News wire plans broad coverage in Algoma.

Broadcast media convergence across the North has opened the doors to a new Internet venture in Sault Ste. Marie.

The fledgling LTV News began broadcasting local news, weather and sports through their Web site at the beginning of October.

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Headed by former MCTV news director Craig Huckerby, LTV's president, CEO and on-air "weather guy," the staff of a dozen employees were working double-time to iron out the early technical glitches and stockpile a library of video content in returning community-based newscasts to the Sault audience.

"We're almost making it up as we go along," says Huckerby, who has been championing for a return to community-based television news broadcasts since MCTV announced in late 2001 it was consolidating its operations for northeastern Ontario from Sudbury.

"There is nothing to base this operation on. We've created the model and we're still creating the model of what works and what doesn't."

With his initial investment of $5,000, Huckerby partnered with his sister Angela Pezzoti and Jere Devlin, a former MCTV employee. They mortgaged their homes and secured $100,000 that was matched by the Business Development Bank of Canada to buy equipment and set aside operating expenses to launch the new Internet-based station, believed to be the first of its kind in Canada.

The station added some credibility by luring well-known sportscaster Jim Fitzpatrick away from MCTV and naming him news director along with local broadcasting personality Lou-Anne Young as on-air talent.

Instead of pursuing a community TV licence from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunication Commission, Huckerby and his associates opted for the fastest, cheapest way to get on the air, via the Internet, which has no licensing requirements and is regulation-free.

With a thrice-daily newcast, LTV is out covering city hall, high school sports, community features and breaking news with a staff of 12, including reporters, videographers, production staff and sales representatives working out of a former modelling studio near the downtown.

Utilizing technology that encodes video on a Flash platform, viewers can click on a thumbnail window to view an entire news package of between a half hour and 40 minutes to individual video clip stories.

Further plans are in the works next year to establish two-person news bureaus in Wawa, Elliot Lake and Blind River to cover the entire Algoma district and feed stories into the Web site.

Almost two weeks into the venture, Huckerby says LTV is profitable, having easily surpassed the sales forecast in their business plan for the inaugural month.

"We were only expecting to bring in $20,000 in our first month; we've hit $68,000," says Huckerby, who is heartened by the outpouring of support from the business community, but admits it is "scary" to maintain that kind of momentum.

"The business community wants to see this go and obviously they're putting their money on the table."

Huckerby says major networks such as Global and CTV are abandoning smaller regional markets in favour of pursuing national advertising dollars, and news coverage of the North is paying the price. Small retailers who normally would not advertise on television are coming on board LTV.

On opening day, 2,111 viewers visited the Web site, generating about 300,000 hits, and with "each hit a commercial is being played." says Huckerby, who hopes to boost that to 7,000 a day.

Their long-range plans to pursue a conventional television licence will depend upon the success of the Internet product. With the uncertainty in the television market over where the new high definition and digital technologies are going. Huckerby says it makes no sense today to invest big bucks in a transmitter and tower through a conventional TV station.

LTV's largest audience is outside the Sault with Web site hits from France, Belgium, Russia, Germany and Australia.

www.ltvnews.com

By IAN ROSS

Northern Ontario Business