Wednesday, February 15, 2006

CFJC-TV - serving Kamloops and much of the BC Central Interior - to drop CBC programming

If you live in or around the following areas, this change affects you: Kamloops, Chase, Clinton, Merritt, 100 Mile House (and 108 Mile Ranch), Nicola, Pritchard and Quesnel.

This change seemed to come more or less out of the blue, aside from the occasional TV ad saying they are going"independent". For the record, here's the CRTC ruling that gave them permission to do this.

A friend e-mailed this query to CFJC:
Will CFJC have any CBC content after February 27th? Hockey night in Canada or National News?
From CFJC's reply:
As of February 27th, CFJC-TV will no longer carry any CBC programming. The full CBC schedule will be available on your local cable outlet or on either StarChoice or Bell Expressvue satellite systems. - Dave Somerton, CFJC-TV, Feb. 15, 2006
His response:
Frankly, its absolutely shameful that South Cariboo residents without access to cable (such as ourselves) or unable to afford a satellite T.V. system (such as our family) will no longer have access to our national broadcaster - C.B.C. This means no national news, special broadcasts, (in the event of national or international emergencies) Olympic coverage, Hockey night in Canada, etc, etc. CFJC's new, independent programming is not good news in our area, sir!! I will be contacting C.B.C. with our concern in the wildest hope that successful negotiations to resume C.B.C. content on your television station can take place.
Like my friend, I am not happy about this and I suspect many residents of the affected areas will feel likewise. Comments, updates and corrections very welcome. And, if you want to ask CBC about this or tell them what you think about it, here's one way:

CBC BC, programming comments and questions
Audience Relations:
TEL: 1-866-306-4636

UPDATE

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

From the rumors I've heard, CFJC was on the verge of going out of business because of a restrictive sales agreement between CBC and its local affiliates. So apparently it was either find a new way to make money in the business (which is already deteriorating because of the popularity of satellite TV/HDTV), or go off the air in the next two or three years.

Which would you prefer? I'll take local news/entertainment programs however they can come, thanks very much. Notice how many local TV programs still exist in this country (and especially in this province)? Not too many...and the way things are going, within ten years you'll see many other CBC affiliates like PGTV fall off the face of the earth, bought out and turned into repeater stations broadcasting Global or Bell Globemedia's wealthy, Vancouver-centric channels.

It's hard for those of us out there who are dependent on the old rabbit ears for our television--but for god's sake, turn on your radio if you're that obsessed with the CBC.

Jeffrey Newman said...

TV Watcher,

I did say "comments welcome" - and your comment is welcome. However your uninformed assessment of my view as an "obsession" cast a shadow on the rest of what you had to say. That comment about listening to CBC radio as a substitute makes no sense. I detect some anger sneaking out there (at me?!).

I do happen to think that CBC TV is superior to any other channel and, being fortunate enough to have cable, will continue to watch it - whichever of the two CBC options Shaw Cable opts for. Unfortunately my friend, whose correspondence I quoted, is not so fortunate. He and the 5% who cannot get or afford to get cable will be deprived of their connection to CBC. I understand the trends you describe but I don't have to like them, especially when they hit the least fortunate the hardest.

Anonymous said...

I just used a cbc search engine to read more about this situation -- it brought me to this site. Nice work Jeffrey.

Not a word about the change on cbc's site!

Maybe indicative of cfjc's move.

Anonymous said...

Hello

I wanted to let everyone know that a group of Kamloops residents have taken up the cause for those affected by the disassociation. We've collected a LOT of information, made key contacts in Ottawa, and have a petition circulating the city. Note that we are fighting for Kamloops and area. I've sent letters to the editor to Quesnel, 100 Mile House, Williams Lake and Clinton about this issue. (I'm formerly a resident of Quesnel. The Cariboo is near and dear to my heart!)

Check us out at www.saveourcbckamloops.ca

Please contact us for a copy of the petition.

Pam Astbury
President - Save Our CBC Kamloops