Community TV in the News

On November 16, 2022, cartt.ca published a story entitled Community TV groups call for C-18 amendments to include non-profit, small broadcasters. Note that cartt.ca is a subscription service.

On August 26, 2019, cartt.ca published a story entitled CACTUS Taking Local Journalist Funding Applications from Community TV Groups, regarding the launch of Canadian Heritage's Local Journalism Initiative. Note that cartt.ca is a subscription service.

On January 19 2018, J Source published a story entitled The CRTC's "Big Telcom" Blind Spot, about how the CRTC privileges the needs of large telecommunications companies at the expense of smaller players and overall diversity within the broadcasting system. The article cites CACTUS' Executive Director, Cathy Edwards.

On February 11, 2015, ccart.ca published a story entitled CRTC Decision on Vidéotron’s MAtv Falls Short, Says Community TV Association, concerning the application by ICTV to operate the community channel in Montreal as a not-for-profit venture.

On February 6, 2015, Le Devoir published a story entitled Double réprimande pour Vidéotron:
Le CRTC trouve que la chaîne MAtv n’est pas assez communautaire et refuse le mode de financement du projet anglo MYtv
, concerning the complaint by ICTV against Videotron's Montreal community channel.

On February 4, ccart.ca published a story entitled Videotron Assessing Options After CRTC Says It Violated Community TV Policy, concerning the complaint by ICTV against Videotron's MAtv community channel in Montreal.

On February 4, Canoe published a story entitled Le CRTC demande à Vidéotron de mieux desservir Montréal, concerning the complaint by ICTV against Videotron's MAtv community channel in Montreal.

On February 4, 2015, the web site TVA Nouvelles published a story entitled Le CRTC demande à Vidéotron de mieux desservir le Grand Montréal, concerning the complaint by ICTV against Videotron's MAtv community channel in Montreal.

On February 4, 2015, Broadcaster magazine published a story entitled CRTC Requires Videotron MAtv Better Serve Greater Montreal Communities, concerning the complaint by ICTV against Videotron's Montreal community channel.

On February 4, 2015, the Montreal Gazette published a story entitled CRTC says Vidéotron's Community TV Channel Has Failed in its Mandate, but Can Become Bilingual, concerning the complaint by ICTV against Videotron's MAtv community channel in Montreal.

On April 15th, 2014, the Montreal Gazette published an OpEd by CACTUS' Catherine Edwards, entitled Videotron shouldn’t be allowed to control community TV in Montreal.

On April 2nd, 2014, rabble.ca published a story entitled Challenging Peladeau's Quebecor for control of Community Television, and written by Laith Marouf, one of the members of the steering committee that prepared the application for Independent Community TV Montreal.

On March 31st, 2014, Le Devoir published a story entitled Touche pas à ma poste!.

On March 24, 2014, the Montreal Gazette published a story entitled Activists Challenge Videotron’s Community TV Service MAtv.

On March 3, 2014, cartt.ca published a story entitled Groups Wants to Take Over Videotron's Community Channel. Note that cartt.ca is a subscription service.

On February 20, 2014, Le Journal des Alternatives published a petition entitled Appel à soutenir le projet de télévision communautaire TVCI-MTL. It's in the form of a petition which anyone can sign.

On February 10, 2014, Le Devoir published a story entitled À moi MAtv!
Un groupe indépendant veut arracher à Vidéotron sa télé communautaire de Montréal et ses 23 millions.

On February 5, 2014, CiBL, a French-language community radio station in Montreal, aired an interview with Sabine Friesinger of the Steering Committee for Independent Community Television (ICTV) Montreal about the group's plans to launch a multilingual, citizen-owned and -operated television station and multimedia hub in Montreal. The recording can be heard here.

On October 28, 2013, the McGill daily published a story entitled Unmasking Vidéotron-
Taking the corporation out of community TV.

On October 9, 2013, Cartt.ca published a story entitled Independent group challenges Videotron for control of community channel. Cartt.ca is a subscription service.

