QUEBEC – Oft-sued former Quebec radio show host André Arthur, now an independent federal MP, has lost his bid for a judicial review of the libel judgement against him and his former employers Cogeco Inc and Métromédia.
In a decision released last week, the Supreme Court of Canada rejected his appeal request, meaning Arthur and his former employers, possibly including Cogeco’s directors at the time, will have to pay $370,000 to former Quebec Premier Daniel Johnson and his wife Suzanne Marcil.
Of that amount, Arthur will have to pay $50,000 himself because he repeated the libellous statements shortly after…
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TORONTO – Don Iannetta of Toronto will get a $10,000 Sony entertainment system and a free subscription for a year for being Rogers Cable’s one millionth digital cable customer, the company announced today.
The company said its "dramatic growth in digital penetration is evidenced by the 187% increase from December 2003 until the company reached its millionth customer in June 2006.
"Rogers On Demand on channel 100 is fantastic. I’ve been able to watch all kinds of programming and movies whenever I want. My favourite so far was being able to watch all of the FIFA World Cup soccer…
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BOSTON – Fifty Gold and 109 Silver Mark Awards were presented on Day One of the 2006 CTAM Summit here in Boston.
Among the Gold winners was a Canadian company: Astral Television Networks, for its On Demand TV spots for The Movie Network. Astral was the lone Canadian company to take home an award in 2006. For the full list of winners, click here.
The Mark Awards recognize excellence in consumer and industry marketing for the cable and telecommunications industry. MTV Networks received the most honors among the content providers, winning a total 19 Mark Awards, eight gold and…
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GATINEAU – The CRTC has approved requests to show VOD and PPV programs that include commercials if they were already aired on Canadian TV and the show is offered for free to subscribers.
The commission will amend the licence for the Bell ExpressVu’s Vu! on-demand and pay-per-view services, and Cogeco’s VOD service, to allow this limited use of advertising.
Bell ExpressVu said the amendment would allow it to compete equally with other Canadian VOD services and evolving PPV media. Cogeco said it would be in the public interest.
Rogers Cable supported the move in its intervention to the commission,…
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GATINEAU – The CRTC today announced it’s allowing RDI to increase its hourly advertising by up to 50%, amending its licence from a former maximum of eight minutes per hour, to a new maximum of 12 minutes.
The CBC applied for the RDI change, saying it would give the French-language information channel the same maximum as its English-language Newsworld service. The CBC also pointed out that most specialty channels can air up to 12 minutes of ads in each clock hour.
The proposal was opposed by private broadcasters, including TVA, Astral, Cogeco Radio-Télévision, and Corus, who were upset that…
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OTTAWA – Saying it needs to enhance its prospects among potential viewers and BDUs, Catholic TV channel Salt and Light wants to change to an English specialty service.
The category 2 digital channel targets Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Filipino, English and French-speaking audiences. Its conditions of license say that no more than 20% of its programming can be English or French.
The application requests Salt and Light be able to air 60% English with the rest dedicated to French and third language programming, which will also include Cantonese shows.
"The licensee indicates that reducing the amount of third-language…
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MONTREAL – Cogeco Cable’s third quarter results, like most cable results of late, shows fast growth in telephony subscribers.
The company added 15,400 voice customers in the third quarter of fiscal 2006, ended May 31st, and is connecting 1,600 per week, said company CEO Louis Audet, during a conference call Monday morning. And, the company only passes about 50% of its customers with its voice over IP offering. "We are very satisfied with the third quarter results," said Louis Audet, Cogeco’s president and CEO.
Coverage will be at 75% by the end of August and 90% by the end…
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MONTREAL – While the company’s Rythme FM radio revenue is still rising, Cogeco Inc.’s television division is still a drag on earnings.
Cogeco Inc. president and CEO Louis Audet told a financial analyst conference call after the company released its third quarter results Monday morning that its Quebec broadcast station TQS "continues to be a challenge," but that the fall season looks to be "attracting considerable advertising interest," he said.
Television revenue remained relatively stable in the third quarter compared to the same period last year. TQS generated good audience ratings for Loft Story II over portions of the second…
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MONTREAL – Jules Grenier, Cogeco Cable’s Quebec region vice-president, has been selected to lead its new Portuguese operation, Cabovisao, once the transaction is complete, expected within the next month.
"He is preparing to move as soon as the closing occurs," Cogeco Inc. president and CEO Louis Audet told financial analysts during a conference call today releasing the company’s third quarter results.
Last Tuesday, Quebec Superior Court approved Cogeco’s plan to purchase Cable Satisfaction International Inc. and its main asset, Portuguese cable company Cabovisao. CSII, founded by former Videotron executive Guy Laflamme, has been under bankruptcy protection since 2003. It’s…
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ONE UNINTENDED HAZARD of deregulation is that all other news outlets will be under-reporting the size of the Canadian cable industry this morning.
On Wednesday, the CRTC released the Canadian broadcast distribution industry’s statistical and financial summaries. But the report doesn’t include all distributors.
From 2004 to 2005, revenues, as well as number of subscribers, remained more or less constant for Class 1 cable carriers. However, with growing investments in voice over IP, for example – as evidenced in Shaw Communications’ third quarter report that said capex will rise at a good clip for the next 24 months…
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