Search Results for: quebecor

Radio / Television News

Quebecor Out-of-Home division to acquire Media Group’s NEO-OOH advertising business

Quebecor Media announced last week its Quebecor Out-of-Home division has reached an agreement in principle with Montreal-based Media Group Inc. to acquire NEO-OOH’s Canada-wide out-of-home advertising business. Financial details were not disclosed about the transaction, which is subject to customary conditions and is expected to close in the coming weeks, a Quebecor Media press release said. When the deal closes, Quebecor Out-of-Home’s advertising network footprint will expand to more than 17,000 advertising faces across Canada, the release said. NEO’s out-of-home (OOH) networks include more than 3,000 advertising faces at more than 600 sites in 250 communities across nine… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Martin Spalding named to helm of Cogeco Media

By Connie Thiessen Martin Spalding has been named the new president of Cogeco Media. Spalding succeeds Caroline Paquet, who had held the role since July 2021. Paquet came into the job after almost two decades with Quebecor, with her most recent title there being vice president of marketing and content at Vidéotron. A former Bell and Astral executive, Spalding has been in the Montreal market for more than 30 years. Up until 2021, he served as Bell Media’s regional vice president and general manager of local radio and television for eight years, overseeing 10 general managers in the day-to-day operations of… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Videotron adds 45 more destinations to Canada-International mobile plan

Quebecor’s Videotron announced Wednesday it has added 45 new destinations to its Canada-International mobile plan. “Starting today, subscribers to the Canada-International plan can use their mobile service in Australia, Japan, India, Vietnam, Sweden, Iceland and more,” says a Videotron press release. Subscribers can now travel to a total of 66 international destinations and stay in touch without worrying about roaming charges, the release says. Current Canada-International subscribers will have the new destinations added to their plan at no extra charge, while new customers can sign up for the 25 GB phone plan at… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Blue Ant PNI reduction request ‘unprecedented,’ would harm system: creatives

By Ahmad Hathout Media company Blue Ant’s request to reduce its obligations to programs of national interest (PNI) from 13.5 to five per cent of annual revenues is “unprecedented” and would spell the loss of an important contribution to the content production system, creatives are saying in submission published Tuesday. The Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) said in an opposing submission to Blue Ant’s July request that the Toronto-based company’s PNI spending is essential to independent productions and the expression of diversity of Canadian and indigenous talent. “Blue Ant’s historical PNI report is a testimony of the broadcaster’s important… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Federal Court of Appeal dismisses Rovi case against telecoms in patent dispute

The Federal Court of Appeal (FCA) has upheld a lower court ruling in 2022 that found Videotron’s illico set top box platform did not violate patented technology claimed by U.S.-based Rovi, now known as Adeia Guides. The FCA said in its August 6 decision that Rovi’s appeal was dismissed as “the Federal Court did not make a reviewable error in its obviousness analysis concerning the 870 Patent and the 344 Patent” — two of four patents at the centre of Rovi’s original patent infringement claims against Videotron involving interactive television program guide technology. In its… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

CRTC expands last-mile fibre regime nationwide, blocks incumbent access in operating territory

Competitors are left wondering about rates and implications of five-year access immunity By Ahmad Hathout The CRTC on Tuesday ordered the largest telephone companies to provide wholesale access to their existing last-mile fibre networks across the country by February 13, 2025, but is shielding from the regime any new builds for five years. The order is an expansion of the temporary regime ordered in November 2023 that forced Bell and Telus to provide competitors bundled access to their middle- and last-mile fibre networks in Ontario and Quebec, which has been in force since May 7. The CRTC will keep the existing rates… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Videotron to launch illico+ subscription service, combining Club illico and Vrai

Quebecor’s Videotron announced Tuesday it is consolidating its French-language content offerings Club illico and Vrai into a single subscription video-on-demand platform, illico+, which will launch Oct. 23. Providing a seamless transition for existing subscribers of both platforms on Helix and illico, the illico+ platform will include scripted, unscripted and specialized content, including Quebec and international exclusives, movies and TV series for all audiences, true crime documentaries, docu-reality shows, reality series, comedy programming and more, Videotron says in a press release. “Videotron will maintain its content creation investments to keep showcasing local original productions,” the release reads. “More committed… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Quebecor announces two executive appointments at Videotron and Freedom Mobile

Quebecor announced Monday two members of its management team have been appointed to new positions at subsidiary Videotron and Freedom Mobile. Effective Monday, Jean-François Lescadres becomes senior vice president and chief financial officer of Videotron and Freedom Mobile, and Jean B. Péladeau becomes senior vice president and chief marketing officer of the two companies. “Jean-François Lescadres and Jean B. Péladeau are seasoned managers who have held various strategic positions over the years and played key roles in Quebecor’s growth, particularly its success in establishing itself as Canada’s fourth major mobile carrier,” said Quebecor CEO and president Pierre Karl… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Quebecor reports big wireless additions in second quarter

By Ahmad Hathout Quebecor on Thursday reported its telecom division added over 300,000 new wireless customers, which its CEO attributed to a steadfast strategy of providing attractive low-cost plans after the acquisition of Freedom Mobile. Videotron ended the quarter on June 30 with a total of 3.9 million subscribers, up from the roughly 3.6 million it had by the end of the same quarter last year — which also included the Freedom Mobile subscriber base, purchased in April 2023. “There will be nothing stopping us,” Quebecor CEO Pierre Karl Peladeau declared on a second-quarter conference call Thursday, referencing the year-over-year increase of… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Rogers asks CRTC to mediate in Ottawa city rights-of-way impasse

By Ahmad Hathout Rogers is asking for the CRTC’s assistance in breaking an impasse in which the cable company and the city of Ottawa cannot come to an agreement on certain terms for a new municipal access agreement (MAA). The parties have been working since their previous 10-year MAA expired at the end of 2020 to resolve particular issues related to matters primarily centered on the cost of relocation. Rogers writes in its Part 1 application, made public on Friday, that the parties have agreed on many terms of the new MAA, including that relocation costs – with some exceptions – should… Continue Reading