TORONTO – The Canadian Media Guild and Openmedia.ca have launched a campaign to save free local TV signals for Canadians living in small towns after the industry’s transition to digital.
The transition could impact 11 million Canadians living in smaller cities and rural areas, the group said in a statement on Tuesday. CRTC rules say OTA only has to stay on in communities larger than 300,000, plus provincial and territorial capitals.
“The Guild has presented research to the CRTC and to broadcasters on how they could use the new digital technology to improve TV service in smaller communities by sharing transmitters”, the statement read. “We urge the CRTC, broadcasters and the government to work together to make this happen.”
The group has created the website www.unionvoice.org/campaign/save_free_tv/ which urges consumers to send a letter to the CRTC, with the option to copy Heritage Minister James Moore and the heads of CBC, CTV and Canwest.
