The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday, Jan. 30, edition that Canada's broadcast regulator has chosen to preserve the status quo for free over-the-air television signals, but it may not be business as usual for the local stations that use them. The Globe's James Bradshaw writes that broadcasters have argued the business model for local television is broken. Some stations are now consistent money-losers and their owners say they need an infusion of new revenue to keep some outlets from closing. BCE's Bell Media and the CBC argued they should be allowed to shut down transmitters that broadcast their signals for free, and instead charge a fee, while keeping prime spots on the TV dial. Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission chairman Jean-Pierre Blais poured cold water on both ideas on Thursday, saying, "Canadians reacted and told us that the time had not yet come" to abandon free television. However, he also chastised the large media companies that control local stations for crying poor. Mr. Blais is adamant that local TV is still "where most people go and get their news and information." A majority of Canadians surveyed want to maintain over-the-air signals.