On October 8, 2013, the Wire Report published a story entitled Groups Wants to Launch New Montreal Community Channel Instead of Videotron. (The Wire Report is a subscription service.)

On October 2, 2013, the Montreal Gazette published a story entitled MYtv Would Not Be True Community TV, about Videotron's application to the CRTC to launch a clone anglophone 'community channel' to its French MAtv service.

In its September 2013 issue, Municipal World published an article by CACTUS' Executive Director entitled Community Media Centres: Libraries of the 21st Century. (Municipal World is a subscription service, but the original article will be republished in the Resources section of our web site when Municipal World's exclusive publication right expires in September 2014.)

On June 19, 2013 Broadcaster published a story entitled CRTC Must Tell Videotron to Add English Language Community TV Station in Montreal

On May 22, 2013, The Wire Report published a story entitled Ontario communities look at repurposing broadcast towers for mobile services
. The Wire Report is a subscription service.

On April 22, 2013, The Wire Report published a story entitled Southshore plans multiplexing, says it's a more efficient use of spectrum for local TV
. The Wire Report is a subscription service. Southshore Broadcasting in Leamington, Ontario, will be the first broadcaster in Canada to multiplex television signals with a digital transmitter, a practice already common in other countries. Southshore is one of only nine not-for-profit community broadcasters holding CRTC licences in Canada. A community first!!

On March 20, 2013, Broadcaster published a story entitled CACTUS Aids Onatrio Communities in Acquiring TVO TV Towers

On March 19, 2013 cartt.ca published a story entitled CACTUS Helps Ontario Communities in Acquiring TVO TV Towers.

On November 21, 2012, TFO (the French TVO service) did an in-depth story the potential for communities to act as their own rebroadcasters, including an interview with CACTUS' spokesperson.

On October 1, 2012, the Canada Newswire published CACTUS' press release "CACTUS: Oct. 9th Deadline for Communities to Salvage CBC TV Equipment" in English and en français. This release was reprinted later the same day in:

Broadcaster, Canada's Communication's Magazine;
Yahoo (!) Finance, Canada
Mediacaster

On July 30, 2012, Marketnews ran a story entitled CBC & TVO End Analogue Broadcasting Today, Advocate Group Seeks Community Access to Transmission Towers.

On July 17, 2012, ccart.ca ran a story entitled CACTUS Pushes for Community Ownership of CBC Transmitters. (Note: ccart.ca is a subscription service.)

On June 17, 2012, Cheryl Browne of the Barrie Examiner published an article entitled
CBC set to unplug analog service July 31. Note that the article contains a misquote of CACTUS' spokesperson Cathy Edwards. The article states, "She suggests asking the CRTC to designate Barrie area as a mandatory market, where broadcasters must upgrade to digital or cease broadcasting. Outlying Barrie areas could suggest CBC and Radio-Canada’s signals be multiplexed — broadcast as a sub-channel — by using Global or CTV’s transmitters."

In fact, Barrie has been designated a "mandatory market" by the CRTC. Cathy also suggested that outlying areas could maintain the existing CBC analog transmitters (which is a cheapter although possibly short-term solution to upgrading to digital or multiplexing the CBC's signal with another broadcaster).

On June 16, 2012, the Moncton Times and Transcript published an article entitled "Free CBC analog programming soon to be nixed; Deadline for public comment is Monday" in the A section. The Times and Transcript is a subscription service, available here: http://www.telegraphjournal.com/csp/cms/sites/TJOnline/Main/login.csp?LastURL=/csp/cms/sites/TJOnline/TimesTranscript/index.csp, or you can contact CACTUS for a copy of the article.

On June 14, 2012, the Sherbrooke Record published an article entitled Municipalities Have Options for Maintaining CBC

On June 13, 2012, the Valley Voice (Kootenays, BC) published an article entitled Free CBC TV to End July 31st on page 3.

On June 1, 2012, the West Quebec Post published an article entitled, A Darkened Screen: Outaouais Spared, by Reuel Amdur.

