Metro Vancouver officials worried about potential loss of Shaw Channel 4

Metro Vancouver officials are expected to make a pitch to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to save local and community programming, arguing they need a public channel to stay in touch and inform the region’s residents about civic affairs. Regional officials are slated to present the submission to the CRTC on Feb. 2, as part of a public hearing into a review of the commission’s policy framework for local and community television programming. Their main concern is that the portion of a levy currently allocated to the development of community programming — about two per cent of a cable bill — could be reallocated to local, commercial television stations and result in the demise of the Shaw Channel 4.