Plan to attend our general meeting in October.

Stay tuned.

SOCK  Newsletter August, 2009

POP QUIZ
(Answer below)

1.  How many Canadians use rabbit ears (or antennas) to watch TV?  

a) 100,000
b) 1,200,000
c) 5,600,000
d) 11,000,000

Kamloops wants free TV


If they had a choice, one-third of Kamloopsians would pick a package of 6 free TV channels instead of cable or satellite, according to a recent poll commissioned by the Canadian Media Guild.

If Canada's broadcast regulator has its way, that choice we won't be offered.  The CRTC says that only 29 cities across Canada must provide over-the-air digital TV after the switchover in 2011.  Kamloops isn't one of them.   Only Vancouver and Victoria are privileged to receive the superior service.

Right now, only about six per cent of Kamloopsians watch TV over-the-air but that's because we only have three channels to watch.  Five times that many would watch a free digital package if it were offered according to the poll. 

Thirty-three per cent would switch to a free package consisting of

• CBC

• CFJC*

• GLOBAL*

• CTV

• KNOWLEGE NETWORK

• RADIO CANADA (in French)*

 *Currently available over the air

Full Report

Most Kamloopsians don't know about the new, improved, free TV that is sweeping North America.

According to a recent poll (above), 75 per cent of Kamloopsians weren't aware that digital TV was already being enjoyed by Americans and Canadians in big cities.

They didn't know that they could get free TV programs with picture quality as good or better than cable or satellite.

Citizens were unaware that they could pick a six-channel digital "package" of channels with only rabbit-ear antennas.

Why are we being kept in the dark about all these new possibilities? 

A better question is to reflect on who would gain by advertising a free over-the-air tier of TV?  Certainly not cable and satellite companies.   They were the beneficiaries of the loss of free CBC that happened three years ago when CFJC TV dropped CBC programming.  They would have the most to lose if people abandoned pay TV for free TV.

Not our local broadcasters who currently supply over-the-air TV.  Why on earth would they want you to know that you could get more selection when that would only dilute the existing audience?

Choice is a great thing as long as it doesn't affect the bottom line.  Otherwise, it's best that you don't know.

Join our FaceBook Group

Join thousands of Canadians who have already asked Parliament to  restore the CBC

 YOUR SOCK EXECUTIVE

President: Pam Astbury Email Pam
Vice President: Hugh Jordan Email Hugh
Secretary Treasurer/ Editor: David Charbonneau Email David

Donations may be made by purchasing Alternative Gift Certificates for $20 at The Smorgasbord Deli, 225-7th Ave, Kamloops, or by sending a cheque made out to S.O.C.K. to 830 Rue Chez Nous, Kamloops, V2B 6E9. Because we are a lobby group, we can't issue receipts for tax purposes but we will acknowledge donations in subsequent  newsletters unless requested not to.

Additions and Deletions. If you know of someone who might want to receive this email, forward it to them and ask them to email David Charbonneau.  If you don't want to receive this email, please let us know.

  SOCK Website