On May 30, 2012, Radio-Canada in Alberta interviewed CACTUS spokesperson Cathy Edwards about impending over-the-air CBC and Radio-Canada service losses in Alberta. The story is called Fini la tele gratuite.

On May 29, 2012 the Montreal Gazette published an OpEd by CACTUS spokesperson Catherine Edwards entitled CBC’s transmitters are a lifeline for rural communities.

On May 25, 2012, cartt.ca ran a story entitled CBC should offer transmitters to communities, says CACTUS . (ccart.ca is a subscription service.)

On May 25, 2012, the Wire Report ran the story CBC Should Give Up Analog Transmitters Otherwise Going in the Dumpster. (The Wire Report is a subscription service.)

On May 9, 2012, Rabble.ca ran the story How CBC's Move to Digital TV Will Hurt Rural Canada.

On Jan 5, 2012 Vancouver Co-op Radio interviewed CACTUS spokesperson Catherine Edwards about CACTUS' analysis of the 2011 CRTC audit of cable community channels. (Click the link for Jan. 5 to listen. The 10-minute interview with Catherine starts 8 minutes into the program.)

On January 5, 2012, the Wire Report ran a story entitled "Cablecos Misrepresent Community Programming Requirements".

On May 25, 2011, the Wire Report ran a story entitled "Community TV Sector Says It's on Life Support, and Latest CRTC Policy Isn't Going to Save It".

On March 11, 2011, the Wire Report ran a story about the CRTC's request that Bell carry Canada's seven independent community broadcasters as part of its basic satellite service starting in September 2012.

On September 8th, the Tyee published a story entitled "The Community Media Fund that Never Was".

On August 28, the Cape Breton Post published a letter from Paul Power, a former Eastlink employee, about widespread closure of Eastlink access facilities throughout the Maritimes.

On August 27th, Playback Magazine published a story entitled "CRTC Pushes Public Access" on the outcome of the community TV policy review.

On August 27th, CBC's web site reported the outcome of the CRTC review of community TV policy, which imposes a higher minimum on access content by cable companies by 2014.

On August 27th, the Wire Report ran an article entitled "CRTC upholds 'paternalistic' approach to community TV, CACTUS says." The Wire Report is a subscription service.

On May 4th, the Wire Report ran a story at the conclusion of the community TV public policy review entitled "Community television hearings conclude, come down to question of control, ownership".

On April 30th, CACTUS spokesperson Cathy Edwards, Colette Watson of Rogers, and Tony Vidal, on over-the-air community television operator from Leamington, Ontario were interviewed on "The Current"
CBC radio national.

On April 30th, the Wire Report ran a story entitled "Bell surprises commission with proposal for national community television channels".

On April 29th, the Wire Report ran a story entitled "Organizations argue VOD, new media, alternatives to existing community TV model".

On April 28th, Broadcaster Magazine published a story entitled, "CRTC Incorrectly Interpreting BBM Stats" regarding viewership to cable-administered community channels.

On April 28th, Playback magazine published a story entitled "Cablers Out of Cable Access?"

On April 28th, the Wire Report published a story entitled "Cultural groups say cable concentration limits access to community coverage".

On April 27th, cartt.ca published an article entitled "Community Channel Hearing: Numbers top talk in Gatineau", which focusses mainly on viewership to cable-run community channels.

On April 27th, the Wire Report"Videotron proposes increasing community television funding to five per cent."

On April 26th, the Wire Report published a story entitled "Proposal emerges to split funding between cablecos, community television groups." (The Wire Report is a subscription service.

On April 26th, CBC's web site reported that the CRTC was reviewing its policies for community TV, and CACTUS' position. The story misrepresents CACTUS as saying that CACTUS wishes to control the money for community TV. In fact, we have advocated that it be directed to a Community-Access Media Fund (CAMF), to which communities would apply to run their own channels.

On April 23rd, the Wire Report ran an article entitled "Lobbying intensifies in advance of CRTC's week-long hearings into community television." The Wire Report is a subscription service.

