Statement by NDP Culture critic Sarah Campbell on TVO ending over-the-air broadcast signal to communities outside Toronto

Sarah Campbell, Ontario NDP Culture Critic and MPP for Kenora-Rainy River, issued the following statement in response to the announcement that TVO will decommission eight over-the-air transmitters on July 31, 2017: 

'New Democrats are deeply concerned that Liberal government cuts to TV Ontario have resulted in this short-sighted decision to eliminate broadcast transmitters to eight Ontario communities.

'Ending over-the-air transmission of TV Ontario is unfair to families in these communities and will have a disproportionate impact on children and families in the north.   

'Children in Thunder Bay deserve access to a free signal providing dynamic educational programming from our public broadcaster as much as a child in Toronto. 

'Cutting transmitters will not only restrict free, public access, but it also ignores the cord-cutting trend that has seen many Ontarians return to OTA receivers.

'The Minister of Education must immediately consider the impact the loss of educational programming will have on young Ontarians in Belleville, Chatham, Cloyne, Kitchener, London, Ottawa, Thunder Bay and Windsor.

'As Ontario’s educational broadcaster, TVO has contributed to a richer understanding of our province and our world reaching most regions in our province for generations. The announcement to go dark, except for an additional cable fee, outside of Toronto goes against the spirit and mandate of this unique institution. 

 'This move should be reversed immediately. The Minister ‎of Education must take the necessary steps to protect access to educational programming for all Ontarians across our province.”