The longtime North Battleford rebroadcast signal of CFQC-TV Saskatoon is no more.
The North Battleford transmitter for CTV Saskatoon has been shut down, meaning residents are not able to obtain the station by rabbit ears on channel 6.
CTV Saskatoon has confirmed to the News-Optimist the transmitter has been permanently shut down, and those seeking to watch the station in the Battlefords area will have no choice now but to use cable or satellite providers, or watch online.
The final shutdown of the signal took place early last week.
The shutdown is in line with a CRTC decision from July 2019, in which the commission approved Bell Media’s application to close down 28 analog rebroadcast transmitters for CTV stations across Canada, including North Battleford and Stranraer, starting on Feb. 26, 2021.
The reason cited by Bell Media in their application was “in order to improve cost effectiveness and to coordinate with the digital television (DTV) transition schedule mandated by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.”
In the past decade CBC and Radio-Canada have also closed their local analog TV transmitters in North Battleford.
