ROGERS COMMUNUCATIONS' BLOCKBUSTER NHL deal puts a direct focus on the sheer costs of sports programming for distributors and their customers, the Canadian consumer.
Cartt.ca interviewed several executives across the Canadian television industry (including some distributors who spoke to us on the condition they not be identified) to discuss the impact sports is having on broadcasting in Canada and whether or not the business can survive the spiralling costs of this rich content.
Alyson Townsend, president of the independent cable group Canadian Cable System Alliance, said no one should be surprised by the consistent price increases consumers have paid for cable…
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OTTAWA – Leveraging a long line of food and lifestyle programming already under his belt, Chris Knight is taking his next gig, Gusto TV, to the Canadian TV masses this week.
With shows like Cook Like a Chef, Licence to Grill, The Great Canadian Food Show and Road Grill part of Knight’s pedigree Gusto is “a natural extension” to what he was already doing. The concept behind the channel came in 2009, when as he says, he looked at media concentration that was taking place then and realized “I was running out of guys to make TV shows for.”
Thus…
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QUISPAMSIS – The Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA) and Euronews have completed a five-year master affiliate agreement, making the international news network available to over 115 CCSA member companies across Canada.
“Euronews currently reaches over 151,000 households in Canada and is the most watched news channel in Europe,” said CCSA president & CEO Alyson Townsend, in the announcement. “We are pleased to promote this international news service to the CCSA Membership and their customers.”
“We look forward to strengthening the European perspective on international news and world affairs and are sure it will provide valuable information for Canadian viewers,” added Arnaud…
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GATINEAU – Corus Entertainment was on the hot seat today, defending its proposed $400 million purchase of specialty services Teletoon, Historia and Series+ in front of the CRTC. The company is buying the assets from Bell Media as part of the latter’s requirement to divest assets resulting from its purchase of Astral.
“We are here today to convince you that we are not only the best possible home for these assets but that our acquisition of these services is in the public interest. Allowing Corus to continue to grow will translate into more spending on Canadian programming and healthy competition…
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TORONTO – Al Jazeera English launched on SaskTel this week, making it available to over 97,000 SaskTel maxTV subscribers through channel 58.
The international news channel, which launched in Canada in 2010, is now available through Telus, Bell TV, Rogers, Cogeco, Shaw Cable, Videotron, MTS Allstream and CCSA member cable systems. Al Jazeera already reaches more than 250 million homes in over 130 countries around the world.
“Subscribers to SaskTel maxTV service now have access to Al Jazeera English’s comprehensive offering of news, documentaries and programmes from over seventy bureaus worldwide,” said Kimeran Daley, head…
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QUISPAMSIS – The Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA) and TLN Television Network Inc. have completed a five-year master affiliate agreement for the distribution of all TLN’s Italian and Spanish digital TV services including Mediaset Italia, Sky Tg24 (Canada), Telebimbi in Italian, and TLN en Español, Teleniños and Cinelatino in Spanish.
“This new deal with TLN provides CCSA members the opportunity to grow their relationship with both Italian and Spanish speaking audiences across Canada,” said CCSA president and CEO Alyson Townsend, in the announcement. “By concluding this agreement, we can ensure that all CCSA members are providing…
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OTTAWA – The Canadian Cable Systems Alliance came down firmly on the side of government Wednesday, congratulating the federal Conservatives for “its commitment in today's Speech from the Throne to choice and competition for rural Canadian telecom, internet and broadcasting consumers,” reads a press release.
The CCSA membership has long fought for a freer hand when it comes to marketing video services to its customers, many of whom live and work in small city or rural markets – and where the small cable company may well be the only local company providing service.
“A traditionally underserved market, Canadians…
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WHITEHORSE – Northwestel Community TV donated its $1,000 cash prize to the Yukon Quest 1,000 Mile International Dogsled Race after winning the prize for a series it produced celebrating the 30th anniversary of the iconic race.
As Cartt.ca reported, Northwestel accepted the award for ‘Best Sports Program’ at the 2013 Community Channel Awards from the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA) at a ceremony in Mont Tremblant, Quebec last month.
The series of four shows were produced in January and February 2013 and covered the lead up to 30th anniversary race…
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HAMILTON, Ont. – Cable 14 will launch in high definition on October 15th.
At noon that day the 100% local channel co-owned by Rogers Cable, Cogeco Cable and Source Cable will debut programming in HD. Cable subscribers will view their `Clearly Community` programs (some local outdoor ads are already touting it) at no additional cost on: Cogeco – 814; Rogers – 214; Source – 714.
Cable 14’s general manager Brent Rickert believes it was imperative the community station offer programming in HD to ensure Cable 14 keeps up with evolving technology and new viewing habits and trends. "The roll-out of Cable…
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QUISPAMSIS and TORONTO – Shaw Media has been named ‘supplier of the year’ by the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance Inc. (CCSA).
The announcement was made official at ‘Connect 2013’, CCSA’s annual conference held last week at Mont Tremblant, Québec. The CCSA recently finalized an agreement with Shaw Media in a deal that includes SD, HD, non-linear set-top box VOD and broadband rights for 18 of Shaw’s services.
“It gave us great pleasure to recognize Shaw Media as Supplier of the Year during our 20th Anniversary celebration”, said CCSA president and CEO Alyson Townsend, in the announcement. “Shaw Media has consistently proven to…
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