OTTAWA – One vague paragraph from multi-faceted release from the Department of Canadian Heritage late Friday says the provinces, led by Quebec, will soon delve into the impact new technologies are having and will have on Canadian cultural policies.
The communiqué – one of those nebulous press releases where everyone’s agreed to agree upon – came out of a meeting this week between federal and provincial cultural ministers in Banff and covered many issues, from museums to tourism.
The paragraph the Canadian cable, radio, television and telecom industry might be concerned with says:
“Quebec agreed to take the lead…
Continue Reading
THE LOCKOUT AT THE CBC is entering its fifth week because no one in senior management is directly responsible or accountable for their actions.
Consider this: CBC president Robert Rabinovitch approved the plan to lockout 5,500 people as a way to force extreme concessions – namely a staff structure with far more reliance on temporary work.
Based on the emails to Rabinovitch that are copied to me and based on general media coverage, I don’t think this approach is resonating with Canadians, even the most conservative of them. But who exactly can redirect Rabinovitch?
There’s the rub. The CBC’s…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – Now that the two new Canadian satellite radio companies were scared into committing to more French language channels (going from three to four, or half of the Canadian channels they each will have), the federal cabinet issued a statement today saying it won’t interfere with the CRTC decision on the matter.
After two months of enormous lobbying pressure from all sides, as reported extensively by www.cartt.ca, Minister of Canadian Heritage Liza Frulla and Minister of Industry David Emerson late this afternoon said that cabinet decided to let the decision stand.
After looking at several…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – Writer Guy Fournier has been proposed as the next chairman of the board of the CBC by Canadian Heritage Minister Liza Frulla.
Fournier will now face the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage for approval, which is basically a rubber-stamp. Fournier replaces Carole Taylor, who quit earlier this year to enter provincial politics in British Columbia.
“I am pleased to recommend such a distinguished Quebecker and Canadian like Mr. Fournier for this important role,” said Minister Frulla in her press release. “It goes without saying that his vast experience in newspapers, film, television and the theatre will be of…
Continue Reading
MONTREAL – Canadian Satellite Radio and Sirius Canada have announced they will each carry an equal number of English and French stations when they launch.
As part of their conditions of licence, each satellite radio service is required to launch with at least eight Canadian channels, one-quarter of them in French. Both services said today they will voluntarily increase that to half.
Also, if they add any new Canadian services in the first 24 months of operation, they pledge to add an equal number of English and French.
“It has always been our intent to ensure satellite radio further strengthens Canadian…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Reports swirling around all weekend long after the Liberals’ cabinet retreat in Regina suggest that Heritage Minister Liza Frulla is hoping to get her fellow cabinet ministers on-side to ask the CRTC to review or rescind its June 16th decision to license a pair of satellite radio companies.
Both companies are taking the reports seriously, executives told www.cartt.ca on Monday. Cabinet has until September 14th to decide what it may do.
“From the outset Madame Frulla has been worried about the overall number of French stations. No surprise,” said SIRIUS Canada president Kevin Shea. “In fairness, she…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The job of chair of the CBC has been open since past chair Carole Taylor decided to get into politics in British Columbia. CBC CEO Robert Rabinovitch has been filling in but the federal government has decided now’s the time for a new chair.
So, if you’re interested… the posting is out today. Time for the speculating on who’ll get the post to begin.
CANADIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION
Chairperson (part-time position)
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), Canada’s national public broadcaster, was created by an Act of Parliament on November 2, 1936, and now operates under the 1991 Broadcasting…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – Using SAP for CPAC is not good enough for the federal government.
Earlier this year, the feds directed the CRTC to change its exemption policy when it came to the Cable Public Affairs Channel so that most systems will now be forced to carry both the English and French channels.
Friday, the Commission issued a Public Notice, calling for comments on the revised distribution order for CPAC (which carries House of Commons and Senate proceedings as well as other public affairs programming), reflecting the government’s order.
Currently, most cable systems carry one video feed of CPAC, with…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – Some of the greatest achievements over the long and illustrious history of the Canadian telecommunications industry will be honoured and celebrated on October 17th, 2005 at the inaugural ceremonies of Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame.
Organizers of the gala event announced this week that Canada’s telecommunications industry will pay homage to eight of its pioneers and leaders at the inaugural laureate induction ceremonies and gala dinner to be staged on Monday, October 17, 2005 in Room 107 of Constitution Hall at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre North Building.
Laureates will be inducted in four categories: Inventors and…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – There are just under 40 independent telephone companies left in Canada – little telcos that for one reason or another, were never swallowed up by Bell Canada.
All of them, save one, are in Bell’s Ontario or Quebec territory. Of those, there are six which are owned by municipalities: Bruce Municipal Telephone System, Cochrane Public Utilities Commission, Dryden Municipal Telephone System, Kenora Municipal Telephone System, The Corporation of the City of Thunder Bay – Telephone Division, all in Ontario, and Prince Rupert City Telephone, in British Columbia.
This week, the Department of Canadian Heritage closed a comments…
Continue Reading
