GATINEAU – Many parties to the CRTC’s local and community TV consultation have proposed funding approaches (each with their own acronyms we’re having trouble keep track of) which could financially support these struggling services. Rogers Communications Inc. has now joined them, unveiling its own approach to a local programming fund.
In its appearance before the Commission on Thursday, the media and communications giant argued while it still prefers its original proposal calling for greater flexibility to move local programming funds from larger to smaller markets, it offered up another model that it says is workable and would provide financial benefits…
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Commission is told small TV stations are living on borrowed time
GATINEAU – The local TV environment is so bad for some small independent over the air broadcasters that they risk shutting their doors in the coming months if they don’t get financial assistance from the CRTC. A case in point is Dougall Media’s Thunder Bay Electronics, the owner of two stations in the northwestern Ontario city.
VP and GM Don Caron explained during a closing statement to the Small Market Independent Television Stations Coalition (SMITs) appearance that his two stations (a CTV and Global affiliate) have remained open…
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GATINEAU – The second day of the CRTC hearing into local and community TV delved more into the details of how alternative financing and community TV could be help fix the local TV problem. Some argued that more money is needed to fund local TV and others said that community TV has the wherewithal to take the financial reins from their broadcast distributor masters and control much more of their own content creation.
The Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS) noted in its opening remarks that its $150-million Community Media Access Fund (CAMF) proposal could team community…
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TORONTO – New Rogers channel Viceland will debut in more than 7.5 million Canadian households when it launches on February 29, the company said Friday.
The millennial-focused linear channel, which replaces Rogers’ Bio specialty channel, will be available through more than 20 TV service providers out of the gate, including Shaw and Shaw Direct, Telus, Videotron, Cogeco Connexion and Eastlink, in addition to Rogers Cable.
Kicking off with a three-month free preview, content includes Gaycation with Ellen Page and friend/co-host Ian Daniel, and original music documentary series Noisey, hosted by Vice correspondent Zach Goldbaum. Viceland will also air original series produced…
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MONTREAL – With just days to go before Bell Let's Talk Day on January 27, Bell issued a public thank you to the Canadian organizations supporting the initiative and promoting its messages around mental health.
"A huge thank you to all the individuals and organizations joining the Bell Let's Talk team to help get everyone talking about mental health. What better way to fight the stigma than having Canada's finest brands actively promoting the cause?" said Clara Hughes, national spokesperson for Bell Let's Talk, in the news release. "When you send your own messages on Bell Let's Talk Day, you not only let…
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BRAMPTON, ON – The SCTE Ontario Chapter has named Cogeco’s Arni Lundale to its Board of Directors for 2016.
Lundale will serve a one year term as director of membership meetings and presentations/certification following the resignation of Clearcable’s Joe Caruso who is leaving his position as director of social media.
The Ontario Chapter of SCTE has grown to over 900 members since its inception in mid-2003 and is the largest chapter membership in North America.
www.scte-ontario.com
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MONTREAL – Cogeco and subsidiary Cogeco Cable held their annual general meetings in Montreal on Wednesday, preceded by a conference call with analysts and a meeting with journalists. Here’s what we heard.
Wireless
“It’s been 10 years that you’ve asked me that question,” Cogeco CEO Louis Audet told journalists, and he had it again in the investor conference call. But the logic hasn’t changed, even as Shaw’s acquisition of Wind Mobile makes Cogeco the largest Canadian cable or telecom provider without a wireless service.
“Our perception since the beginning is that if we enter this industry it has…
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MONTREAL – Growth in Cogceo Inc.’s cable and enterprise data services segment and U.S. cable services operations helped to buoy its first quarter revenues and profits.
The Montreal-based company reported revenue of $582.9 million for the period ended November 30, 2015, up 8.3% from $538.4 million in the same period last year, driven by growth in its Cable and Enterprise data services segment mainly through improvements at its American cable services operations, favorable foreign exchange rates, and increases in its radio and out-of-home advertising segments.
A 2.2% rise in profits to $66.8 million, of which $25.2 million is attributable to owners of the…
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LAS VEGAS – “Cable companies find it hard to accept that people don’t just want to watch TV in the living room anymore,” said Jay Mehr, EVP and COO of Shaw Communications as it announced the launch of its FreeRange app Wednesday at the Consumer Electronics Show.
The app makes content instantly available to subscribers no matter where they are and Mehr (pictured) told a gathering of industry partners and press that the cable company had partnered with Comcast and Cisco to leverage Comcast's X1 platform to provide a truly disruptive mobile experience by providing live…
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OTTAWA – Independent ISPs and consumer groups are telling the federal government not to buy Bell Canada’s assertions that investments in next-generation fibre networks will come to a standstill if the CRTC’s wholesale fibre access decision is allowed to stand.
A day after the Justin Trudeau Liberals swept into power in Ottawa on October 19, Bell filed appeal with the Governor-in-Council seeking a Cabinet order overturning Telecom Regulatory Policy 2015-326. The company claims the decision favours “resale over investment” which will lead to less capital for fibre to the home…
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