TORONTO – Radio and TV broadcasters in Toronto need to dig into digital – in a hurry – because we’re falling behind the rest of the world, CRTC vice-chair, broadcasting, Michel Arpin said in a speech to the Broadcast Executives Society on Monday.
As most will already be aware, U.S. television broadcasters must give up their analog over-the-air spectrum on February 17th. In Canada, the deadline is August 31, 2011, a scant three years away.
Arpin also referenced progress being made in the conversion to digital TV in the U.K. and France, two countries with later deadlines – but also ones who have made significant progress towards the digital conversion.
En France, “that country began to deploy digital over-the-air broadcasting in 2005 with a view to replacing analog by the end of 2011. The Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel reported this past August that 87% of the population in large cities had access to digital signals, either over-the-air or through satellite,” said Arpin.
“Similar to France, the transition to digital in Canada will occur on August 31, 2011. The main difference, however, is that the preparatory work here has barely begun. We expect to have a better idea of the broadcasters’ plans next year, when we hold hearings to renew the licences of the major conventional television groups.”
So far, broadcasters here have put up new antennas in major centres and have said it would be uneconomical to upgrade to digital transmission in smaller centres, especially considering so few people get their TV off-air.
While the benefits of a sharper picture and sound are the obvious ones most referenced when talking digital (some nice benefits, surely, but not ones broadcasters can monetize), there has been precious little talk her about how a digital signal can be a multiplexed signal – where broadcasters could send out several different feeds at the same time.
“We know that they will have to incur costs to replace their transmitters, though there is some debate as to the actual amount they will have to spend,” said Arpin. “That being said, digital transmission is a superior broadcasting technology when compared to analog, and its added capacity will create attractive programming and revenue opportunities.
“To give you an example, digital transmission will make it possible to broadcast more than one standard-definition program on the same frequency used to broadcast one analog channel. So while the main channel would carry the station’s regularly scheduled program, other sub-channels might be used to carry local weather information and news.”
The Commission is open to hearing how ideas like this might be deployed and used as a money-maker. “(The CRTC) has never stated that it will not consider, on a case-by-case basis, requests to broadcast multiple signals on the same frequency,” said Arpin (words that might bother cable operators who may or may not have to carry the additional local signals Arpin hypothesizes about here).
When it comes to digital radio in Canada, that has all but ground to a halt. “(L)ocal radio broadcasters in Canada seem to be content with the current analog technologies that rely on AM and FM frequencies,” said Arpin, while their counterparts in the U.S. pursue in-band on channel technology (IBOC, or, HD Radio) and in Europe, Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB).
“The absence of a strategy to launch digital services (in Canada) is disconcerting. There are very few, if any, FM frequencies left in most large cities, and interference from nearby frequencies is becoming a problem. In addition, there is no or relatively little demand for AM radio licences,” said Arpin.
“At one point in time, it appeared as though Canadian broadcasters would migrate to Digital Audio Broadcasting… A second option was put forward by the industry that would have used Terrestrial-Digital Multimedia Broadcasting, which allows for the broadcast of audio content, video content or both audio and video content. Unfortunately, Canadian broadcasters failed to embrace either technology.
“This is not the time to throw in the towel,” added the vice-chair.
Traditional radio is facing growing competition from many quarters, like satellite radio, Internet streaming, podcasts and applications to deliver Internet radio to cell phones is being developed. And once new wireless technologies like WiMax or LTE are ubiquitous, in-car, online listening will also be possible.
“Canadian broadcasters are starting to fall behind their peers in other countries,” said Arpin.
“(DAB) is making headway in the United Kingdom, where 97% of the population now has access to digital radio. Earlier this year, a digital-only station broke into the top ten for the first time with a weekly audience of 2.3 million listeners. At the end of this year, the U.K. will have over 8 million DAB and DAB+ receivers in operation. In the retail market, there are over 925 different models to choose from, some of which sell for as low as ¤20, or roughly C$40.”
A report there recommended to the government that DAB should become the main platform for national, regional and large local stations, with FM capacity reserved for small local and community stations.
France, Germany and Australia are all planning to launch digital radio services in 2009, Arpin pointed out. “In fact, the French government has received more than 350 applications for commercial and community digital radio licences. And over 90% of Australian listeners will be able to hear digital radio when services launch in five major cities in May 2009.”
“Radio has been a terrific success within our broadcasting system. It has done a great job of encouraging and promoting Canadian talent. Many of our artists have gone on to achieve international recognition. We can be proud of the contribution radio has made to our vibrant music industry,” he added.
“If broadcasters want to build on this tradition they must not overlook the importance of digital technologies to their future growth as well as the health of the overall industry. It will be important for them to invest in research and participate in the development of digital technologies.”
– Greg O’Brien
