Sky-high traffic updates are fading from Vancouver television—and that shift is sparking a national conversation. Global News and the Canadian Traffic Network (CTN) are ending their television traffic partnership, while CTN’s reports will continue to air on Corus Vancouver radio stations. CTN says Global News will no longer broadcast airborne traffic updates. The two organizations describe the move as a mutual business decision. If you’ve followed CKNW Radio or watched Global News, you’ve seen CTN deliver traffic from a helicopter, providing a high-level view of road conditions and helping drivers gauge what lies ahead. A Corus spokesperson told Daily Hive that CTN informed them CTN could no longer support helicopter traffic services across the TV markets currently served by CTN, and because Corus is a national broadcaster it made little sense to have inconsistent coverage across markets. As a result, they mutually agreed to end the TV traffic services while continuing the radio partnership. The changes affect Global News outlets nationwide, while Corus stations such as CKNW will keep receiving CTN’s traffic reports. CTN added that their 20-year partnership remains strong for providing traffic updates to Corus Entertainment radio properties across Canada. In Vancouver, traffic reporting has seen shifts in recent years, notably with the loss of AM730, a station dedicated to continuous traffic updates. CKNW, which used to broadcast on 980 AM, has transitioned to the 730 AM signal. AM730 faded from the air last summer. Earlier this year, CKNW took over the old signal. On a positive note for road users, DriveBC updated its traffic tools earlier this year. And here’s the part many people miss: the shift away from TV-based helicopter updates could affect how and where you get your traffic information. Do you prefer the dynamic aerial view you’ve seen on TV, or a uniform radio-based approach across markets? What’s your take on this split? Share your thoughts in the comments.
