existing LPTV systems in remote and rural areas will be permitted if it does not prevent the deployment of new broadband mobile systems,” the department wrote last month in its consultation paper on the 700 MHz spectrum band. “LPTV station licensees would be afforded a notification period before displacement following the licensing of new services in the 700 MHz band.” The band, which is currently used for analog TV broadcasting on channels 52 to 69, will be freed up for commercial broadband use following the digital transition next year, when over-the-air analog television broadcasting signals convert to digital. The deadline for the transition is Aug. 31, 2011. In its consultation document on the 700 MHz band, released Nov. 30, the department noted there would be approximately 60 low-power stations operating in the frequency range after the transition. The department proposed the implementation of a “where necessary” strategy for the stations. Low-power broadcasting is the transmission of television signals to a small community at very low power and low cost. Low-power stations mostly act as signal re-transmitters, but local community stations can also use them to transmit their programming. The stations, which operate on unprotected channels, are considered “secondary assignments” and are not protected from interference from over-the-air and digital TV stations and other radio services. Industry Canada suggested that LPTV stations operating in urban areas or in “specific geographic areas, such as along highway corridors,” be granted a one-year notification period if there is a need to displace them. Other stations would be afforded a two-year notification period. Wayne Stacey, a spectrum expert at Wayne A. Stacey & Associates, said in an interview that “displacing” a low-power TV transmitter would involve retuning it but not replacing all the equipment. Retuning would also mean the channel would change its place on the dial, but Stacey said this happens fairly often. He said retuning a transmitter can be done at a relatively low cost, and that replacing a low-power transmitter costs about $20,000. “It’s not really a big deal. There aren’t that many of them ,” he said. But the cost of retuning appears to be too high for at least one low-power television operator, Acadian Communications Ltd., which owns three low-power transmitters in Cheticamp, N.S. Eric Chasson, president of Acadian Communications, said in an interview that displacing his stations would mean the end of his television operation. “It would put me out of business,” he said. “I have nowhere else to go . If they change my frequencies I’d have to change my headends. At this point in the game, I’m not prepared to do that. I’m facing stiff competition already from satellite carriers.” Other low-power operators said they will wait to receive a displacement notice from Industry Canada before evaluating their positions. Logan Lake TV Society in British Columbia has four low-power television transmitters operating in the band. Patrick Mulldoon, vice-president of the society, said in an interview the station will continue broadcasting through the transmitters until it receives a notice from the department. “Maybe we won’t be affected for a few years,” he said. Mulldoon said retuning the transmitters may be complicated because the society operates a total of 24 channel transmitters off the same tower. “Due to technical restraints we can’t run two signals too close together into the combiner,” he said. “With the space that’s available, we’ve pretty much used everything up.” But Mulldoon said the society plans to move to digital multiplexing technology, which will allow it to carry more stations on one frequency. Chetwynd Communications Society operates two low-power transmitters in northeastern British Columbia, broadcasting content from Chetwynd’s community TV station, CHET-TV. Leo Sabulsky, the station’s general manager, said by email the station will also continue operating until it receives a notice. “The CRTC has not sent us a notice and we intend to keep producing videos one after another for our local audience,” he said. “We do not know what we are going to do.” The Ontario Educational Communications Authority operates six TVOntario (TVO) low-power transmitters in the band. TVO vice-president of corporate relations Jill Javet said the station will determine what to do with the transmitters when it receives a notice from Industry Canada. The CBC owns three transmitters in the band. CBC spokesman Angus McKinnon said by email moving stations outside the range “costs money” and the public broadcaster is in the process of evaluating its options. Canwest Television, which owns one of the transmitters in Santa Rosa, B.C., said it has approached the CRTC with questions about the transmitter, but currently has no plan for the area. The transmitter serves about 100 people. In its March 2010 broadcasting policy, the CRTC said over-the-air broadcasters operating outside mandatory markets that choose not to convert to digital must move their services to a channel outside the 52 to 69 range by Aug. 31, 2011, or cease operations. But the CRTC policy made no provisions for low-power TV broadcasting, leaving Industry Canada to establish a policy for the stations. Industry Canada stopped issuing broadcasting certifications for low-power stations operating in channels 60 to 69 in 2000. According to a list obtained from Industry Canada, there are at least 45 transmitters now operating in the band in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan. The deadline for comments on a displacement policy for low-power stations and the 700 MHz band is Feb. 28, 2011. kfournier@thewirereport.ca

Low-power TV stations face uncertain future after digital transition

Broadcast | December 20, 2010

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