You have all seen the bits on your
screen saying that you MAY have to change your old tv for new or get
a 'digital converter' if you want to continue to watch station that
you receive via an antenna rather than satellite or cable. For many
of us cable or satellite is not an option for reasons of cost or
unavailability so we are left wondering if we will have to buy one of
those converters or not. I have spent many hours trying to find out
if the stations I receive here just south of Owen Sound are are going
, a) to continue broadcasting from the local transmitters, b) Continue
broadcasting in 'analog' format as they are now, or c) switch to
broadcasting in digital format on a new channel.
In some cases that information is easy
to find and the stations involved will readily give you that
information when requested, in other cases they are no so
forthcoming.
What follows is the result of my
inquiries in this regard.
Channel 2 CTV 'Georgian Bay'
transmitter north of Wiarton will continue broadcasting as is, no
change.
Channel 8 CTV / CKNX 'Wingham”
transmitter will continue broadcasting as is, no change.
Channel 12 TVO 'Owen Sound'
transmitter from Keady will continue broadcasting as is, no change.
Channel 20 CBC 'Owen Sound' transmitter
from Keady - unable to get definitive answer, presumed to continue
broadcasting as is.
Channel 45 CBC “Wingham”
transmitter - unable to get definitive answer, presumed to continue
broadcasting as is (see below).
Channel 4 Global 'Owen Sound'
transmitter from Keady – unable to get definitive answer
despite multiple requests via internet, email AND phone, presumed to
continue broadcasting as is but I start to wonder what they are
hiding!
What follows is a little more
information on some of the above...
CTV / BELL
An email inquiry to CTV resulted in a
speedy and definitive response indicating that both channel 8 Wingham
and channel 2 Georgian Bay would remain unchanged.
TVO
Conventional TV stations like TVO will be allowed to continue
broadcasting in analog beyond August 31, 2011 in markets where we do
not make the conversion to digital.
High-and Medium-Powered TVO transmitter
sites that will continue broadcasting in analog include:
Peterborough, Owen Sound, Sudbury, Kingston, Penetanguishene, Sault
Ste. Marie, Hawkesbury, Huntsville, Timmins, Pembroke, Parry Sound,
Kenora, McArthur Mills, and North Bay. TVO will also continue to
transmit an analog signal via more than 100 Low Power Repeat
Transmitters across the province.
CBC
"The Corporation will continue to
offer analogue service beyond the August 31, 2011 shut-off date
established by government in all markets not identified by the CRTC
as mandatory for digital transmission."
There are some markets, such as London,
which are mandatory for Digital Transmission, and CBC does not
operate a station there (but does operate a transmitter). In these
cases, CBC will shut down the analog rebroadcaster and not replace it
with a digital rebroadcaster.
GLOBAL / SHAW
After the analog television shutdown
and digital conversion, which takes place on August 31, 2011,[13]
CIII-DT-41 will move from channel 65 to its current analog channel
number, 41, following transition, because of the phaseout of channels
52-69.
Global intends on transitioning its
CIII-TV Paris and CIII-TV-6 Ottawa transmitters to digital by August
31, 2011. CIII-TV-7 Midland (serving Barrie) is also required to
broadcast in digital by August 31, 2011 or cease broadcasting. Global
has decided to transition Midland's transmitter after the deadline
and by 2016. CIII-DT-41 Toronto will increase coverage area to serve
the Barrie area between the transition deadline and when the Midland
transmitter begins broadcasting in digital.
CIII-TV-55 Fort Erie is required to
vacate its channel frequency as of August 31, 2011. Global has
decided to shut down this transmitter. Coverage to the areas in
Canada served by the Fort Erie transmitter will be provided by
CIII-DT-41 Toronto.
Global plans on transitioning all of
its transmitters to digital by 2016.
NOTE this is from wikipedia, neither
Global or their owner Shaw has ANY information available regarding
individual transmitter sites and both the web site and phone number
supplied on air will not lead to further information.
There are many rural residents and
cottage owners who receive broadcast TV in the Grey Bruce area and
they should not replace their analog TV or purchase a digital
converter on the assumption that their signal will be unavailable in
analog as of august. For the most part it would seem that thing will
remain as is for the next several years in this area, at this point
in time the only questionable broadcast that MAY be changed or
discontinued is Global as broadcast in analog format on channel 4.
