CRTC launches process to have fees waived or reimbursed
GATINEAU — As previously announced in the federal government’s Fall Economic Statement on November 30, eligible television and radio stations will have their Part II broadcasting licence fees waived in 2020-21, which is expected to provide as much as $50 million in relief for these broadcasters.
The Department of Canadian Heritage on Tuesday issued a press release to confirm the waiving of the Part II fees, and reiterated the measure does not include cable, satellite and IPTV providers (i.e., BDUs), “as their revenues are not as dependent on advertising,” says…
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By Denis Carmel
OTTAWA – Bill C-10, also known as the Broadcasting Modernization Act, even though it was not voted upon in second reading, will get a head start with the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, Cartt.ca has learned.
Although, the committee will not be discussing the bill itself, members will discuss the subject matter of the bill when they reconvene at the end of January, and prior to second reading.
“In its meeting on December 7, 2020, the committee agreed to conduct a study of the subject matter of C-10. Therefore, the committee could begin receiving testimony on this subject…
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TORONTO — A group of more than 500 current and former employees of CBC/Radio-Canada who oppose the public broadcaster’s Tandem sponsored-content initiative today launched a social media campaign and website where they’ve published an open letter to Canadians to amplify their efforts to stop paid content on the CBC.
In the letter on the website (www.stoppaidcontentoncbc.ca), the group of mostly journalists asks for the Canadian public’s support in demanding CBC put an end to Tandem, the broadcaster’s new marketing division which was launched in September.
The open letter is signed by current CBC journalists, including Carol Off, Michael…
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WINNIPEG — Indigenous broadcaster APTN today announced it will broadcast a special winter edition of APTN Indigenous Day Live (IDL), in a belated celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Day which is held on June 21 each year.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, APTN’s planned series of events in June were postponed, and now APTN will broadcast the first-ever APTN Indigenous Day Live Winter Solstice programming from December 21 to 25 in five one-hour shows.
To create the IDL Winter Solstice celebrations, APTN recorded some of Canada’s best talent in the fall of 2020. Hosted by Earl Wood and Janelle Wookey, the…
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By Denis Carmel
OTTAWA – Foreign-based vendors with no physical presence in Canada do not have to charge Canadians GST/HST on sales of digital products or services — like mobile apps, online video gaming (not to mention purchases within apps and games) and video and music streaming. Nor do they pay taxes on earnings from Canadian consumers.
In today’s economic statement from the federal government, however, foreign-based vendors selling digital products or services to consumers in Canada (such as Netflix, Spotify and others) will be required to register for, collect and remit the GST/HST on their taxable sales to Canadian consumers.
The…
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Not so fast, say opposition members
By Denis Carmel
OTTAWA – In second reading debate Wednesday and Thursday, on Bill C-10, the amendments to the Broadcasting Act, many issues were debated but we noted that the minister of Canadian Heritage wanted to proceed rapidly.
“Divisions only benefit large multi-billion dollar companies, not our constituents. That is why I am urging all members of the House to work together constructively and ensure that this important bill passes through second reading hastily, so that the committee can start doing its important work to amend, improve and move forward,” said Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault.
He got…
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“Just marketing for now,” says Pruneau
By Ahmad Hathout
MONTREAL – The monetization of next-generation mobile wireless technology will depend on what it’s used for and, currently, it’s about bringing customer defections under control, Quebecor executives said Thursday.
“I think because it’s just marketing for now, it’s just a question of reducing or stabilizing churn,” Jean François Pruneau, president of Videotron, said on the company’s third-quarter conference call last week. “But we’re going to have to see more user cases on the residential front or on the business front to be able to see real, true monetization plans from us and from…
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Transparent measure follows Telus
By Ahmad Hathout
MONTREAL – Bell Canada may begin formally separating its mobile phones from tablets and other connected devices in future financial reporting, which will better isolate subscriber figures for 5G-connected peripherals and enhance transparency and comparability with competitors in the industry.
Back in 2018, Telus – which had trailed its competitors on paper when it came to new wireless subscribers – declared that it actually had similar, if not better, smartphone-specific new additions in its base versus its major competitors for certain quarters. The problem was that it, and its competitors, didn’t separate the “quality” smartphone…
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Briefing call shows urgency, sticking points, for large players on broadcast changes
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – As major Canadian broadcasters fired off rote responses to media requests saying they are still reviewing proposed changes to the Broadcasting Act announced Tuesday, Cartt.ca has obtained early reactions to potential landmark amendments that could see the CRTC enforce foreign online contributions to the benefit of Canadian content.
On Tuesday, Heritage held separate technical briefings with reporters and industry about the proposed amendments under Bill C-10, with Cartt.ca obtaining audio of the latter. The comments and questions in that call suggest an industry in relief,…
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By Greg O’Brien
GIVE THE DEPARTMENT OF Canadian Heritage and Minister Steven Guilbeault some credit for coming up with amendments to the Broadcasting Act which seem, at least upon first reading, like they can actually be turned into law in a minority Parliament.
This is something Guilbeault said would be coming some weeks ago, knowing there is only so much change for which the federal government can marshal support from its political rivals. He told an industry town hall in September: “One of the things we had to think long and hard about is do we go with this massive…
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