THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 15, marks two important deadlines for CTAM Canada members.
It is last day to RSVP for the annual CTAM night all the ballgame, where members can cheer on the Toronto Blue Jays as they take on the New York Yankees at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. A presentation by Rovi chief evangelist, Richard Bullwinkle, will begin at 5:45 and the game begins at 7:07 pm.
The event is free to CTAM members. Please reserve your ticket by registering with Andrea Baxter at abaxter@ccsa.cable.ca or (506) 849-1334, Ext. 212.
And don’t miss your chance to register for the next Canadian…
Continue Reading
QUISPAMSIS – The CCSA has confirmed that its 2011 ‘Connect’ Conference will return to the resort village of Mont-Tremblant, Québec this fall.
Similar to the format of last year’s annual general meeting, the event will begin on Sunday, September 18 with the president’s reception, and Monday, September 19 will be the business day complete with the trade show, educational sessions and dinner/entertainment. Tuesday, September 20 will be a golf/spay day.
On-line conference registration will be available in May, but the CCSA recommends that delegates reserve their rooms at the Fairmont Tremblant directly as soon as possible. To reserve under the CCSA block…
Continue Reading
HAMILTON – Cable industry veteran Owen Boris died Saturday night at his home in Hamilton after suffering a heart attack. He was 79.
Boris founded Hamilton’s Mountain Cablevision in 1959 and remained principal owner of the successful cableco for half a century before selling the business to Shaw Communications in July 2009. At that time, Boris told Cartt.ca that he felt that the time was right to retire and to “pass this great history on to someone with more financial muscle.”
Fellow industry veteran JR Shaw described Boris as “truly one of a kind”.
“There’s no one else in the…
Continue Reading
QUISPAMSIS – The CCSA has finalized an agreement amendment for the distribution of American Movie Classics’ HD and video-on-demand programming services, the companies announced Monday.
“The addition of AMC HD and AMC VOD is a welcomed enhancement to our existing master affiliation agreement with AMC,” said CCSA president and CEO Alyson Townsend, in the announcement. “AMC’s recognition within the industry as an award winning producer of drama series along with their continued commitment to classic movies ensures our Members stay competitive in today’s market while meeting the needs of their customers.”
AMC in high definition is the only network to…
Continue Reading
“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)…
Continue Reading
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…
Continue Reading
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
Continue Reading
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…
Continue Reading
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…
Continue Reading
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…
Continue Reading
