Search Results for: cogeco

Radio / Television News

UPDATE: Bell satellite customers lose Sun News in carriage fee battle

TORONTO – Quebecor’s Sun News was removed from the Bell TV satellite lineup at 10 a.m. this morning (Tuesday, May 3). While the channel slot itself remains, the feed has been replaced with text telling customers that the channel “has been taken down at the request of the owners of Sun News." According to Sun News head of development Luc Lavoie, Bell forced Quebecor’s hand and it had to demand signal removal. “They have carried the signal on their satellite without trying to even have an agreement with us,” he told Cartt.ca this morning. When Sun News launched last month, it… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

UPDATE #2: Bell satellite subs lose Sun News in carriage fee battle that’s part of a bigger fight

TORONTO – Quebecor’s Sun News was removed from the Bell TV satellite line-up at 10 a.m. this morning (Tuesday, May 3) but it turns out that this is but one of multiple disagreements that the companies have with each other. While the Sun News channel slot itself remains, the feed has been replaced with text telling customers that the channel “has been taken down at the request of the owners of Sun News." According to Sun News head of development Luc Lavoie, Bell forced Quebecor’s hand and it had to demand signal removal. “They have carried the signal on their satellite… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Sun News Net revealed

MONTREAL – Not surprisingly, Quebecor-owned Videotron was the first TV service provider to trumpet the arrival of the Sun News Network, also owned by Quebecor, which launched nationally Monday afternoon. Canada’s newest all-news channel, a re-brand of the over-the-air Sun TV in Ontario and simltaneously a digital specialty channel elsewhere, “is poised to shake up the Canadian news media landscape”, according to Videotron’s news release.  With a mixture of “hard news” by day and “straight talk” by night, the network features talent such as Charles Adler, Ezra Levant, Theo Caldwell, Brian Lilley, Krista Erickson, Pat Bolland, Alex Pierson and David Akin. “The network is… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Cogeco Radio gets interim injunction against two former employees

MONTREAL and QUEBEC CITY – Radio broadcaster Cogeco Diffusion announced Monday afternoon it was granted an interim injunction by the Superior Court of Québec against two former employees. Sébastien Lavoie and Jean-Pascal Lemelin, respectively the former Program Manager and Music Director and former Assistant Program Manager and Music Director for Québec City radio station CFOM (102,9 FM) and the Québec City and regional CKOI radio stations resigned on March 29, 2011 and left the company the same day. They have since joined Astral Media’s NRJ Radio in the city. “The purpose of this injunction is to preserve confidential program data belonging to… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Cogeco’s profits flat despite “solid” second quarter

MONTREAL – Despite gains at its main Cogeco Cable unit, second quarter profits at Cogeco Inc. were modest, the company announced Friday. Cogeco Inc. recorded a net profit of $10.6 million for the quarter ended February 28, 2011, almost identical to a year ago when it posted profits of $10.5 million.  Revenue rose 6.6% to $350.6 million, led by its cable sector and the purchase of Corus’ 11 radio stations in Quebec, which closed in February. Cogeco Cable posted a net income of $31.2 million, up 4.6% from $29.8 million in the same period last year, while revenue grew 5% to… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Other carriers ponder AVP, but still back UBB

OTTAWA – As Bell Canada stole the show with its usage-based billing (UBB) backdown earlier this week, the fact that the cable companies also suggested that billing on an aggregate use basis might be a more palatable approach was overlooked.  Under this type of model, the independent ISP which leases network capacity from a facilities-based carrier would be charged for a pre-determined amount of bandwidth that it could then offer to all of its customers. If the small ISP exceeds this amount, it would be charged additional fees. The current UBB approach contemplates charging independent ISPs on per-customer basis…. Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Telus, Cogeco Data Services to mark Earth Hour

TORONTO and VANCOUVER – Telus and Cogeco Data Services have both stepped up to honour of Earth Hour on Saturday night. Telus said that it will turn off all non-essential lights at 8:30 p.m. local time on March 26 at 28 of its major buildings across Canada in response to Earth Hour 2011’s global call to action in respect of climate change. "By taking part in Earth Hour we are not only supporting a global initiative that raises awareness of the need for all of us to act responsibly, we are making a statement in support of environmental sustainability," said Josh Blair,… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Jette named VP, CTO at Cogeco

MONTREAL – Philippe Jette has been named vice president and chief technology officer of Cogeco Cable.  In this capacity, he will be responsible for the company’s technological direction and strategic development, as well as the use and management of technologies for new and existing products. Over the past two decades, Jette (pictured) has managed and lead business units and engineering organizations, telecommunications networks, and product and technology in Canada – through stints with Rogers, Bell Mobility and Bell Canada – and abroad.
"I am proud to have Philippe… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Capella adds Grimard to sales, product support team

PETERBOROUGH, ON – Luc J. Grimard has joined the sales and product support staff at Capella Telecommunications Inc., the voice, video and data systems distributor announced Monday. Working out of the company’s Montreal office as the technical sales representative, Grimard’s primary role will be to provide bilingual pre- and post-sales support for digital technologies used in head-end facilities.  Prior to joining Capella, Grimard was manager of digital services, and IT/technical support manager for Cogeco Cable. “A large part of Capella’s success is due to our ability to provide expert technical advice and assistance to our customers, and Luc’s presence on our team will… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Appeals court denies Astral’s request to block Cogeco radio sale

MONTREAL – The Federal Court of Appeal has refused to hear an appeal by Astral Media to halt the now completed sale of 11 Quebec radio stations to competitor Cogeco. According to a Canadian Press report, Astral spokesperson Hugues Mousseau expressed disappointment with the move, and accused the CRTC of “flouting its own policies and rules of procedure”. Astral filed a motion with the Federal Court of Appeal last month seeking to overturn the CRTC’s decision to allow Cogeco to maintain a third radio station in the Montreal market.  The move relaxes the Commission’s common ownership policy limiting… Continue Reading