3 Radio Stations and 1 TV station Off

[WPGGUY]

Winnipeg Sun July 23

COMMUNICATIONS-TOWER FIRE PUTS STATIONS OFF THE AIR

A fire atop a communications tower just south of Winnipeg interrupted the signals of a local TV station and at least three radio stations yesterday.
A Winnipeg Fire Department spokesman said the electrical fire, reported shortly before 1 p.m., was about 210 metres off the ground.
Damage to the tower is estimated at $500,000.
No one was injured and the cause is under investigation. The tower is located at 3488 St. Mary's Rd., several kilometres south of the Perimeter Highway.


People who tuned to OMNI TV or radio stations 92 CITI FM, 102.3 Clear FM and HOT 103 FM were treated to colour bars or static. The stations were off-air last night. It was unknown when they would return to air.
Rogers Communications owns OMNI TV, 92 CITI FM and 102.3 Clear FM, while HOT 103 is owned by Standard Radio





Winnipeg Sun July 24, 2007

MacGyver work' has stations on air


A handful of local radio stations are hoping to be broadcasting normally today or tomorrow after a transmission tower fire disrupted their signals Sunday.

Radio stations 92 CITI FM, 102.3 Clear FM and HOT 103 FM and television station OMNI TV all went off the air about 1 p.m. Sunday when an electrical fire broke out about 225 metres from ground level on a St. Mary's Road transmitter south of the city.

Both CITI FM and HOT 103 developed makeshift transmitters yesterday but managers at both stations say things won't get back to normal until new antennas are installed.

"Our engineers did some full-on MacGyver work," said HOT 103 program director Ace Burpee, referring to the problem-solving TV character.

Rogers Communications-owned CITI FM and Clear FM got their modified transmitter on-air yesterday afternoon. General manager Geoff Poulton said the situation was stressful for management but added there's nothing they can do but wait.

OMNI TV appeared to be broadcasting normally yesterday.

Poulton said the cause of the fire, which caused up to $500,000 damage, has yet to be determined.