Raise the Hammer

If you listen to Radio One from Toronto you have to regard it as an inequity that Hamilton is part of 99.1's broadcast range and gets virtually no coverage by that station. A lot of resources go into CBC local programming on radio, which is why private broadcasters will oppose local Hamilton CBC programming. Metro Morning is number one in Toronto because it covers developments in the GTA comprehensively and intelligently,

What we are talking about is, at most, six hours of local programming between the morning show and the afternoon "drive-time" show plus five minute local newscasts on the half hour. The rest is network programming.

That portion of the broadcast day would make a huge difference to Hamilton and the surrounding area--coverage of local politics, social issues, community events, business, food, arts and culture.

I find it difficult to understand the contention that there is already enough local media. Not enough to properly cover the recent civic election I'd say. And to those who say that Hamilton has enough music radio I'd say that the limited amount of coverage that Hamilton CBC would give to local musicians would greatly benefit the music scene here.

Having had a role in a campus community station and valuing what those stations offer I do not see the sharing of the sharing of a frequency as a solution that furthers choice on the radio. CBC should offer local programming in as many places as it is able. Synergies aside, I don't see why that should happen at the expense of community stations.

Internet broadcasting is an option for listeners but a lot of people still depend upon radios for live broadcasting even if their devices now come with I-Pod docks. The great obstacle to CBC expanding into Hamilton is the expense of a local operation to a public corporation already hurting for funds and operating in a hostile political environment. Another factor is the perversity of CRTC licensing decisions.

There certainly are many options to local radio that didn't exist in the past. I can listen to a station from New Orleans or BBC over the internet without difficulty. Still, Radio One offers a form of live talk radio for which there is an established and continuing demand. I don't expect CBC in Hamilton to happen but it would a great benefit to the city if it did.