Rogers Television has pulled the plug on its First Local news and information show to comply with the CRTC and air more local access programming.

First Local, a local news and information show that aired in some New Brunswick and Ontario markets, will be revamped to provide more local community access programming.

The move follows the CRTC last August mandating more community-based programming from Rogers and other domestic cable operators.

Julie Henson, director of programming and creative services at Rogers TV, told Playback Daily that canceling the First Local newscasts will not produce any job or budget chops.

Instead, funding will follow a re-jigged programming lineup as cable-backed community TV stations from January 1 spend at least 35% of their series expenditures directly on local access programming, with that obligation climbing to 50% by 2014.

Last year’s CRTC policy shift on community TV programming was prompted in part by concerns that cable-backed local TV stations were airing too much network programming that was produced in one market and distributed to a host of other markets.

More community access programming from Rogers TV means local TV stations in 34 individual Rogers markets will still cover local events.

But Rogers will also increase access to TV shows that were inspired by local people in an individual market.

The CRTC also wants a series’ creator to remain with Rogers to produce that programming and learn essential creative and production skills for TV.

Henson insisted Rogers will continue to field proposals for new shows from anyone, and from any genre, with an eye to finding the next Mike Myers or Tom Greene, both of whom broke into entertainment via community access programming.