“WE’RE AT SUCH A significant spectrum disadvantage, we think government should level the playing field,” says Globalive CEO Tony Lacavera about the wireless auction of 700 MHz spectrum, expected in late 2012.
So significant is that disadvantage, the federal government should set aside all of the spectrum and bar any wireless company which holds 800 MHz spectrum (each of the big incumbents, that is) from participating in the 700 auction.
“We know we’re making a pretty significant ask here, but on the other hand, the incumbents have incredible swaths of spectrum,” added Lacavera (whose wireless company operates as Wind, of course)…
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THE CRTC MUST ENSURE that independent broadcasters have sufficient access to distribution in the wake of the BCE Inc. proposed acquisition of CTVglobemedia, say those ‘casters.
As well, the Commission has to force BCE to pay the full benefits to producers in the form of 10% of the transaction’s entire $3.2-billion value, say some of those producers. These are two of the critical issues that the CRTC will have to stickhandle once it begins hearing arguments on the proposed transaction on February 1st.
Generally, Bell’s fellow distributors are in favour of the transaction. But they say that safeguards need to…
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TORONTO – Kick off 2011 with CTAM Canada’s President’s Reception in Toronto.
This popular event will be held in the Mezzanine Lounge of the Park Hyatt hotel, located at 4 Avenue Road, from 6 – 8:30 pm on Januaey 27.
The event is free for members, and new members are welcome to attend for a cost of $55.00 which includes a one year membership to CTAM Canada. Registration is required by January 25 by contacting Andrea Baxter at abaxter@ccsa.cable.ca or (506) 849-1334, ext. 212.
www.ctam.ca
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QUISPAMSIS, NB – The CCSA has completed a distribution agreement for WFN HD.
“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the World Fishing Network for the WFN HD service”, said Paul Osmond, the CCSA’s manager of contracts, in the announcement. “Their continuous commitment to quality programming ensures our Members are able to provide fishing enthusiasts in their area an opportunity to view the amazing beauty of world famous fishing destinations with high definition picture quality.”
WFN HD is a separate network that delivers the beauty of fishing in 100% high definition programming.
“This agreement with the CCSA will ensure that…
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GATINEAU – Be careful, dig deeper and have a look around at what other information is out there, the final submissions from several interveners tell the CRTC as the Regulator writes its decision allowing Shaw Communications to buy Canwest Global.
No CCAA discount
The Directors Guild of Canada insists in its submission that Shaw should be forced to pay the full 10% tangible benefits package – and for that matter, the company should be paying based on an even higher valuation of Canwest.
While the Commission and Shaw settled on a transaction valuation of $2.047 billion, that’s actually an amazing bargain, writes…
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NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE – Absorption and agility are two qualities imbued in most Canadian Cable Systems Alliance members.
In order to compete with the ISP and video distribution behemoths, independent cable and telecom companies have to be able to respond quickly to the needs of their communities – and take a few punches from those behemoths (and even sometimes, the Regulator).
Agility plus absorption was the theme of the Monday afternoon presentation to CCSA Connect delegates from Dr. Donald Sull, professor and author of “The Upside of Turbulence”.
Dr. Sull showed attendees at the CCSA’s annual conference and trade show how our economic times…
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CALGARY – While it’s still falls below the norm, Shaw Communications today dramatically increased the amount of money it plans to spend on tangible benefits once its acquisition of Canwest Global is approved.
Company executives appeared before the CRTC Thursday morning in Calgary in their final oral reply to the week’s interveners and announced $72 million had been added to the company’s original package of benefits proposed coming into the hearing.
When broadcasting companies change hands, the Commission normally requires that 10% of the purchase value (in this case $2.047 billion) be set aside to spend on projects that are deemed…
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CALGARY – If the Shaw-Canwest $200-million tangible benefits package has to be altered or improved – as many, including the CRTC chair on Tuesday morning, have suggested – the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance tabled an idea to take advantage of that potentially rebuilt benefits package it says will help its members survive.
The CCSA represents more than a hundred independent, mostly rural, cable operators across Canada, many of whom must rely on one of the two Canadian satellite relay distribution undertakings (Shaw Direct and Bell TV) for their Canadian specialty channels. They are just too far away to be able…
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WE’RE NOT USED TO what we saw Tuesday. When Shaw Communications appears before the CRTC, we more often than not witness quarrelsome company executives facing off against sometimes testy commissioners.
We just have to point to a couple of pieces of evidence. There’s more, but these will give you a sense of what we mean (we’re partial to the one where Shaw said last fall they weren’t going to buy broadcasters…)
But today? Compared to past Shaw-involved hearings, “this was super-fun-time-happy-hour,” is how wish-I-hadn’t-but-did put it to Global TV reporter David Boushy.
Tuesday morning we had a panel of…
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SYDNEY, NS – Seaside Communications owner Irving Schwartz died Saturday in Sydney. He was 81.
Widely known as an entrepreneur, humanitarian, and community leader, the New Waterford native had battled cancer and Parkinson’s disease for the past two years. He was laid to rest Monday morning at the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre in Sydney.
Schwartz, (pictured), was president of the Seaside Group of companies, with operations in cable TV, wireless Internet, software development, and clinical research. He was also chairman of Schwartz and Company, which includes the Atlantic Canada furniture and appliance store bearing his name, and president of Vulcan Holdings, a real estate company.
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