The Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced today that Canadian conventional TV channels must conduct a national consumer awareness campaign about the upcoming transition to digital TV set to take place Aug. 31.
Stations must begin showing the ads by May 1.
Channels will be required to air a minimum of six ads a day, with at least a quarter of the ads running in the key 7-11 p.m. time period. The ads must be at least 30 seconds long, be closed-captioned and contain audio descriptions.
The CRTC said that the ads must feature statements about the following:
• the Canadian television system is in the process of converting its over-the-air transmitters from analogue to digital
• some viewers may experience a loss of service following the conversion, if applicable
• over-the-air viewers may need to take steps to continue receiving and viewing the station’s over-the-air programming after the conversion, and an indication of where further information can be found.
The spots must also include the licensee’s contact information and website address.
The impending switch will require those consumers currently receiving over-the-air TV via traditional antennas or rabbit ears to upgrade to either a digital TV or a digital converter box.
It’s estimated that 9.6% of Canadian households currently receive television broadcasts over the air.
