SAINT JOHN, NB – The Canadian Communication Systems Alliance’s (CCSA) board of directors announced Monday the appointment of Sheri Somerville as the association’s new CEO, effective Oct. 10, 2023.
Somerville’s appointment follows Jay Thomson’s announced retirement this fall. Her hiring marks the end of a cross-country recruitment process that was overseen by Ian Stevens, CCSA HR committee chair, with support from Boyden Canada.
She brings more than 26 years of multi-sector expertise in business communications from her leadership in association management and the private sector to her new role at the CCSA, a…
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SAINT JOHN, NB – Jay Thomson, the head of the Canadian Communications Systems Alliance, will retire this fall, according to a release from the industry association representing over 100 independent internet, TV and telephone companies.
Thomson will depart following the association’s annual conference in St. John’s, Newfoundland, which will be held between September 11 and 13. The association has hired an Ottawa firm to search for his replacement, which includes an evaluation of internal and external candidates, the release said.
Thomson joined the association as CEO in 2017 and “over his six years at CCSA, he led a…
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By Brad Danks, CEO of OUTtv Media Global Inc. (OMG) (pictured above); Monika Ille, CEO APTN; and Luc Perreault, strategic advisor of Stingray Group
The Senate Transport Committee is starting its clause-by-clause review of Bill C-11, an Act to amend the Broadcasting Act. Hours of Committee time have been spent on the scope of the Bill and how it would apply to digital first creators and social media platforms. This is understandable and appropriate.
Far less time has been spent on a weakness in the Bill that will have a much more profound impact on the Canadian broadcasting system and the content Canadians can access….
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REGINA — Access Communications Co-operative’s board of directors today announced Carmela Haines (above) has been appointed the company’s new CEO effective Jan. 1, 2023.
Haines is taking over the position from Jim Deane, who announced his retirement this past June.
She has been with Access Communications since 2003 when she joined as vice-president, finance and administration. “In 2019, Carmela was promoted to Chief Operating Officer,” a press release says.
Haines has a Bachelor of Admin from the University of Regina, is a Chartered Professional Accountant and holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. She has…
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OTTAWA – Earlier this week, Bill C-11, the Online Streaming Act, passed second reading stage in the senate and was referred to the senate transport and communications committee (TRCM) for full study.
Yesterday, the committee heard from two panels of witnesses.
Robert Fenton, board chair of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind suggested several improvements that take into account people who are blind or partially sighted.
For example, he pointed out the broadcasting system needs to be more accessible. “Yes, there are set top boxes out there that talk, but they only talk after a sighted person enables them for those…
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MONT-TREMBLANT – Yesterday the Canadian Communication Systems Alliance wrapped up the main portion of its sold-out Connect 2022 conference, which had been going on for the past two days in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec.
Over a dozen new members joined CCSA, Jay Thomson (above), CCSA’s CEO announced at a lunch on the first day of the event.
At a dinner last night, Thomson announced the next CCSA Connect conference will be held in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador from Sept. 11-13, 2023.
The following photos were taken over the course of Connect 2022, which featured speakers, a showcase and time to meet people and…
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MONT-TREMBLANT – Free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) is “going to be the dominant system all around the world,” Alan Wolk (above), co-founder and lead analyst at TVREV told attendees of the Canadian Communication Systems Alliance Connect 2022 conference yesterday.
At the moment, we are living in a hybrid environment, which will be around for a while, Wolk said, explaining in Canada, 51% of people are subscribing to both linear and streaming services.
“The thing about hybrid that’s interesting is that it’s not necessarily one or the other all of the time,” he said. There will be some people who watch mostly…
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Patience is appreciated on CRTC proceedings related to barriers to broadband deployment
By Amanda Oye
MONT-TREMBLANT – As the Canadian communications industry faces (yet another) period of immense change, CRTC interim vice-chair of broadcasting and commissioner for Quebec, Alicia Barin (above), applauded the resiliency of the members of the Canadian Communication Systems Alliance and assured them they are being heard on important CRTC files.
Speaking today at CCSA’s 2022 Connect conference, Barin pointed out CCSA members are no strangers to challenges or change. She spoke of their resiliency, recalling “the “death stars” of the early 1990s… the term applied to…
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Predicts C-11 will pass through Senate largely unchanged
By Amanda Oye
MONT-TREMBLANT – Affordability is a big issue on the minds of members of parliament, Huw Williams (above, left), president of Impact Public Affairs told the audience of the 2022 Canadian Communication Systems Alliance Connect conference today.
Speaking in conversation with CCSA CEO Jay Thomson (right), Williams explained MPs are getting a lot of calls and emails from constituents who are concerned about affordability – including the affordability of their communications services.
“I think they care,” he said. “Where they get bogged down is how do they actually make something happen?”
Williams pointed…
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SAINT JOHN, N.B. — The Canadian Communication Systems Alliance (CCSA) today provided more information about two keynote speakers scheduled to make presentations at the organization’s CCSA Connect 2022 conference, happening Sept. 26-28 in Mont-Tremblant, Que.
Shawn Kanungo (above, left) is “a globally recognized innovation strategist who previously spent 12 years at Deloitte working closely with leaders to better plan for the opportunities associated with disruptive innovation and helped hundreds of organizations on their journey to digital transformation,” reads a CCSA email alert.
Kanungo’s presentation Strategy in a World of Disruption on Sept. 27 will examine “how the business world has fundamentally…
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