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In his speech at the 2008 Broadcasting Invitational Summit, CRTC chair Konrad von Finkenstein said he is " 'very concerned' " that the broadcast industry is dragging its heals in preparing for Canada's switch to digital TV on August 31, 2011. He explained, " 'my great concern is that the industry will not be ready. There will be requests for delays and we will have a crisis on our hands. This must not be allowed to happen' " (Tech Media Reports, 06/23/2008).
Von Finkenstein pointed out that, " 'we set that firm date because we wanted to galvanize the industry into action on the transition to digital.' " Despite the upcoming deadline, he said that to date, the industry" 'has not shown the sense of urgency that I think is called for right now" As far as I know, there has been no concerted effort at communication and/or education by the industry or individual players. 2011 is not a long time away' " (Tech Media Reports, 06/23/2008).
The sense of urgency could hit Canada even earlier though. By February 17, 2009, all broadcast TV stations in the U.S. have to broadcast in digital. With many Canadians buying high-definition TV sets, by next year, many of those viewers may be watching U.S. channels with its wide range of HD choices. Von Finkenstein worried that by the time Canadian broadcasters catch up, " 'it may be very difficult to recapture those lost viewers' " (Tech Media Reports, 06/23/2008).
The Television Council for the Canadian Association of Broadcasters wants to create a Digital Transition Task Force to provide help on questions related to the digital transition. Von Finkenstein said that this is not enough. The CRTC has asked broadcasters to table their plans for the digital transition as their licences come up for renewal next year. These details will include: timetables for rollout, identifying which facilities will be converted and when, and digital rollout in small communities (Tech Media Reports, 06/23/2008).
In addition, Von Finkenstein told broadcasters they would have to make investments in digital infrastructure, including for over-the-air (OTA) transmission. He referred to these investments as " 'the cost of staying in business' " and rejected pitches by broadcasters to deliver all signals through cable and satellite TV instead of through the pricier OTA digital transmission. He explained that OTA " 'has always been the cornerstone of our broadcasting system. We expect that OTA will move to digital and continue to play that key role. It is here to stay' " (Cartt, 06/25/2008).
Broadcasters will also have to invest in equipment and facilities for the production of HD programming and the costs of production itself. He noted, " 'that programming is essential to the survival and success of the Canadian broadcasting system. It is already becoming more difficult to export programs -- especially to the United States -- unless it is in HD format' " (Cartt, 06/25/2008).
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