OTTAWA – Calling next month’s digital transition “an unprecedented opportunity for community broadcasting, rural broadband and cell service”, the Canadian Association of Community TV Users and Stations (CACTUS) is encouraging communities to consider launching their own rebroadcasting systems.
The group has posted information on its website aimed at communities that stand to lose their over-the-air television signals on September 1st. Noting that more than 100 communities in Canada already maintain their own broadcasting towers and retransmit TV signals, CACTUS spokesperson Cathy Edwards said that the information provides clear explanations of the technology and helps communities estimate the cost of establishing their own rebroadcasting system, as well demonstrates how such systems can be used to generate local TV and radio content.
"The communities slated to lose CBC, Radio-Canada and private network signals have options that we can help them explore", Edwards said in a statement. “What most people don’t realize is that digital transmitters can be used to multiplex TV, radio, wireless Internet and cell phone service from the same towers, for a fraction of the price that these services used to cost separately.”
But the existing broadcasting infrastructure in rural areas must be maintained, she continued. "If these towers are pulled down, communities will forever lose control of their own communications, including the potential to offer local content. The towers are their on-ramps to the information highway."
The Canadian Media Guild called the CACTUS site “a fantastic resource”, while the Department of Canadian Heritage has provided a link to the CACTUS page from its own official information site under the section ‘Affected, What to Do?’.
