TORONTO – Can local television news be profitable? Or is it a public service that should be funded as such?
These were just two of the many questions that were debated at a panel discussion Tuesday evening that examined the role and the state of local television news in Canada, hosted by the Canadian chapter of the Radio and Television News Directors Association at Ryerson University.
CHCH TV news director Mike Katrycz spoke about his station’s move to air back-to-back news shows with a local focus throughout the day, a format change that came about after the station was purchased by Channel Zero…
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TORONTO – When viewers tune in to three of CBC’s popular prime time programs this Fall, they’ll notice familiar scene in the background: a TD Canada Trust bank branch. In a first for a Canadian bank with CBC-TV, TD Canada Trust will be integrated into some settings in new episodes of Little Mosque on The Prairie, Being Erica and Heartland.
Product integration, where branded goods or services are placed in programming beyond traditional ads, has evolved considerably since its introduction over a decade ago. Going beyond simply placing a product in a camera shot, products and brands are now being…
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QUISPAMSIS and MONTREAL – Karaoke Channel owner and Galaxie Music service distributor Stingray Digital has signed an affiliate agreement with the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance.
The deal allows for the continued distribution of the Galaxie audio service (which the company is negotiating to purchase from the CBC) and the distribution of the Karaoke Channel as a free on-demand service for VOD enabled MSOs. Stingray is also the Platinum sponsor of the Connect conference.
“We are very happy to be able to continue to serve CCSA member companies with the Galaxie music service. The 40 channel package available to CCSA members includes…
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IN A VIRTUALLY unprecedented display of unity, Canada’s biggest broadcasters and BDUs unanimously agreed that the federal government’s decision to step in on the fee-for-carriage issue was a good one.
In a joint statement, CTV, Global and CBC all said that they welcomed the government’s “commitment to consumers” and “new negotiation for value regime”.
"We are in agreement that consumer interests should be front and center when it comes to implementing a new negotiation for value model for local television across the country," said Charlotte Bell, Global’s SVP of regulatory and government affairs, in the statement. "Going forward, we welcome a clear…
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GUESS WHAT? Canadians don’t want to pay any extra per month for their television. They also don’t want to lose their local TV stations.
Independent producers think that broadcasters should have to buy lots of shows made by them and those broadcasters would prefer to use those producers a little less, so that they can make (and sell) some of their own dramas.
The creative side of the industry is afraid of the word “flexible” when it comes to the broadcasters’ requests for changes to their Cancon requirements because flexible might mean less Canadian drama and comedies altogether, fewer hours in…
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TORONTO – CTV, Canwest Global and CBC officially announced late Sunday they have joined together to launch a national campaign, dubbed “Local TV Matters”, aimed at striking back at Canadian BDUs and putting pressure on politicians and the CRTC in advance of the November Commission hearings which will again analyze the challenges facing Canadian broadcasters, including the contentious fee-for-carriage issue.
“Our viewers are telling us that local television is very important to them and to this country,” said Paul Sparkes, CTV’s executive vice-president of corporate affairs, in the group’s official press release. “Canada’s broadcasters are responding to our viewers’ concerns…
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OTTAWA – Shaw Direct must either reinstate CBC Regina to its channel lineup, or drop a CTV station in order to comply with its conditions of licence, the CRTC ruled Friday.
The Commission denied a request by Star Choice Television Network Inc., made on behalf its DTH service now called Shaw Direct, to amend its licence relating to the distribution of CBC English-language conventional TV stations.
Its application followed a complaint from the CBC where it accused Shaw Direct (then Star Choice) of breaching its condition of licence number six after its removal of five conventional television stations, including CBC Regina.
In…
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OTTAWA – John Fitzgerald Young has been named to the CBC/Radio-Canada board of directors.
"I am pleased that Mr. Young is joining the Board of Directors," said Heritage and Official Languages Minister James Moore, in the announcement. "His strong academic background and his involvement on the international front will certainly benefit the Board of the CBC/Radio-Canada."
Young is currently the dean of the college of arts, social and health sciences at the University of Northern British Columbia, and is senior fellow at the International Centre for Law and Religion Studies at Brigham Young University. As well, he is a published author…
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TORONTO – CBC digital channels bold and documentary will be available in free preview for Rogers digital customers as of Friday.
Bold can be seen on Rogers’ channel 277 from September 11 – 13, 2009, and on its digital barker channel 1 from September 12 -13. In addition, documentary will be in freeview from September 18 – 20 on digital channel 325, and on digital barker channel 1 on September 19 – 20, 2009.
www.boldtv.cawww.documentarychannel.cawww.rogers.com
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OTTAWA – The CRTC will require the owners of Canada’s biggest distributors and broadcasters to publicly disclose aggregate financial data.
Ownership groups such as Astral Media, BCE, Bragg Communications, CBC, Canwest Media, Cogeco, Corus Entertainment, CTVglobemedia, Newcap, Quebecor Media, Remstar Broadcasting, Rogers and Shaw, must file confidential and public aggregated annual return forms with the Commission by November 30 of each year. The filing requirement for the aggregated annual returns, which will begin with the 2007-2008 broadcast year, are due by September 14, 2009.
The public data will be posted on the Commission’s website. The Commission announced in April that the…
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