TORONTO – Asian Television Network (ATN) reported a second quarter net loss of $426,270, a steep drop of 311% compared to Q2 last year, on revenues of $3.96 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2018.
Operating revenue fell 24% year-over-year which the broadcaster said is a result of “increased Internet piracy and consumers shifting towards legal and illegal digital and on-line media,” according to the management discussion and analysis.
“The Company is actively involved in Fair Play Canada, a coalition with more than 25 organizations to combat the impact this is having on our subscription and advertising revenue,” ATN…
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OTTAWA – As the end of the broadcast year draws near, the CRTC has finalized a number of broadcast licence renewals.
– From Blue Ant Media, the licences for national, English-language discretionary services A.Side, BBC Earth, Cottage Life, HIFI, Love Nature, Makeful, T + E and Smithsonian Channel from September 1, 2018 to August 31, 2023;
– From Canal Évasion, for the French-language discretionary service Évasion from September 1, 2018 to August 31, 2023;
– From Ag-Com Productions, for the national, English-language discretionary service The Rural Channel from September 1, 2018 to August 31, 2023;
– From Channel Zero, for the national, English-language discretionary service Continue Reading
Feds demanded CRTC take another look
GATINEAU – Back on May 15, 2017, the CRTC issued a series of decisions to renew licences for the television services of large English- and French-language private ownership groups (Bell Media, Corus Entertainment, Rogers Media, Groupe V and Quebecor Media).
These outlined new conditions of license which allowed, among other things, broadcasters to spread their Cancon spending collectively over all of their channels, rather than counting it brand by brand. It also standardized a Canadian programming expenditure (CPE) rate of 30% of revenues for each large broadcaster. The Commission also set…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC has launched an online survey to help Canadians share their experiences with the sales practices of the country’s large telecommunications service providers.
Canadians have until September 7, 2018, midnight PDT to participate.
The Commission said Monday that the survey is part of its consultation which will result in its report to the government on whether misleading or aggressive retail sales practices are used by Canada’s TSPs. The process will also include public comments that are due this Thursday, a public hearing scheduled to start on October 22, as well as focus groups across the country.
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has renewed the broadcasting licences of AMI-audio, AMI-tv and AMI-télé, as well as their orders for mandatory distribution.
Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) filed the applications for the national, English-language audio programming undertaking AMI-audio; the national, English-language specialty Category A service AMI-tv; and the national, French-language specialty Category A service AMI-télé. On Monday, their licences were renewed for five years, from September 1, 2018 through August 31, 2023.
“The Commission is of the view that the licensee has demonstrated that its described video services will continue to give access for people who are blind or partially sighted…
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QUEBEC – As reported by Cartt.ca last week, the government of Quebec has now appealed the decision of the Superior Court of Quebec which said the provincial government could not force ISPs to block certain online gambling sites.
In its appeal, the provincial government is arguing that the gaming, consumer protection and public health issues are clearly of provincial jurisdiction, which has precedence over anything else.
The province adds in its filing that crime prevention, a provincial jurisdiction, cannot be invalidated just because enforcement involves a federally regulated activity, such as telecom in…
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OTTAWA – The federal government has begun its search for a new CRTC commissioner for Quebec, just under a year to go before current commissioner Yves Dupras’ term expires on August 10, 2019.
It's assumed the current Liberal government wants to replace Dupras (a Conservative appointee) prior to the next federal election, in October 2019. However, an election could be called sooner, if the government so desired.
According to the posting, the full-time position will be based in Quebec and the incumbent's duties will include participating in processes to establish rules, policies, and guidelines for licences and carriers; participating in public…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has renewed the licence of Canal M, the national French-language audio programming undertaking, as well as its distribution order for mandatory carriage on basic.
Owned by Vues & Voix, Canal M airs full readings of news, editorials and other articles published in newspapers, magazines and other periodicals for Francophone Canadians who are blind, partially sighted or print-restricted. All TV service providers in Francophone markets must distribute the service, and direct-to-home satellite broadcasting distribution undertakings must offer it in their French-language digital basic service packages.
The Commission also agreed to Vues & Voix’s request to increase Canal…
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QUEBEC – The Government of Quebec will appeal a Quebec Superior’s Court decision to quash an amendment of the Consumer Protection Law of Quebec banning online gambling and forcing local Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block online gambling websites.
The Court confirmed that telecommunications was an exclusive federal jurisdiction.
Cartt.ca has learned from a Quebec Department of Justice official that the Attorney General of Quebec will file an appeal with the Quebec Court of Appeal on or before August 24.
In its 2015 Budget, the Government of Quebec introduced amendments to the Consumer Protection Act to put an end to what the province…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has renewed the mandatory distribution order for the services of the Legislative Assemblies of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, without an expiry date.
These services, which operate under the Parliamentary and Provincial or Territorial Legislature Proceedings Exemption Order, exclusively cover the proceedings of the Legislative Assemblies of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories in Aboriginal languages, as well as in English and French.
They will continue to be offered on the digital basic service of direct-to-home satellite broadcasting distribution undertakings serving Nunavut and the Northwest Territories without a per subscriber monthly wholesale rate.
“The Commission is satisfied that these…
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