OTTAWA – So much for all the speculation on who will replace CRTC chairman Konrad von Finckenstein when his term expires on January 24, 2012.
While many have guessed (including us) at who it may be, and many in power have some ideas on who would make a good chair, the federal government has not yet officially begun to look, said Heritage Minister James Moore Tuesday in Ottawa.
Speaking to reporters after his speech at the 2011 International Institute of Communications Canadian conference, Moore didn’t have much to say on who might be appointed chair, or when….
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has resumed its review of the regulatory framework for the small incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs).
There are currently 35 small ILECs in Canada. These companies operate in limited areas of Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia, and include municipally owned and publicly and privately held carriers.
The Commission originally began this procedure back in May but suspended it pending its determinations on an application by l’Association des Compagnies de Téléphone du Québec inc., the Ontario Telecommunications Association, and CityWest Telephone Corporation to review and vary its obligation to serve decision.
On Monday, the CRTC said…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC is restricting the use of musical montages by two Francophone commercial radio stations, and has kicked off a learning exercise on the French-language private radio industry and the Francophone music industry “in order to more fully understand the problem”.
The Commission said Thursday that it has imposed a condition of licence on Astral’s station CKTF-FM and Cogeco’s station CKOI-FM limiting their broadcasting of montages to no more than 10% of total programming per week after the two stations were found to be airing up to 18% of long montages composed almost exclusively of popular…
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OTTAWA – Canadians registered 1.2 million numbers on the national do not call list last year, and 80% say that they are now receiving fewer telemarketing calls.
According to a CRTC report for the period of April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011, the Commission imposed administrative monetary penalties and other payments worth $2.66 million for violations of the unsolicited telecommunications rules – $1.8 million of these fines were paid to the Receiver General for Canada and $741,000 to educational institutions.
The CRTC received 115,113 complaints during that time, a 30% decrease over the previous period, bringing its total number of complaints to…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has approved licences for two new specialty channels – Cottage Life Television and Discovery French.
Cottage Life Television is wholly-owned by Quarto Communications Inc. and controlled by Mr. Al Zikovitz. It is a national, English-language specialty Category B service that would offer information and lifestyle programming about cottage communities and cottage activities; information about buying, selling, renting and renovating cottage properties; and programs of special interest to the cottage owner such as shoreline, docks, decks, boathouses, water supply, wood stoves, and cottage cooking and recipes.
Bell Media-owned Discovery French is a national, French-language specialty Category…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has sided with the CBC and dismissed a complaint from a viewer over a headline broadcast on The National hosted by Peter Mansbridge.
A viewer complained about a headline that aired on the May 5th episode of the show which introduced a report about the death of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The headline stated that bin Laden had “killed 3,000 people” during the September 11, 2001 attacks (the 9/11 attacks).
The CBC followed its standard complaint process in responding to the complaint. On June 6, Mark Harrison, executive producer for The National, responded that exhaustive United…
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GATINEAU – Rather than picking one system over another, the CRTC has chosen to give the large Internet providers the choice in how they charge small competitors who use their networks. The commission has, however, rejected Bell’s bid to charge on an aggregated volume basis, instead opting for a capacity-based approach.
In its much-anticipated usage based billing decision, the Commission chose capacity as the proxy over an aggregated volume method. Bell Canada and Rogers Communications Inc. advocated for the latter approach.
Bell suggested during the hearing that a capacity-based approach would result in independent ISPs keeping traffic volumes high resulting in…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC has approved a new disconnection and deposit code for home telephone services where prices are not regulated.
The Commission said Monday that it will accept the recommendations made by a committee of telecom companies and consumer groups that sets out a streamlined code of conduct regarding:
– the grounds for disconnection if a subscriber fails to pay their bill;
– the notice that phone companies must provide before disconnecting a telephone line;
– the hours and days during which companies may disconnect service;
– restoration of service when a telephone line is disconnected in error;
– provisions to avoid disconnection during disputes over billing, and
– the maximum of…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is taking its show on the road to Calgary early next year to consider a dozen new radio applications vying to serve that market.
The Commission said Wednesday that it has scheduled a hearing on February 6, 2012 beginning at 9:00 am at The Coast Plaza Hotel and Conference Centre located at 1316-33rd Street N. E. in Calgary. Among the new radio proposals for consideration include applications from the likes of Jim Pattison Broadcast Group, Bell Media and Harvard Broadcasting.
In addition, the CRTC will review applications from GlassBox Television for a new television service to…
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OTTAWA – Parties to telecommunications proceedings may now coordinate and organize interventions in support of their position into a joint supporting intervention.
After changing its practice to allow joint supporting interventions in the context of broadcasting proceedings in January 2010, the Commission said Tuesday that joint submissions should also be allowed in telecommunication proceedings, noting the process’ improved efficiencies.
The joint supporting intervention must include the following:
– the supporting interventions;
– a list setting out the names of persons filing the supporting interventions;
– a statement by the person filing the joint interventions that the persons on the list have requested…
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