TORONTO – The Canada Media Fund (CMF) says its program budget helped trigger more than $1.3 billion in production volume in 2011/12, according to its just-released online annual report that outlines its role in shaping Canada’s creative economy and digital future.
“The Canada Media Fund achieved unprecedented funding levels that enabled us to build on the previous year’s successes and to continue to provide valuable and measurable support to Canada’s television and digital media industry,” said Valerie Creighton, President and CEO in a statement. “The overall program budget dedicated to the creation of Canadian screen-based…
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OTTAWA – Bell Canada claims the CRTC, in its decision to kill the company's $3.4 billion takeover of Astral Media, ignored its own rules, created a bunch of new ones, was based on incorrect market share calculations and because of that it has asked the federal government to directly step in.
Calling the CRTC decision “absurd,” on Monday, BCE Inc. submitted a request to the federal Cabinet that it issue a policy direction under Section 7 of the Broadcasting Act that directs the CRTC to follow its existing policies when reviewing change of control transactions in broadcasting,…
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OTTAWA – In his first public appearance as chair of the CRTC where he was the one answering and not asking the questions, Jean-Pierre Blais gave the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage a brief look at the direction and the future he envisions for the Regulator so many Canadians (including some MPs) misunderstand.
Chairman Blais has already put his stamp on the CRTC by signalling rather overtly that under his watch the Commission will be consumer, or citizen-focused like never before. He has already hired a chief consumer officer, Barbara Motzney and during the hearing into…
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OTTAWA – It may not have all the drama of the Obama vs Romney debate, but new CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais’ faceoff Thursday afternoon before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage promises to be far more informative. The committee is charged with examining the role and future mandate of the CRTC.
It will be a reversal of fortune for Chairman Blais who will be answering, not asking, the questions when he meets with MPs for the first time since he took over as head of the CRTC this past June. The meeting gets under way tomorrow afternoon…
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TORONTO – Bill Roberts, a 12-year broadcast veteran who built VisionTV into a specialty channel that reached 10 million Canadian homes and was head of S-VOX and most recently ZoomerMedia (TV), is calling it quits effective October 31, 2012.
During Roberts’ tenure he shaped VisionTV into Canada’s preeminent multi-faith and multicultural broadcaster. Seen in over 10 million households across Canada, VisionTV presents inspirational, insightful and original programming that celebrates diversity and promotes understanding among people of different faiths and cultures. Under Roberts’ leadership, VisionTV has grown to be among Canada’s top 25 specialty channels in…
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OTTAWA – Beginning October 15th visitors to CPAC’s new online digital archive can travel back in time to relive Canada’s most famous political battles and landmark commissions.
As part of its 20th anniversary celebrations, the Cable Public Affairs Channel will be launching The CPAC Digital Archive: Rewinding the Public Record. It will house thousands of hours of prime political programming, from the proceedings of the House of Commons to the inquiries that made the headlines, all available online.
“The cable industry has proudly owned and invested in CPAC for two decades,” says Ken Stein, Chair of CPAC’s…
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MONTREAL – One of the open questions about CBC/Radio-Canada as it heads into its CRTC licence renewal hearing in November has been the fate of its president and CEO Hubert T. Lacroix.
His original five-year contract to head the public broadcaster expires in December of this year and it would be unusual to the extreme to have Lacroix lead the CBC team to a hearing with his personal job status either unknown, or to have a CEO push through a hearing knowing he won’t be in the position a month later.
However, Cartt.ca has determined through a number of Montreal media executive sources who…
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MONTREAL – The SayNoToBell.ca campaigners claim that nearly 50,000 Canadians, both consumers and industry leaders, have signed their petition urging the CRTC and government to deny the Bell/Astral merger. CRTC hearings into the proposed deal are poised to begin next week.
SayNoToBell.ca says 42 of the 60 interveners to be heard have already publicly opposed the deal or questioned the transaction. Notable industry presentations include:
• Québécor – Monday, September 10
• Eastlink – Tuesday, September 11
• Cogeco Cable – Wednesday, September 12
• Rogers Communications – Wednesday, September 12
• Telus – Wednesday, September 12
• Canadian Cable Systems Alliance – Friday, September 14
Notable…
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GATINEAU – CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais announced Friday that he has created a new position within the Commission: Chief Consumer Officer.
It’s first CCO will be Barbara Motzney, who is currently director general, border policy and international affairs at Public Safety Canada. Prior to joining Public Safety, she was director general of copyright policy at Canadian Heritage where she lead the introduction of two Bills to modernize Canada’s copyright legislation, and virtual and in-person national consultations on the topic.
“I am pleased to announce the creation of the position of Chief Consumer Officer and the appointment of Barbara Motzney to this…
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OTTAWA and VANCOUVER – The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and citizen-engagement group OpenMedia.ca are behind a new coalition known as ‘Stop the Takeover’ formed to fight Bell’s proposed acquisition of Astral Media.
The coalition, which also includes groups Canada Without Poverty, Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic, Canadian Media Guild, Consumers' Association of Canada, Council of Canadians, Council of Senior Citizens' Organizations of British Columbia, CWP Advocacy Network, Option Consommateurs, and Union des consommateurs, has kicked off a campaign encouraging Canadians to block the deal by completing a preset form on its website and sending it to…
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