SAINT JOHN – The Canadian Media Guild (CMG) is urging the CRTC to impose local and news programming conditions on the license renewals for Big John FM and CFBC in Saint John owned by Halifax-based MBS Radio.
In its submission to the Commission it writes that it has serious concerns about MBS Radio's commitment to the community of Saint John whose local radio staff have been on strike since June 25.
"As we've said from the beginning, our fight on the picket line is really about the survival of local radio, and serving the…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The CRTC has pulled the chair from “The Entertainment Desk” in denying Rogers Communications bid to launch a Category B entertainment news channel. The ruling comes even though the Commission received no interventions, not even from E! the closest potential competitor owned by BCE.
Rogers applied for a broadcasting licence to operate a national, English-language niche specialty Category B service that would be devoted to entertainment news and the entertainment industry back in February.
In its submission, Rogers contended that its proposed channel would not directly compete with E! since that service…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA-GATINEAU – To remedy a shortage of telephone numbers in the provinces of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island the CRTC is adding a 782 area code to areas that are currently served by area code 902. The CRTC will also introduce 10-digit dialing in both provinces so that all local calls are routed to the correct area code.
Beginning November 30, 2014, customers requesting a new telephone number could be given a number starting with area code 782. Existing customers will keep area code 902 and their current telephone number.
The move to…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – Jean-Pierre Blais, the newly appointed Chairman of CRTC will speak the Public Interest Advocacy Centre`s (PIAC) Annual Dinner 2012 on November 30 in Ottawa. Blais will be presenting his vision for the CRTC’s approach to consumer protection in telecommunications and broadcasting, as well as introducing Barbara Motzney, the CRTC’s new Chief Consumer Officer.
Attendees will also hear from PIAC about its plans for the future, including its affordable and accessible communications campaign to ensure high quality telecommunications and broadcasting services for all consumers. PIAC will also recognize Michael Janigan for his many years as…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – With vice-chairman, telecom Len Katz’s term expiring October 11 and former Ontario commissioner Rita Cugini gone since April, the CRTC will find itself without Ontario representation in just days. But at least the federal government finally got around to posting the positions on Monday.
The ideal candidate for the vice-chairperson (telecommunications) position must possess: “extensive knowledge of the legislative framework and mandate of the CRTC and other relevant federal legislation. Knowledge of the regulatory and technological environments in which the broadcasting, telecommunications and digital media sectors operate in Canada and abroad is necessary. ……
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Tom Pentefountas, CRTC Vice Chair will provide an update on the commission's activities at his first appearance at the Ontario Association of Broadcasters Fall Conference.
Pentefountas has been with the CRTC since April 2011, and most recently was in Montreal to attend the CRTC’s hearings into Bell’s purchase of Astral Media. With his legal background combined with on-air experience, Pentefountas has a fresh perspective on the ever changing broadcasting industry.
Connection 2012, a one-day conference, will be held on Tuesday, November 6th…
Continue Reading
MONTREAL – It was almost a game of regulatory Call Of Duty for Bell Canada on Friday as company executives brandished figurative pistols to whack as many of its enemies claims as it could while defending its position on its deal to buy Astral Media for $3.38 billion.
While the company recommitted itself to providing everything it promised earlier in the week, and reiterated how the combined company’s level of ownership and audience share would not “come anywhere close to any reasonable or customary assessment of dominance in any developed country,” said…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – IPTV service provider VMedia Inc. has charged Bell Media with “outrageous delays” in its attempts to acquire rights to add Bell-owned TV channels and says it has no choice but to take its case to the CRTC.
The Toronto-based company’s complaint claims that Bell Media is in breach of the Specialty Service Regulations, and seeks expedited relief to enable VMedia to launch a broadcast distribution undertaking (BDU) which would compete with Bell TV. VMedia said the complaint follows more than a year of “fruitless efforts to negotiate agreements that would allow VMedia to carry certain of Bell Media’s…
Continue Reading
MONTREAL – “If we had realized last year how Bell would behave once it acquired CTV, we would have opposed that application and proposed even stronger safeguards in the Vertical Integration proceeding,” said Rogers vice-president of regulatory affairs Pam Dinsmore in kicking off Rogers Communications’ opposition to the Bell-Astral merger on Wednesday morning.
“However, we know the Commission cannot turn back the clock back on the CTV transaction now. That ship has sailed.”
The RCI presentation told a tale of how CTV has changed since being acquired by Bell Canada, a story where multiplatform rights are routinely held back and that…
Continue Reading
MONTREAL – Zoomer Media president and CEO Moses Znaimer was in Montreal Wednesday to watch the CRTC in action as it considers the proposed purchase of Astral Media by Bell Canada, but he was still shaken by Tuesday’s Commission decision on the 88.1 FM frequency in Toronto.
To say he’s not happy is an understatement. Znaimer told Cartt.ca in an interview the decision to grant the license to Rock 95 so it can launch a station with an independent music format was “appalling. It was stunningly insensitive and entirely inappropriate – and it’s galling to hear…
Continue Reading
