Toronto's pirate TV broadcaster continues to defy CRTC shutdown order
By JOHN MCKAY
TORONTO (CP) - A ring of the doorbell at the storefront studios of Star Ray TV elicits a barking welcome from Shadow the Wonder Dog.
Shadow is a year-old German shepherd that is not only official mascot and security guard for the low-power UHF station, but also a neighbourhood celebrity in her own right. She co-stars with her human host on the Creature Feature movie, apparently one of the community station's most popular programs. "All I wanted to do was run a TV station. I love broadcasting," says Jan Pachul, Star Ray's founder and owner.
"This cause-celebre thing came afterwards because I was just too outraged at what the CRTC was up to and I was sick of them getting away with it."
Pachul, 47, is referring to his current reputation as some kind of rebel, activist or TV pirate for continuing to operate his east-end Toronto TV service despite two licence rejections since 1998 and subsequent cease-and-desist warnings from federal broadcast regulators.
"I have as much right to be on the airwaves as anyone else. I'm a Canadian citizen, born in Toronto," he says defiantly.
Pachul makes quick mincemeat of the argument that there would be chaos if just anyone was allowed to fire up a transmitter and go on the air. He says that as the traffic cop managing the TV spectrum, Industry Canada had no problem with him being on Channel 15, covering a 12-kilometre radius - weather permitting - with his one-kilowatt transmitter, the location of which is unidentified for security reasons.
His problems are with the CRTC.
But there have been no complaints about his actual program content. It's an eclectic mix of music videos, talk shows focusing on community politics and the aforementioned Creature Feature horror movie. Pachul even takes a camcorder to a nearby hockey arena to tape games. And locals come to him as a "broadcaster of last resort" with their amateur productions.
He boasts an all-Canadian schedule during the prime-time hours from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., something, he notes wryly, other members of the private broadcasters' "old boys club" cannot claim.
"This stuff's actually pretty good," he boasts.
So if it isn't crowded airwaves or content, why is the CRTC opposed to him?
For one thing, although he is content to be just an over-the-air TV operation, CRTC rules require that local channels get mandatory coverage on basic cable, too, and licensed broadcasters don't want that. Cable would cover the whole city, while he is an east-end broadcaster only.
Beyond that, Pachul says the commissioners are backing cronies who now have a licence to print money by simulcasting U.S. programs.
"I saw the state of TV in Canada and thought I could do better than these guys," he says. "Little did I know that the CRTC was artificially propping up a bunch of guys that never would make it if there was real competition."
Does Star Ray have much of an audience? Pachul insists he has tremendous support around the neighbourhood. But his efforts at acquiring an understanding of audience demographics seem to consist of looking through the living-room window of the guy across the street who, apparently, always watches the Creature Feature.
Letters of intervention submitted to the CRTC indicate a following that is rabidly loyal although of questionable benefit.
"You corrupt screwheads should for once stop kowtowing to your corporate masters for jobs when your stint on the CRTC is done," wrote one Brian Peterson. "You lawyers should all burn in hell for what you've done to the art of communication."
Les Nirenberg, a TV producer-director, wrote about the TV conglomerate that applied for a specialty-channel licence that would supposedly be devoted to issues of concern to senior citizens.
"What we end up with is a station consisting mainly of U.S. TV reruns," he added, referring to Global's Prime TV.
Pachul doesn't think the authorities will actually try to physically shut him down. He's anticipating an imminent court order accusing him of contempt, something he expects to stall indefinitely with appeals. He handles his own legal affairs.
"I'm just not the type to roll over and play dead."
Of course his equipment, some of which rightfully belongs in a TV museum, could be confiscated by burly Mounties breaking through the door some night.
But - speaking of not rolling over - they'd have to deal with Shadow first.
By JOHN MCKAY
TORONTO (CP) - A ring of the doorbell at the storefront studios of Star Ray TV elicits a barking welcome from Shadow the Wonder Dog.
Shadow is a year-old German shepherd that is not only official mascot and security guard for the low-power UHF station, but also a neighbourhood celebrity in her own right. She co-stars with her human host on the Creature Feature movie, apparently one of the community station's most popular programs. "All I wanted to do was run a TV station. I love broadcasting," says Jan Pachul, Star Ray's founder and owner.
"This cause-celebre thing came afterwards because I was just too outraged at what the CRTC was up to and I was sick of them getting away with it."
Pachul, 47, is referring to his current reputation as some kind of rebel, activist or TV pirate for continuing to operate his east-end Toronto TV service despite two licence rejections since 1998 and subsequent cease-and-desist warnings from federal broadcast regulators.
"I have as much right to be on the airwaves as anyone else. I'm a Canadian citizen, born in Toronto," he says defiantly.
Pachul makes quick mincemeat of the argument that there would be chaos if just anyone was allowed to fire up a transmitter and go on the air. He says that as the traffic cop managing the TV spectrum, Industry Canada had no problem with him being on Channel 15, covering a 12-kilometre radius - weather permitting - with his one-kilowatt transmitter, the location of which is unidentified for security reasons.
His problems are with the CRTC.
But there have been no complaints about his actual program content. It's an eclectic mix of music videos, talk shows focusing on community politics and the aforementioned Creature Feature horror movie. Pachul even takes a camcorder to a nearby hockey arena to tape games. And locals come to him as a "broadcaster of last resort" with their amateur productions.
He boasts an all-Canadian schedule during the prime-time hours from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., something, he notes wryly, other members of the private broadcasters' "old boys club" cannot claim.
"This stuff's actually pretty good," he boasts.
So if it isn't crowded airwaves or content, why is the CRTC opposed to him?
For one thing, although he is content to be just an over-the-air TV operation, CRTC rules require that local channels get mandatory coverage on basic cable, too, and licensed broadcasters don't want that. Cable would cover the whole city, while he is an east-end broadcaster only.
Beyond that, Pachul says the commissioners are backing cronies who now have a licence to print money by simulcasting U.S. programs.
"I saw the state of TV in Canada and thought I could do better than these guys," he says. "Little did I know that the CRTC was artificially propping up a bunch of guys that never would make it if there was real competition."
Does Star Ray have much of an audience? Pachul insists he has tremendous support around the neighbourhood. But his efforts at acquiring an understanding of audience demographics seem to consist of looking through the living-room window of the guy across the street who, apparently, always watches the Creature Feature.
Letters of intervention submitted to the CRTC indicate a following that is rabidly loyal although of questionable benefit.
"You corrupt screwheads should for once stop kowtowing to your corporate masters for jobs when your stint on the CRTC is done," wrote one Brian Peterson. "You lawyers should all burn in hell for what you've done to the art of communication."
Les Nirenberg, a TV producer-director, wrote about the TV conglomerate that applied for a specialty-channel licence that would supposedly be devoted to issues of concern to senior citizens.
"What we end up with is a station consisting mainly of U.S. TV reruns," he added, referring to Global's Prime TV.
Pachul doesn't think the authorities will actually try to physically shut him down. He's anticipating an imminent court order accusing him of contempt, something he expects to stall indefinitely with appeals. He handles his own legal affairs.
"I'm just not the type to roll over and play dead."
Of course his equipment, some of which rightfully belongs in a TV museum, could be confiscated by burly Mounties breaking through the door some night.
But - speaking of not rolling over - they'd have to deal with Shadow first.
