IT’S NO SECRET that the lack of readily available high-speed internet has long been a headache for people who live in rural Manitoba. “Lack of access to reliable high-speed internet is hurting economic growth in rural and remote areas,” the agricultural weekly The Western Producer reported in 2017 in an exposé called Out of Touch.
“Frustrated farmers, rural businesses and homeowners have said they have inadequate and expensive internet service…and for some producers without reliable data, the age of autonomous machines is stalled.” A 2016 study by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority…
Continue Reading
CE N’EST PAS UNE SURPRISE pour personne vivant au milieu rural: les difficultés d’accéder à une connexion internet à haut débit sont une casse-tête depuis longtemps. Les résidents et commerçants des communautés rurales au Manitoba en souffrent. “Le manque d’accès à une connexion internet rapide et fiable nuit à la croissance économique dans les communautés rurales et éloignées,” est-il écrit dans l’hebdo agriculturel The Western Producer, dans un exposé de 2017 intitulé “Out of Touch” (Hors Contact).
“Des fermiers, des entrepreneurs et des résidents en milieu rural ont dénoncé le service…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The CRTC handed out two new Ontario radio licences Wednesday, one for the Grimsby/Beamsville region and the other to serve the town of Georgina.
After considering three applications at a public hearing in Toronto last November, the Commission chose Durham Radio Inc. as the owner of a broadcasting licence to operate a new commercial FM radio station using the frequency 88.5 MHz. The licence will expire on August 31, 2024.
“The Commission finds that Durham has proposed a sound business plan that is based on its experience in the Hamilton radio market and third-party research”, reads the decision. “Approval of…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA and GATINEAU – The CRTC has caught and fined two online advertising companies for allegedly aiding in the distribution of malware through online ads, the first time it has done so under Canada’s anti-spam law.
The Commission said Wednesday that Datablocks and Sunlight Media have been served with violation notices for purportedly helping to help spread malicious computer programs (malware) through the distribution of online advertising. The companies were fined $100,000 and $150,000, respectively.
Using its anti-spam powers, the CRTC said that the “highly complex investigation” found that the companies allegedly violated Canada’s anti-spam law in the following ways:
Sunlight Media…
Continue Reading
VANCOUVER and TORONTO – The CRTC has approved Wow Unlimited Networks’ proposed acquisition of specialty channel Comedy Gold from Bell Media for $6.67 million.
The Commission said that it has determined that the transaction is in the public interest, and noted its potential benefits to Canadian viewers and the broadcasting system by providing a wider variety of children's and youth content, along with an increase in production within the kids genre.
The Regulator also accepted the proposed the tangible benefits package of $687,000, representing 10% of the value of the transaction, though directed Wow Networks to file a revised…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – Manitoba independent TV producer, former broadcaster and former Liberal candidate Joanne Levy has been hired as the CRTC’s new Saskatchewan/Manitoba regional commissioner for a five-year term, the Governor-in-Council announced last week.
She fills the slot left open since former commissioner Candice Molnar’s term expired in January of 2017.
Levy, of Balmoral, Manitoba, is the owner of Scorpio Productions, according to her LinkedIn profile – and she has held several positions in the industry as well, such as head of convergent content for Buffalo Gal pictures, director of programming for APTN and executive director of the former Craig Media’s A-Channel…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – Total broadcasting revenues dropped 3.3% from 2016 to 2017 as television service providers (BDUs) posted negative growth for the third consecutive year, according to the CRTC’s statistical and financial results for the industry released Monday.
The Commission's 2017 Broadcasting Financial Summaries Highlights reported that overall BDU revenues dropped by 2.3% (or $202 million), falling from $8.74 billion in 2016 to $8.54 billion for the broadcast year ended August 31, 2017. IPTV revenues grew by over 10% to $2 billion in 2017, outperforming satellite for the first time since its introduction into the Canadian marketplace. Satellite (DTH) service providers…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The CRTC has applied the group-based licensing approach while renewing the broadcasting licences for DHX Television’s services.
DHX Television had requested that the Commission renew its licences for Family Channel and its multiplex Family Jr., Family CHRGD, and French‑language service Télémagino under the group-based approach, noting that the services form a bilingual group with common requirements.
The company added that group-based licensing would allow the services to better capture the synergies that arise from a group that exclusively operates in the children’s programming genre.
Despite various interventions, the Commission agreed. The new licences will take effect September 1, 2018 and…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – Led by mobile and Internet services, retail telecommunications revenues grew 3.3% in fourth quarter of 2017 over 2016 revenue levels, according to new data released by the CRTC.
Results for broadcasting distribution and the retail telecommunications sectors for Q4 2017 found that mobile and Internet revenue growth continue to outpace subscriber growth, pointing to greater revenue per subscriber. Mobile and Internet revenues grew by 7.0% and 7.1% respectively, in Q4 2017 over the same period in the previous year, while subscriptions grew by 3.3% and 2.7% respectively.
The industry overview represents approximately 20 reporting entities whose combined revenues…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The CRTC has given the all clear to Rogers Media to proceed with its proposed acquisition of Medicine Hat station 102.1 CJCY from Clear Sky Radio for $4 million.
Currently, CJCY-FM (102.1 CJCY Classic Hits) serves communities in the southeastern area of Alberta, including Medicine Hat, Redcliff, Dunmore, Seven Persons and Bow Island. Rogers Media also owns CKMH-FM (105.3 ROCK) in Medicine Hat.
The Commission said Thursday that it has determined that the transaction is in the public interest, though increased the tangible benefits package to $247,183 (Rogers had proposed of $240,000), which it said equates to 6% of…
Continue Reading
