Nearly 10,000 submissions, most by people who didn’t read the proposal
GATINEAU – The FairPlay Coalition has a fight on its hands.
Last week saw the passing of the deadline to respond to the CRTC’s call for comments on the public proceeding opened to consider the FairPlay Coalition’s call for a new agency to help fight online piracy of content.
In January, the coalition of Canadian artists, content creators, unions, guilds, producers, performers, broadcasters, distributors, and exhibitors proposed the CRTC establish something called the Independent Piracy Review Agency (IPRA), which would assist it in identifying websites blatantly engaged in content theft –…
Continue Reading
WINNIPEG – As long as the federal government and their provincial counterparts keep allowing Netflix to do business in Canada without at least collecting sales taxes, they are perpetuating a structural imbalance in favour of the big U.S. streamer (and others) over Canadian competitors.
That deduction is part of an enlightening new discussion paper called Netflix in Canada released Wednesday by Winnipeg’s Communications Management Inc., which takes a deep dive into the numbers.
CMI’s paper references research from the likes of CBC’s Media Technology Monitor and Solutions Research Group, but it relies most heavily on a large 2016 Statistics Canada survey…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA and GATINEAU – All wireless service providers must be ready and able to distribute wireless public emergency alert messages on their LTE networks in Canada by April 6, as was directed by the CRTC.
Emergency alert messages are issued by federal, provincial and territorial governments and emergency management officials to warn the public of imminent threats, such as fires, tornadoes, floods, water contamination and Amber Alerts.
Alerts received via mobile devices will contain the same alert tone as those distributed from the radio or television, plus trigger a unique vibration cadence. They will also include the information Canadians need for…
Continue Reading
DARTMOUTH – Newcap Radio is asking the CRTC to approve its purchase of FM radio stations CKEC-FM and CKEZ-FM New Glasgow, NS from Hector Broadcasting for $2.7 million.
The proposed acquisition was made public last November when Newcap released its third quarter results. Newcap is also requesting new broadcasting licences to continue the operation of the undertakings under the same terms and conditions as those in effect under the current licences.
According to Commission records, the current licensee (Hector) appears to be in non-compliance with certain regulatory obligations for both stations which will be examined in the context of this…
Continue Reading
WYOMING, ON – SouthWestern Integrated Fibre Technology Inc. (SWIFT) has released a position paper that it says provides an evidence-based case for continued investment in equitable access to ultra-high-speed broadband networks.
SWIFT is a not-for-profit, collective broadband initiative that is funding the construction of an affordable, open-access, ultra-high-speed fibre-optic regional broadband network for some 3.5 million residents in Southwestern Ontario, Caledon and the Niagara Region.
Broadband: An Investment in Innovation focuses on the following recommendations:
1. Develop and implement a provincial broadband plan that is aligned with federal, regional, municipal and Indigenous partners. This plan should leverage the collective voice of the…
Continue Reading
MARKHAM, ON – Ethnic Channels Group CEO Slava Levin and others are involved an application seeking approval for a new national pay audio programming undertaking, also backed by American television and multiplatform music service Music Choice .
The application, made by a numbered Nova Scotia company which would own 80% of the operation, states that the service’s programming would consist of at least 68 audio channels in a wide variety of music formats.
The applicant proposes to devote approximately 43% of its programming to content category 2 (Popular Music) music selections derived from genres including pop, rock, dance and easy listening. The…
Continue Reading
VANCOUVER – Wow Unlimited Networks has asked the CRTC to grant its proposed acquisition of specialty channel Comedy Gold from Bell Media for $6.87 million.
Wow, a wholly owned subsidiary of Wow Unlimited Media, is also requesting a new broadcasting licence to continue the operation of the service.
It also pledged that in the first broadcast year following the acquisition and in each subsequent broadcast year, it would devote at least 10% of the previous year’s gross annual revenues of the undertaking to the acquisition of or investment in Canadian programming, by condition of licence.
The CRTC will consider the…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Rogers Media is seeking CRTC approval to acquire Medicine Hat station 102.1 CJCY from Clear Sky Radio for $4 million.
The acquisition was made public in January, and Rogers is also requesting a new broadcasting licence to continue the operation of the station under the same terms and conditions as those in effect under the current licence.
The CRTC will consider the application at a hearing scheduled for May 31 and interventions/comments/answers are due by April 26, 2018.
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – With next-generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) services still about two years away, the CRTC is seeking comments on NG9-1-1 network design efficiencies.
The Commission said Monday that it will hold a proceeding to examine recommendations made in a recent report from from NG9-1-1 stakeholders, such as roles and responsibilities related to the provision of location information servers and customer information databases, NG9-1-1 network components that could be shared, and efficient interconnection arrangements.
Interventions are due by April 25, 2018 and should address the specific questions contained in the CRTC’s call for comments and include supporting rationale.
“As a result of this proceeding,…
Continue Reading
MONTREAL – Attraction Media is getting out of the radio business after unveiling plans to sell off its 15 Quebec stations to EVP and COO Sylvain Chamberland.
According to a La Presse report, Chamberland was tapped by Attraction founder Richard Speer in 2011 to build the company’s radio division, Attraction Radio, by acquiring small-market stations across Quebec. The company says that it currently reaches 1.6 million listeners each month through its network of regional stations that stretch from Sept-Îles to Joliette, via Lac-Mégantic and Matane.
Following CRTC approval of the stations' sale, Chamberland will leave Attraction Media and create a…
Continue Reading
