WINNIPEG – Canwest Global Communications said that the CRTC’s preliminary determinations relating to its 2009 conventional television licence renewal announced last week “represent a significant positive step forward for local television”.
The CRTC set an agenda and timetable for discussing issues facing local television stations, including potential solutions that provide on-going revenue support, last Friday.
“This decision demonstrates that the CRTC understands the serious issues facing local television in this country and recognizes the need to provide access to the same revenue streams afforded other broadcasters,” said Canwest president and CEO Leonard Asper, in a statement. “We are encouraged that…
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TORONTO – ACTRA said that its “pleased” and “optimistic” by the CRTC’s announcement that it will consider reinstating programming expenditures for Canadian programming this Fall.
But the actors union also expressed disappointment that the broadcasting regulator “passed on the opportunity to put the brakes on private broadcasters’ Hollywood spending sprees” in the short-term.
“We’re relieved that the CRTC is putting minimum expenditures for Canadian programming back on the table this Fall,” said national president Richard Hardacre, in a statement. “We’ve been calling on the CRTC to force private broadcasters to invest in Canadian programming since expenditure requirements were…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has asked for comments regarding the addition of Middle East-based news and current affairs channel Al Jazeera English (AJE) to the lists of eligible satellite services for distribution in Canada.
The Commission received a request on February 27 from Ethnic Channels Group Limited (ECGL) to add AJE to the lists of eligible satellite services for distribution on a digital basis.
In Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2009-254, the Commission asked that parties wishing that AJE not be authorized for distribution in Canada should provide detailed support for their position before June 8, 2009.
www.crtc.gc.ca…
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OTTAWA – Parliament should ensure Canada’s broadcasting legislation “keeps step with the times”, including proper accountability and transparency, even if it means restructuring the CRTC, said Canada’s largest media union.
The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP) told the Heritage Committee on Monday that Canada’s big broadcasting corporations were “supposed to strengthen local stations not close them down”, and the CRTC must share the blame for allowing that to happen.
"Parliament needs to reshape the CRTC, review the Broadcasting Act, and consider whether Canada needs converged communications legislation geared to the 21st century to address consolidated media ownership, telecommunications and…
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GATINEAU – ACTRA underscored its earlier plea that the CRTC “stand firm and resist calls for rolling back Canadian content obligations” during its appearance at the Commission’s hearings on private TV broadcaster licence renewals on Friday.
ACTRA’s national president Richard Hardacre, who was joined by performers Julie Stewart and R.H. Thomson, accused the private broadcasters of “using the economic downturn to hold Canadians hostage” on the issue of fee-for-carriage, and insisted that Canadian programming “should not suffer in the rush to respond to current challenges facing the broadcasting industry”.
“Rather than cave into private broadcasters’ demands for far fewer Canadian content rules,…
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TORONTO – Rogers Broadcasting has received CRTC approval to buy radio stations K-Rock and KIX Country in Kingston, Ontario.
Rogers purchased a minority interest in these stations in 2000, and in December made an offer to purchase the majority interest of independent radio company K-Rock 1057 Inc. who launched K-Rock 105.7 FM (CIKR FM) in 2001 and KIX Country 93.5 FM (CKXC FM) in 2007 in partnership with Rogers.
"With these two radio stations, Rogers will have a strong presence in Kingston", said Paul Ski, CEO of radio for Rogers Media, in the press release. "We look forward to…
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OTTAWA – Peter Menzies has been appointed as a full-time member of the CRTC, representing the Alberta/Northwest Territories region.
"Mr. Menzies’ talent and experience in leading teams and managing high levels of performance make him an ideal candidate for the responsibilities entrusted to him," said James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, in the announcement.
Menzies is the president of Menzies Strategies, a company specializing in media consulting and strategic planning, and has been a part-time member of the CRTC since 2007. He spent his career in the newspaper business, serving as general manager of the Calgary…
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TORONTO – As the CRTC gears up to begin licence renewals hearings for Canada’s private conventional broadcasters, ACTRA is asking the Commission not to “give in to private broadcaster threats” and “punish Canadian programming”.
Urging the CRTC to resist any calls from broadcasters for deregulation or “watering down” of Canadian content regulations, the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) proposed that broadcasters be required to maintain their level of spending on Canadian drama to at least the level they spent this year.
“Don’t punish Canadian programming. Canadian content regulations didn’t cause the current challenges in our broadcasting system,”…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has given the green light to four new broadcasting licences for category two specialty television services.
The Family Channel received approval for ‘Family Extreme’, a national, English-language service that will offer programming from around the world devoted to entertainment, humour, travel, games, science and technology and targeted toward children aged 6 to 17 years and their families.
Fairchild Television was granted licences for ‘Fairchild Television II’ and ‘Talentvision II’, two national, third-language general interest ethnic services which promise to offer information and entertainment in the Cantonese and Mandarin language, respectively.
‘Music India 2 Television’ also received Commission approval. The…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has released the schedule for the upcoming licence renewal hearings for the country’s private conventional televisions stations.
CTV Television plus Quebecor’s TVA Group and Sun TV Company kick off the hearings beginning April 27, which will continue daily through May 11.
Count on Cartt.ca to be there with regular reports on the proceedings.
To view the Commission’s complete agenda, click here.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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