Bugle Observer Publishes Story on Rogers Takeovers

Lights, camera, no action

Published Tuesday September 22nd, 2009

Digital upgrades in Carleton County impact local programming on Rogers Cable

By Katelin Dean

After 10 years, the final hymn has been sung – at least from local church television broadcasts.

Bingo balls will fly no longer in the NBCC-Woodstock TV studio. Rogers Cable upgrades have forced the popular Tuesday game to assimilate with Rotary Bingo out of Fredericton. PHOTO BY KATELIN DEANThe lens cap is on and the balls have dropped for Valley TV Bingo. The broadcast, which had been airing out of the studio in NBCC-Woodstock, will now combine with Fredericton's Rotary Bingo. Rogers Cable has upgraded their system to digital.

"We rebuilt the entire cable network," Rogers manager of public affairs and communications Christiane Vaillancourt said.

She said they put in fibre optic lines to allow for high-speed Internet, provincial local phone calls and an enhanced digital cable package for most of Carleton County.

Because of the upgrade, serving areas had to be combined. This means Valley TV Bingo, church services from the Woodstock Wesleyan and Woodstock Baptist churches, NBCC Woodstock Journalism's Community College News and the Kinsmen's Christmas Telethon are either eliminated or have to make other arrangements with Rogers.

"We're bending backwards to offer programming solutions free of charge," Vaillancourt said.

A meeting took place between Rogers representatives and the groups effected by the change.

"It was certainly a shock when they told us we were done," said Carmen Nicholson of Valley TV Bingo.

Nicholson has been running TV Bingo since October 1994.

Despite working out a deal with Rotary Bingo in Fredericton – who had been airing at the same time as Valley TV Bingo – she said she's still disappointed.

"It's not going to be the same," Nicholson lamented.

Bingo players will still be able to buy there cards from the same locations and play at the same time. The money raised from this area will stay in this area. The difference is that Nicholson will no longer host the show.

"It's going to have an effect," she said. "They (the viewers) like the local connection."

"I've met so many great people," she continued.

Anger was the first emotion Nicholson experienced upon learning the news. She said she now just feels sad.

"It's been such a big part of my life," Nicholson said. "I'm going to miss it."

TV bingo will continue to be played Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. Church services on Sunday afternoons, however, will not.

Woodstock Baptist Church Pastor Leonard Cousins said he's sad for shut-ins who regularly watched the service on television.

"It's a loss to the community on many levels," Cousins said.

Unlike some of the other effected organizations, little is being done to keep church services on the air.

Vaillancourt said Rogers can't represent one faith over another on the station.

In the meeting, it was suggested by Rogers to get together with other denominations and rotate church services, Cousins said.

"We would have to get together with every church from Fredericton to Plaster Rock," Cousins said. "It's improbable to get everyone together."

The Baptist Church is currently looking into ways to broadcast their service online.

Cousins said he suspects many of the people who watch the service on television are shut-ins.

"I assume most viewers would be seniors who are less likely to have computer access," Cousins said.

"I felt sad for shut-ins when I heard the news," he continued.

Unlike the church services, the Community College News will continue to air in some form.

"This shift will have no impact on the curriculum," said television journalism instructor Paul Squires.

"I'm really happy Rogers is making arrangements to continue to air the program."

Squires said he's not entirely sure how it's all going to work as of now, but they are working together.

Arrangements for the annual Kinsmen Christmas Telethon have also been made so the annual program will run, said Vaillancourt.

Vaillancourt said everyone involved in the meeting understood the changes.

"They seemed pleased about reaching a greater audience," she said.

"We're very excited about the products and service we're bringing to the Woodstock area," Vaillancourt concluded.