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Community Broadcasting: Hi-Tech Represents a New Twist

1984; Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Volume: 10; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.22230/cjc.1984v10n3a346

1499-6642

Thomas L. McPhail, Brenda M. Downey,

Cultural Industries and Urban Development

Throughout Canadian broadcasting history, there have been various community attempts to inititiate their own broadcasting systems. Commencing with radio, through self help video groups, down to current community owned television-receive only (TVRO) systems, Canada has had an impressive track record. This article reports a case study of two small Alberta communities that received no outside television signals, neither CBC or CTV, or distant U.S. signals. As a result, the communities on their own initiatives went ahead and purchased TVROs so that quickly the townspeople became part of the 20th Century in terms of broadcasting options. However, the new television options were United States' networks, United States' pay networks. The article reports findings from a survey in the communities, discusses the Federal response, and outlines some of the potential policy problems created by technology.