[1] Although short-lived and often in conflict with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission over its lack of a broadcast license, the service did have the effect of forcing Canada's major commercial television networks to add rebroadcast transmitters in a number of communities they had previously ignored.
[1] In the Globe interview, Brough clarified that his position was that he was simply using a different technological method to deliver a service legally and ethically no different from a cable television provider.
[2] Brough was a special education teacher at an institution for the mentally challenged and an entertainer for the Toronto-based Uncle Bobby children's TV series.
In 1971, Brough created a prototype television program in Yellowknife using portable videotape technology and demonstrated this to the CBC's board of directors.
Brough installed the first Northern Access Network station at Pickle Lake, Ontario in December 1976 with support by Umex, the operator of a local mine.
[4] On 2 February 1978, the Longlac transmitter was seized by RCMP and Ontario Provincial Police officers accompanied by a representative from the federal Department of Communications.
[4] Brough recorded television programming in Toronto, primarily from the commercial networks CTV and Global, onto Betamax tapes which he then sent to the stations for broadcast.
The initial Pickle Lake station featured a tower of 60 feet (18 m) supported by a one watt transmitter to provide an approximately 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) coverage area.
[4][6][7][10] In early 1978, Manitoba stations were established at Gillam, Leaf Rapids and Lynn Lake, where the only existing television at the time was from CBC.