In Canada's capital, Bell Media's transition to LED lighting enhances creative flexibility and reduces energy consumption, while advancing corporate sustainability Goals.

For Canada's leading media and entertainment company, reliable studio lighting is essential to keeping daily television productions on the air. At Bell Media's Ottawa broadcast facility, that need has driven a years-long transition from traditional incandescent and fluorescent lighting to a modern LED infrastructure built around Elation broadcast lighting solutions. Far more than a fixture swap, the transition has modernized broadcast operations, reduced energy consumption and supported Bell Media's sustainability goals, all while giving lighting operators greater creative options.

Housed in a unique two-story former shopping mall-the Market Media Mall building in downtown Ottawa-Bell Media's broadcast facility is a bright, open-concept workspace, with original escalators and elevators adding to the building's distinctive character. The facility, home to CTV Ottawa (CJOH) and CTV2 Ottawa (CHRO) along with four Bell Media radio stations, operates in a shared production environment that supports multiple live broadcasts every day. The studios host CTV Your Morning Ottawa, a three-hour morning program, before transitioning to CTV News' daily news productions, demanding lighting systems that are both dependable and adaptable.

Leading the modernization effort has been Robert Edgley, Director of Engineering & Information Technology and Facilities Manager, Bell Media Ottawa, who has spent 35 years in Canadian television and radio engineering. "Our productions all have their own visual identity," said Edgley. "Our morning show uses warm yellow tones while our news broadcasts use cooler blue looks. With the Elation fixtures we can change the entire feel of the studio in moments without swapping gels or reconfiguring the lighting."

LED Transition a Long-term Investment
The transition to LED began in 2017, when Bell Media built a new green room that required compact, efficient fixtures. Working with longtime lighting supplier Christie Lites Sales and Account Manager Olivier Alarie, who helped evaluate LED solutions, Edgley selected Elation fixtures for the project, marking the beginning of Bell Media's long-term relationship with the brand.

Since then, Bell Media has steadily replaced incandescent and fluorescent fixtures throughout its studios with Elation LED lighting as part of a broader modernization initiative. 2023 saw the installation of warm-white KL Fresnel 6 luminaires, followed in 2024 by full-color KL Fresnel 6 FC fixtures and additional KL Fresnel 6 units. Optimized for the demanding requirements of television production, the fixtures deliver high-output, high-CRI illumination, precise color temperature control, and even wash coverage. The latest phase, completed in 2026, adds more KL Fresnel 6 and KL Fresnel 6 FC fixtures along with full-color KL Panel soft lights, bringing the facility even closer to its goal of becoming virtually incandescent-free.

TruSpectrum™
The full-color KL Panel features TruSpectrum™, Elation's multicolor LED platform with integrated control over individual fixture performance and cross-fixture consistency. The multi-emitter RGBWLC LED engine produces a broad spectral foundation for whites, skin tones, pastels and saturated colors. With a CRI of 95, a CCT range of 2000K to 10000K, selectable in 1-degree increments, and extensive color-tuning capabilities, the fixture gives Bell Media's Ottawa broadcast facility the flexibility to produce nuanced white light and a wide range of colors.

From Heat and Gels to Full-Color LED
The conversion has transformed both the technical and creative capabilities of the studios. Legacy lighting systems relied on high-wattage incandescent fixtures with colored gels to create different looks. Today's Elation LED fixtures provide full-spectrum color mixing, eliminating the need for gels while allowing operators to instantly change the appearance of a set. Their broad color range and versatility have also consolidated multiple lighting functions into fewer fixtures, reducing the overall fixture count.

The LED upgrade has also dramatically reduced power consumption and heat generated in the studios. "Moving to LED allowed us to lower our overall electrical load, eliminate gels, and reduce the heat load," Edgley explained. "That means less demand on our HVAC systems while giving us much more flexibility with color."

Supporting Bell Media's Sustainability Goals
The energy savings have aligned closely with Bell Canada's corporate environmental initiatives. Bell Media has been working toward ambitious carbon reduction goals across its operations, making the lighting upgrade part of the company's sustainability strategy.

According to Edgley, replacing incandescent fixtures with Elation LED fixtures has reduced the facility's electrical costs by at least 40 percent while substantially lowering cooling requirements. "When we moved in here, everything was incandescent lighting, 160,000 watts easily in two studios," he said. "We were able to show that this project would reduce electricity consumption, reduce our cooling load, and contribute to Bell's carbon reduction objectives. From both an operational and environmental standpoint, it made complete sense."

Perhaps most impressive, the investment paid for itself in approximately one year. "When you can demonstrate that kind of return, the decision becomes very straightforward," Edgley added. "The savings spoke for themselves."

Reliability for Daily Broadcast
While energy efficiency was a major driver, reliability proved equally important. The studios produce live programming throughout the day, requiring equipment that performs consistently under demanding production schedules. Availability also played a significant role during purchasing decisions.

"In television, you're rarely given months to prepare," Edgley said. "Production schedules move fast, so having equipment available when we needed it was important. The Elation lights checked the box for availability, and the build quality is excellent. Everything has been positive, which is why we've stayed with Elation."

Continuing the Transition
Today, Bell Media continues replacing the remaining incandescent fixtures across its Ottawa studios to complete the transition by the end of the summer. Programming of the lighting system is handled by Technical Production Supervisor Pat Seguin, whose responsibilities span audio, cameras, graphics, and lighting for the facility's daily productions.

The continued investment in Elation lighting comes as Elation strengthens its support for Canadian customers with the establishment of Elation Canada in April 2026. The dedicated Canadian branch was created to bring the company's full brand and service capabilities closer to customers across the country, providing enhanced local support, resources, and access to Elation's growing portfolio of professional lighting solutions.

Working closely with Christie Lites Sales and Alarie throughout the multi-year project, Bell Media has steadily built an LED lighting infrastructure that supports the demanding requirements of modern broadcast production, while helping advance the company's sustainability objectives.

Photos courtesy of Bell Media