GATINEAU – The CRTC has issued a call for comments on how Canadian BDUs can best work around the U.S. transition from analog to digital broadcasting of its main television networks, also known as the U.S. 4+1 signals.
U.S. over-the-air (OTA) television networks ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX plus the U.S. Public Broadcasting System (PBS) are scheduled to shut down analog broadcasting later this month. But with the Canadian digital transition date not scheduled until August 31 2011, many BDUs will have to find a short term solution to continue to offer these channels to subscribers who can’t receive the digital version.
Most Canadian BDUs include the U.S. 4+1 signals as part of their basic service. However, once the analog signals are replaced by their digital cousins, BDUs who want to distribute the networks will either have to find a way to continue to receive an analog version, or down-convert the digital signal for distribution to their analog subscribers and/or digital subscribers who do not have an HD set-top box (the primary digital signals broadcast by these networks will contain increasing amounts of HD programming, the CRTC notice said).
The Commission has proposed granting BDUs “a general authorization” allowing them to distribute any analog or standard definition (SD) version made available, or enabling them to down-convert an SD version or OTA HD signal.
Comments are due March 6.
