MLAs banished to the soap opera slot

Nunavut MLAs aren’t happy about getting bounced out of APTN’s prime-time viewing hours after they resume sitting in Iqaluit next week, and they’re writing to the APTN’s board and the CRTC to complain.

The Nunavut legislative assembly will start a new session in Iqaluit on Nov. 14, this coming Tuesday. They’ll sit for about 10 days.

Nunavut television viewers may watch their legislative assembly on APTN from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. eastern time, Monday to Friday. Because of Nunavut’s time zone differences, Kivalliq residents may see it between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., while Kitikmeot residents may see it between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

But Nunavut MLAs want their show moved out of the soap opera slot and back into prime-time hours of 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Along with the legislatures of Yukon and the Northwest Territories, they’re writing a joint letter to APTN’s board of directors, and to the CRTC, to complain about APTN’s scheduling decision.

“APTN’s plan results in less prime-time aboriginal language programming,” said Levi Barnabas, the MLAs’ caucus chair, said in a press release this week.

Early last month, APTN kicked off a new prime-time news and current affairs package that starts at 7 p.m. eastern standard time — covering the same time slot that MLAs covet.