Has CBC gone pirate?

[Richard Chonak]

The CBC has been shutting down its transmitter site at Sackville, NB, 
over the past few weeks since it ended the shortwave broadcasts of Radio 
Canada International, and its one remaining broadcast from the site may 
possibly be operating without a licence.

CBC took a 10% budget cut for 2012 but got even with the government by 
making an 80% budget cut in the international service RCI.  As a result, 
it cut RCI's operations down to one weekly web radio show in five 
languages and dropping two languages altogether (Russian and Portuguese).

After RCI shortwave ended in June, Sackville transmitters stayed active 
to fulfill contracts with other international broadcasters whose 
programs were relayed via CBC antennas. Now that those broadcasts have 
ended, technicians have started dismantling equipment, leaving just two 
transmitters and two antennas for the CBC Nord Quebec service on 9625 kHz.

That service may actually be an illegal pirate operation at the moment: 
the CRTC revoked CBC's shortwave licence effective November 1, since CBC 
plans to replace the Nord Quebec shortwave service with a collection of 
50-watt FM transmitters in northern villages.   CRTC granted that 
application for a license and revoked the Sackville shortwave license, 
effective November 1.
http://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2012/2012-602.htm

However, as of yesterday, the 9625 kHz channel was still active, since 
the new FMs aren't operational yet, and may not be installed and tested 
for several weeks.

More info at: http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=13869

Sadly, the tear-down may not have been necessary: upstart broadcaster 
PCJ Media, based in Taipei and run by a Canadian expat, expressed 
interest in leasing the facility as a relay service for hire, and 
figured it could turn a profit within a couple of years.

--RC