The information provided here is designed to enlighten those who may be co-operatively interested in the establishment of a Community Television Station in the Eastern Annapolis Valley and to float the concept to Community, Advocacy, Cultural and Investor groups in order to facilitate a meeting.
This initiative is probative and is not intended to compete with other interests or existing networks but rather to provide an independent and progressive option for Valley Communities to present their own news, views and talent irrespective of political affiliations or narrowly defined interests. Responses are welcomed at the above email address or if you have further questions not answered on this page, please fill in the survey form.
Bill
O'Brien
Wolfville,
Nova Scotia
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Why start a TV Station?
The Annapolis Valley offers few opportunities to broadcast individually generated content to a local audience. All of the platforms which communicate with the Valley audience are owned and managed by either "public - CBC" or "private - ATV, GLOBAL" companies and are therefore subject to the content guidelines that best suit the vision of corporations rather than that of the community at large.
A recent labour dispute within the CBC underlines the reliance we have on a single, large and selective distributor of our pertinent local news, information and promotion material.
Valley Vision TV expects the need for an independent, locally focused station could be met with a television broadcast licence under guidelines announced by the CRTC in October of 2002.
TV broadcast changes in CRTC Policy
Quoting from CRTC documents
To address the issue of improving relevant content to under-represented communities across the country the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has undertaken an new policy initiative "to include educational and community programs" according to Section 3(1)(i)(iii) of the Broadcasting Act.
In light of the Act's objectives, the commission proposed the following overall objectives.
To ensure the creation and exhibition of more locally-produced, locally-reflective community programming.
To foster a greater diversity of voices and alternatives choices by facilitating the entrance of new participants at the local level.
How would it work?
Broadcast Content
Programming would be received from community sources or created by Valley Vision TV then uploaded to a networked data system which would automatically sequence the material and be sent over a transmitter to individual TV receivers in valley homes and on a designated digital channel through the local cable company. The TV images broadcast on the Community Channel would be delivered in the same way that CBC, CTV and Global networks are received on channels 2,3 and 20.
The content broadcast "over the air" and "on cable" would also be available on a companion website offering digital information as slide shows or streaming audio/video.
Delivering local programming would require...
..the conversion of community information from print, recordings and video into a digital format
..the sequencing of data into a repeating show of alpha-numeric slides, still images, music, commentary and videos
..the transmission of video information on Channel 12 to home TV receivers in a 12 kilometer radius of the originating broadcast center and to Eastlink Cable for distribution to subscribers on their digital network, originating in New Minas and delivered to most communities from Middleton to Grand Pre
Revenues, Advertising and Marketing
To support and promote the production of dynamic broadcast content the CRTC has created opportunities to sell advertising space and to allow the sponsorship of programming by local commercial interests. (It should be noted that there are additional avenues for potential revenue streams on the website and in the content production model.)
Under present regulations..
..12 minutes of commercial information may be broadcast in each broadcast hour as a revenue generator
..15 seconds of each broadcast project is available for program sponsorship
Who operates and uses it?
Quoting from CRTC documents
Roles and Objectives
The role of the community channel should be primarily of a public service nature, facilitating self-expression through free and open access by members of the community and to.....
...engender a high level of citizen participation and community involvement in community programming
...actively promote citizen access and provide and promote the availablity of related training programs
...provide feedback mechanisms, such as advisory boards, to encourage viewer response to the range and types of programs aired
...seek out innovative and alternative points of view
...provide reasonable, balanced opportunity for the expression of differing views on matters of public concern
...reflect the official languages, ethnic and Aboriginal composition of the community
...provide coverage of local events
...publicize the program schedule
Programming
The successful licencee shall devote not less than 60% of the programming aired each week to the broadcast of local content produced within the municipality and may utilize alphanumeric bulletin boards to achieve the 60% requirement.
Licencees are....
...not permitted to distribute foreign or commercial programs
...not permitted to receive financial payment in exchange for the distribution of government or public service material
......expected to adhere to the principle that local community television programs be given scheduling priority
Where would the station be located?
Studios and Transmitter
The facilities would be for the most part community locations and familiar backdrops would serve as production sets although there may be a requirement to have a central location for legal, administrative and contact obligations.
The transmitters for a station that would optimize the largest viewing footprint would be centered in the Kentville area able to reach both Wolfville and Berwick on a 5 watt signal somewhere in the frequency band 4 through 12.
There are a number of towers which currently are in place to distribute radio signals for a variety of communication platforms and could carry the station transmitter. A location on the North Mountain behind Kentville would reach the most saturated fringes in the grade B contour and allowed under class 3 licencing.
Who owns the station?
Quoting from CRTC documents
Community Ownership
The CRTC will consider applications by both for-profit and not-for-profit applicants to operate community based television undertakings. In assessing applications the commission will give preference to locally-based new entrants as it does not intend to grant this new class of licence to established licencees to extend their reach or to provide additional types of service.
Helpful Links
CRTC - 2002/r021010.htm - CRTC ISSUES NEW POLICY ON COMMUNITY-BASED MEDIA: MORE COMMUNITY ACCESS AND LOCAL PROGRAMMING.
CRTC - 2000-127.htm - Call for comments on a licencing framework for low-power community television undertakings.
CRTC - 2001-129.htm - Proposed policy framework for community-based media.
CRTC - 2002-61.htm - Policy framework for community-based media.
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