Search Results for: crtc

Radio / Television News

UPDATE: Local CTV cuts continue

TORONTO – Bell Media cut the sports departments at its local TV stations in Kitchener, London and Windsor Tuesday as part of its ongoing rationalization of operations in its local broadcasting division. In January, the company cut a number of employees across radio and TV – and eliminated the sports department at CTV Two in Barrie. Its union, Unifor, issued an angry release. "People turn to local television to keep up on what is happening in their communities," Unifor media director Howard Law said in the release. "These cuts give people less of a reason to turn to… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Radio Hearing: What’s the best format for new Aboriginal stations?

GATINEAU – On the first day of the CRTC’s hearing into new licences for Aboriginal radio stations in several large Canadian markets, it heard there are a number of ways urban Indigenous people can be served. Some of the applicants advocated for a largely spoken word and news format while others suggested a combination of music, news and spoken word would be best. The CRTC is looking to license radio stations in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Ottawa after it revoked the licences from Aboriginal Voices Radio (AVR) following multiple instances of non-compliance with its license… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Channel Zero, union, reach settlement over CHCH 2015 restructuring

HAMILTON – Channel Zero, the parent company of CHCH, announced Monday afternoon that it has reached a final settlement with Unifor, which had been fighting for compensation for members terminated in December 2015 when the company restructured the Hamilton-based TV station. The total settlement amount of $1,000,001 will be paid out over two years and is earmarked to pay wages, termination pay and severance pay owing to the former employees, the company said in a statement. Readers will remember the station drastically cut employees and programming as it faced a severe financial crunch (some programming has since… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

Shortlist unveiled for Tuned-in Canada: The CCSA Awards

SAINT JOHN, NB – The Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA) has announced the shortlisted nominees for the 2017 Tuned-in Canada awards – the annual nation-wide competition highlighting the efforts of local providers of television and communications services in Canada. “We received so many great nominations this year, with many members participating for the first time; it’s really nice to see and hear their stories,” said CCSA CEO Jay Thomson, in the announcement.  “We were also very pleased to see an increase in the percentage of nominations received directly from customers of CCSA members. This level of support really shows how deeply… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

CRTC kicks off urban Aboriginal radio hearing Monday

GATINEAU – The CRTC will begin a three day public hearing on Monday to consider radio applications seeking to serve urban Indigenous Canadians in major markets. The Commission said in January that it had received two applications for stations in Vancouver, three for Calgary, three for Edmonton, two for Toronto, and two for Ottawa. Five organizations have submitted applications: the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta, Watwatay Native Communications Society, Northern Native Broadcasting, VMS Media Group Ltd. and First Peoples Radio Inc. A live audio feed of the hearing will be available on the CRTC website. www.crtc.gc.ca Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

Budget 2017: Review of Broadcasting Act, Telecommunications Act is on the way

OTTAWA – While some might say that a review of the Broadcasting Act and Telecom Act has more or less already begun with Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly’s “everything is on the table” consultations on Canadian Content in a Digital World, the federal government’s 2017 budget, released Wednesday, confirmed that a more formal review will begin this year. While Minister Joly and the federal government have not given any formal indications on where her consultation will lead when it comes to new law or policies (so far, just a detailed summary of her cross-country consultations has been released), the budget… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

CRTC regulatory costs dip to $29.7M this year

OTTAWA – The CRTC estimates that its regulatory costs under section 9(1) of the broadcasting regulations will total $29.723 million for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. The annual adjustment amount referred to in section 8(2) for the 2015-2016 fiscal year is a loss of $2.121 million.  A second adjustment pertaining to the 2016-2017 fiscal year in the amount of $0.014 million is being made following the revision of the Part I billing for two broadcasting undertakings. Part I broadcasting licence fees were recalculated and the adjustment is being invoiced to the other broadcasting undertakings. Taking this adjustment into account, the net billing for… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

CRTC honours Canadian communications sector innovators

GATINEAU – In honour of Canada’s 150 birthday, the CRTC unveiled the names of 23 trailblazers that have helped shape the Canadian communications system. Representing a broad cross section of Canadian society, they come from the broadcasting and telecommunications worlds as well as science and journalism. Well-known personalities such as Ted Rogers, founder of Rogers Communications, Israel (Izzy) Asper, founder of CanWest Global and Harold Greenberg, one of the founders of Astral Media made the list. Jeanne Sauvé, Canada’s first woman Governor General and one of the first women to make a career in television, was selected. Also making the list… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

LES INDÉPENDANTES: Execulink sert ses clients par tous les moyens possibles

WOODSTOCK, en Ontario – Que ce soit avec de la fibre, du coaxial, du sans-fil ou du cuivre – sur leurs propres réseaux ou comme un fournisseur de gros – Execulink sert ses clients par tous les moyens possibles. C’est la devise qui a été transmise sur quatre générations dans la famille Stevens, propriétaire de la compagnie et ses prédécesseurs. « Nous desservons chaque catégorie de clients, » raconte le PDG Ian Stevens, dans une interview avec Cartt.ca à Woodstock, le siège social de la compagnie, en Ontario. « Sur une route, vous pouvez croiser un agriculteur, quelqu'un qui vit dans une petite… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

THE INDEPENDENTS: Execulink serves customers any way it can

WOODSTOCK, Ont. – Be it fibre, coaxial, wireless, or copper – on their own networks, or as a wholesale provider – Execulink will serve customers by any means possible. That’s the mantra which has been passed down through four generations of Stevens family members who have run the company or its predecessors. “We service every client category,” said CEO Ian Stevens, in an interview with Cartt.ca at the company’s Woodstock, Ont. headquarters. “You drive down a road and you go from a farmer to somebody who’s living in a small community for a lifestyle, to a retired person, to a… Continue Reading