OTTAWA – Tom Pentefountas, the recently appointed vice-chair of broadcasting at the CRTC, stood firm as opposition MPs on the Standing Committee of Canadian Heritage questioned his ability to fulfill the responsibilities of the position.
He said all the right words in his opening remarks, highlighting the challenges facing the CRTC in the face of convergence and the new realities on online viewing. “Convergence is on the verge of erasing the dividing line between broadcasting and telecommunications,” he said. “That is one of our greatest challenges.
“Moreover, to face this new reality, the CRTC must implement 25 year old legislation….
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OTTAWA – Count CBC, the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) and the Canada Media Fund (CMF) in favour of Tuesday’s 2011-2012 Federal Budget, though its ability to be ratified by Parliament appears doubtful.
The public broadcaster said that it was “pleased” that the $60 million in funding that CBC/Radio-Canada been receiving since 2001 for Canadian programming initiatives has been renewed for another year, calling it “crucial” to the implementation of its new five year plan known as ‘Everyone, Every Way’.
"This is great news for Canadians who look to CBC/Radio-Canada for high quality Canadian programming on television, radio and the…
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OTTAWA – Granted, it’s just another in the thousands of oft-ignored parliamentary committee reports, but a new one released today by the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage wants the CRTC to hold a public hearing about whether or not the likes of Netflix, Google TV, Apple TV, etc., should be contributing funds to the Canadian television industry.
The report, “Impacts Of Private Television Ownership Changes And The Move Towards New Viewing Platforms,” was informed by five fall 2010 meeting days which heard from 21 witnesses representing Canadian media companies (big and small), carriers, producers, Continue Reading
TORONTO – RTNDA Canada, The Association of Electronic Journalists, has named its Prairie region award winners honouring the best programs, stations and newsgathering organizations in both radio and television.
"We’re pleased to continue a tradition that recognizes the best work of our peers and sets the standard for electronic journalism in Canada", said RTNDA Canada president Andy LeBlanc, in the annoucement. "These awards are named after pioneers and innovators in the Canadian news business. I’m sure they would be elated to see the quality of work that exists in award winning local news coverage today.”
The annual awards will be presented…
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TORONTO – CBC has revamped its senior TV management team, promoting Wilson, Bristow and Platt.
The Corp said Wednesday that effective April 4th, Christine Wilson will assume the role of executive director, content planning; Julie Bristow will become executive director, studio and unscripted programming; and Phyllis Platt will take on the new role of (interim) executive director, commissioned and scripted programming. All three will report to Kirstine Stewart, EVP of CBC English Services.
“In their new roles, Christine, Julie, Phyllis and their teams will be better able to implement our current strategies leading to 2015 and fulfill our mission as a…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has excluded Whitehorse, Yukon; Yellowknife, Northwest Territories; and Iqaluit, Nunavut from the list of mandatory markets for conversion to digital television.
The Commission said Monday that broadcasters intend to shut down five of the six television transmitters in Whitehorse and Yellowknife, and noted that the transmitters are located in small and remote markets, that they do not operate on channels 52 to 69, and that their continued operation would have no impact on television stations in adjacent markets. The CBC transmitter in Yellowknife is scheduled to remain in operation and converted to digital.
The Commission also noted that…
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TORONTO – Money worries and digital strategies seem to be the key business issues keeping radio industry honchos awake at night, judging by their comments during a special radio exec panel session at the annual Canadian Music Week convention held in Toronto last week.
“Our company is in a tremendous growth pattern right now, but I worry about 2008 happening again,” said Christopher Grossman, owner and president of Haliburton Broadcasting Group. Haliburton owns radio stations in 18 small markets in central and northern Ontario, with expansion into two more communities expected soon. “I worry about what would happen if…
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By Steven James May
TORONTO – Nearly two years after its switch to digital TV, the American broadcasting industry has turned its attention to some of the new potential digital can deliver.
When the American presenters rolled into Eaton Theatre at Ryerson University Tuesday for SMPTE Toronto’s meeting on Canada’s upcoming digital television transition, their enthusiasm for the ATSC and ATSC Mobile TV digital television standards was palpable.
With the U.S. digital television transition well behind them, speaker Jerry Whitaker, vice president for standards development at ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) reminded everyone that his organization continues to offer grants…
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TORONTO – Jeffrey L. Orridge is the executive director of sports properties for CBC Sports, the ‘pubcaster said Monday. Starting April 4th, he will be responsible for overall sports broadcasting strategies including partnerships and rights acquisitions.
“We are delighted to welcome Jeffrey to CBC," said Kirstine Stewart, EVP of CBC English Services, in the announcement. "He is an exceptional sports executive with a strong background in rights negotiations and strategy development and implementation. He’s grown a number of highly recognizable sports brands and has a strong reputation for partnership building both within and among organizations in the corporate and not-for-profit worlds….
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TORONTO – CBC has announced plans to fete both the 50th anniversary of its iconic documentary series The Nature of Things and the 75th birthday of its host, Dr. David Suzuki.
On March 13, at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT), CBC-TV will air the world broadcast premiere of Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie in which the Canadian scientist, educator, broadcaster and activist delivers a ‘last lecture’, or what he describes as "a distillation of my life and thoughts, my legacy, what I want to say before I die." The film interweaves the lecture with scenes from the places and events in…
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