On April 23rd, both the US web site Winds of Change(a "survey of community media around the world") and cartt.ca posted articles about the CRTC's review of community TV policy entitled "More than 3,000 Canadians Endorse Community Ownership of Community TV".

On April 22nd, OPENmedia.ca posted a story entitled "Unanimous vote of support for community television by the Quebec National Assembly".

On April 9, the Telecom Blog posted a story about the CRTC audits of community channels entitled Community Channels “Abused” by Cable Companies

On April 7, 2010, the Wire Report posted a story about the interveners scheduled to appear as part of the CRTC's review of community TV policy: CRTC to Hear from 94 Groups on Community Television Policy Framework.

On March 9, an article about the over-the-air community TV channel in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, appeared in the St. Croix Courier (reproduced with the Courier's permission).

On March 2, CACTUS was quoted by the Wire Report commenting on the Corus application for Local1.

On February 22, 2010, Vancouver Co-op Radio interviewed CACTUS about the need for community control of community broadcasting.

On January 29, 2010, Rabble.ca published on OpEd by CACTUS spokesperson Cathy Edwards with an overview aimed at the general public about the decline of community TV in Canada.

On January 27, 2010, CFOB in Fort Frances Ontario interviewed CACTUS about station closures and the lack of access in many smaller communities that once had active community channels, including Fort Frances (now a Shaw system).

On January 26, 2010, The Georgia Straight and The Tyee published articles by Steve Andersen of Open Media about the suppression of the CRTC's own commissioned report about community TV in other countries (under pressure from Canada's largest cable operators), as well as about the annual spending and financials of Canada's cable companies and how they spend the community TV levy.

On January 25, 2010, the Winnipeg Free Press carried an op-ed from CACTUS arguing that communities should be granted control over community cable channels

On January 22, 2010 the Canadian Community Newspapers Association (CCNA) posted a story describing small towns' loss of access to cable community television here

On January 21, 2010 CACTUS issued a Canada News Wire release explaining how Canadians can respond to the CRTC's call for comments on community TV by the February 1, 2010 deadline, available here

On January 22, The Wire Report (subscription only) published a story about CACTUS proposal to reduce costs for communities to launch local media spaces here

On January 14, 2010, Mediacaster magazine covered CACTUS' concern about the CRTC's important community TV policy review and the lack of CRTC publicity about the review

On January 14, 2010, cartt.ca
published a story entitled "CACTUS accuses CRTC of keeping Canadians in the dark about community TV". (Cartt.ca is a subscription service.)

On January 13, 2010, Broadcaster magazine wrote about CACTUS' concern that the lack of information from the CRTC about the current state of community TV in Canada will make it difficult for Canadians to assess whether the CRTC's current community TV Policy has achieved its objectives

On December 22, 2009, CACTUS supporter Sid Tan was interviewed for
CBC's "On the Coast" program about access in Vancouver.

On December 20, 2009, Groundwire interviewed CACTUS spokesperson Cathy Edwards at length about the CACTUS proposal for multi-platform access production and distribution centres, which could include radio. Groundwire programming is shared among more than 30 community radio channels country-wide.

On December 10, 2009, Global National did a story about the CRTC hearings into local television and the fee-for-carriage issue. CACTUS spokesperson Cathy Edwards was featured talking about the increase in over-the-air TV viewers.

On December 8, 2009, Mediacaster highlighted the CACTUS proposal to the CRTC for providing community content and maintaining over-the-air service of Canada's major TV stations, without imposing new costs on consumers

On November 29, 2009, the Georgia Strait covered Metro Vancouver's planned CRTC submission denouncing Shaw Communications' administration of community TV in Vancouver.

On November 27, 2009, Medicaster covered CACTUS' presentation to the CRTC on November 25, 2009, in which CACTUS proposed a no-new-cost way to maintain, support and increase local programming

On October 26, 2009 Mediacaster quoted CACTUS regarding the $100 million annually that cable companies are mandated to use for community channels in local community, in the context of the CRTC's announcement that it will review its community
TV policy in spring 2010

On September 14, 2009 CBC New Brunswick ran the following segment on the New Brunswick community channel closures