OTTAWA – The avails are still not for sale and while ads will be allowed in the video on demand stream, there are to be new rules, the CRTC announced Monday in releasing its policy decisions on commercial advertising in the local availabilities of non-Canadian services and video-on-demand.
As Cartt.ca readers will recall, the Commission originally called for comments on the sale of local avails back in October, 2008. In doing so, it predicted that revenues from the sale of advertising for insertion in local availabilities could provide a net benefit to the Canadian…
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MONTREAL – Quebecor Media said that Monday’s CRTC decision is only a “partial solution” to what ails the broadcasting industry.
The company said that it “deplores” the Commission’s decision to “tackle the current structural crisis through a scheme that is not based squarely on a rebalancing of the system”, which it called the only solution designed to protect consumers.
“The approach advocated by Quebecor Media would shield consumers from rate hikes by maintaining the total fees paid by cable and satellite service providers at current levels”, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. It proposed a model that would distribute the…
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TORONTO – Add the Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) to those backing Monday’s CRTC decision on new TV policy.
The WGC said that it is “optimistic” about the re-introduction of expenditure requirements, though said that it needs to do some modelling to determine if the spending requirements and drama minimums in the new policy are enough “to make a real difference”.
“The CRTC heard us”, said executive director Maureen Parker, in a statement. “This policy marks a philosophical shift. The re-introduction of expenditure requirements will help build the supply of Canadian programming, including high-quality dramas and documentaries. And expenditure…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has extended the window for comments on the issue of opening up the general interest pay television genre to competition in the French-language market.
After receiving a letter from Astral that asked to reply to comments made by TVA Group Inc. in the filings, the Commission said that “given the importance of the issues raised in this proceeding”, it is appropriate to allow time for interested parties to reply.
Parties who participated in the first phase of this process may now file reply comments no later than April 20, 2010, the CRTC announced Tuesday. The reply…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The highly-anticipated CRTC decision on fee-for-carriage/value-for-signal will be released this Monday.
The Commission will institute a media lock-up that afternoon at its headquarters on March 22 while it unveils the regulatory policy framework on group-based licencing of ownership groups (also known as decision 2009-411).
Cartt.ca will be there with full coverage of the decision.
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OTTAWA – It’s a much-anticipated decision, but it won’t be released until after March Break.
For those on the regulatory side of the industry with kids off school and vacations planned, this is a good thing: Cartt.ca has learned that the target week for the release of the decision on 2009-411, the so-called value-for-signal/fee-for-carriage proceeding, is the week of March 22nd.
Click here for a little refresher…
Look for the Commission to also have something to say on VOD advertising and local avails, which will then tie into what happens with this application.
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is asking for feedback on whether insurance agents and brokers should be exempt from the National Do Not Call List, in the same way as investment and financial advisors.
The Commission clarified certain obligations under the DNCL rules that permit investment and financial advisors to contact existing clients in December 2008. By contrast, it determined that calls by insurance agents or brokers to sell or promote insurance products or services, including to existing clients, violated the DNCL rules. In a call for comments Thursday, the Commission questioned whether this difference should be maintained.
Parties interested…
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OTTAWA – CRTC chair Konrad von Finckenstein said Friday the regulator had “made a mistake” in eliminating Canadian content spending requirements for over-the-air broadcasters back in 1999.
Speaking in conversation with broadcast veteran Trina McQueen during the CFTPA Prime Time in Ottawa conference, von Finckenstein added, “It doesn’t make sense.”
However, the chair noted that the system “can’t turn back.” While failing to confirm expenditures would be revived in upcoming regulation, it looks like the CRTC is heading that way.
McQueen noted that the CRTC should not want “to make the same mistake over again” (by not changing the rules).
Can’t the amount…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has dropped Mediadenovo’s application from its public hearing scheduled for February 22, but will reschedule it at a later date, said the brief notice of consultation.
In response to an email inquiry from Cartt.ca, Mediadenovo CEO Glenn O’Farrell said that he “was expecting this”, and predicted that a new date for his company’s hearing will be set shortly. He said that the application would have remained part of the non-appearing hearing “only if there had been few interventions”.
Mediadenovo has applied to sell ad time on US specialty channels’ local avails in Canada and direct…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is set to consider 19 new broadcasting licences at a hearing scheduled for April 14, 2010, without the appearance of the parties.
Former Chum executive Jay Switzer has submitted four applications for English language category two television channels, two for action and adventure channels called Velocity and Adventure, and two for romance and relationship-focused channels called KISS and The Love Channel.
Calgary-based Canyon TV has applied for three English and French language category two TV channels to be known as Canyon Money, Canyon Extreme Sports and Canyon Technology, while Ontario’s Cable Cable has applied for a regional…
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