GATINEAU – We could have a story here about the CBC’s plea for a skinny basic.
We could have re-analyzed its re-demands for new revenue in the form of a wholesale fee and how forcefully its executives argued it needs one, despite how detractors point out it already gets a billion dollars from taxpayers and as a public broadcaster an increase from that stream seems more appropriate.
We could have expended more words on Bell’s SD Freesat proposal and how the company re-iterated it will resist new fees to local broadcasters no matter what right to negotiate might be enshrined in…
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GATINEAU – CRTC chairman Konrad von Finckenstein pronounced himself “frustrated” with the months-long public battle between broadcasters and BDUs heading into this morning’s Commission hearing into the future of over-the-air TV.
The public battle lines drawn have the broadcasters in one camp demanding a fee and cable/DTH in the other saying if the broadcasters gain the right to demand one, they’ll fight such a decision and if one does come to pass, the consumer will have to pay much more.
After watching months of back and forth in print, on TV and online, von Finckenstein said he was “frustrated…
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TORONTO – CBC Television announced a new senior team structure on Friday which it says will allow the public broadcaster to focus on “innovative strategies for bringing new programs to Canadian audiences as well as markets outside the country,” reads the release,
"Over the last few years, CBC Television has experienced significant success with its new shows," said Richard Stursberg, executive vice-president of English services, in that release. "They have drawn bigger domestic audiences and sold well internationally.”
So, Fred Fuchs, former executive director, arts and entertainment for CBC Television, has been appointed general manager, production enterprises, with responsibility for strengthening…
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HALIFAX – Over 70 channels are being viewed free of charge by EastLink digital cable customers this month, the company announced in Friday.
"We’re offering a month-long free-view as a way of saying thank you to our customers," said Deborah Shaffner, president and COO, in a press release.
"In addition to introducing our customers to new channels, free previews allow us to showcase the many great channels and specialty programming available through EastLink Digital TV."
Participating channels, which include digi-nets and time-shifted broadcast channels include:
A&E HDABC SeattleAnimal PlanetArTVBBC CanadaBBC KidsBBC World NewsBET Music PakBiography Continue Reading
TORONTO – CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada hopes to score with its own application for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
The free app, launched this week, provides users with instant access to live box scores, statistics and results from all NHL games. Game statistics are broken down for every team, player and game, and division and conference standings are instantly updated.
The app can be downloaded by visiting cbc.ca/mobile/iphone, or the free application section of the iTunes store.
www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey
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TORONTO – Women in Film & Television – Toronto has named actress Shirley Douglas as this year’s recipient of the International Achievement Award.
This award is presented to a Canadian woman working in screen-based media for her significant and well recognized body of work in Canada and abroad.
In related news,WIFT-T and CBC Television selected Angelika Walaszczyk as the winner of the 2009 CBC Business of Broadcasting Mentorship.
The national mentorship program gives an emerging, Canadian female drama producer/director the opportunity to receive creative and business support from CBC Television. Walaszczyk, who currently works at Capri Films, will participate in a…
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CLEARWATER, B.C. – Not all Canadian cable companies are against the broadcasters’ receiving a fee for their conventional television stations.
Tiny Raftview Communications, which serves the towns of Clearwater, B.C. (pop. 5,000, about 120 kms north of Kamloops) and Barriere (pop. 3,400, and about 60 kms farther north) with digital cable, high definition and high speed Internet has come out against its cable compatriots on the issue of fee for carriage.
“It is absolutely unreasonable that these broadcasters receive nothing for their service,” company president Paul Caissie writes in his submission to the CRTC for the December 7th hearing (2009-614)…
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OTTAWA and TORONTO – A pared-down basic programming package, with its content and pricing determined by the CRTC, could be the solution to affordability if fee-for-carriage is implemented, the CBC said.
In a submission to the Commission on Monday, the public broadcaster recommended that BDUs adopt an all-Canadian basic package which includes only the “essentials”, such as local television stations, plus “a very limited number” of other licensed programming services.
Calling it a “win-win-win scenario”, CBC said that its proposal would benefit BDUs, consumers, and broadcasters alike.
“It’s a win for cable companies because they’ll have all the flexibility that…
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WHITEHORSE, YT – Northwestel digital television customers in Whitehorse have access to more high definition channels, the company announced this week.
The sports line-up has been improved with the introduction of a new HD pay per view hockey channel and the addition of three new HD channels to the Sports package: The Score HD, The Golf Channel HD and Big Ten Network HD. (Big Ten is also available in SD.)
The Digital Essentials package has been expanded to include six new HD channels, too. Those include: CBC West HD , CTV West HD, Global West HD, Global Toronto HD, Citytv HD…
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TORONTO – Audiences will see a major overhaul of the look and feel of CBC news on all of its platforms come Monday.
The new CBC News is the result of comprehensive research asking Canadians what they want from their public broadcaster, the Corp said in a release today. The National gets a new look and sound while cbcnews.ca, Newsworld a new name and radio’s World Report a new format and host.
“The National with Peter Mansbridge is transformed with an expanded roster of correspondents – among the most trusted, experienced journalists in Canada. CBC Newsworld has a new schedule, format…
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