Terms of Trade even more essential
TORONTO – The Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) is today calling for a formal review of the need for enhanced Terms of Trade between broadcasters and producers in light of Corus Entertainment’s proposed acquisition of Shaw Media.
“This acquisition has troubling implications for the independent production sector,” said Reynolds Mastin, president and CEO of the CMPA, in the organization’s press release. “If approved, it will lead to even greater consolidation of control in an already exceptionally consolidated broadcasting industry. It will mean that two players – the merged Corus/Shaw and Bell Media – would control…
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Shaw to use cash to fund Wind buy; Corus scales up for pick and pay
TORONTO – While many often assumed the opposite would happen, Corus Entertainment and Shaw Communications this morning announced the former would buy the latter’s media properties for $2.65 billion.
The two companies have been planning the transaction for a while. “For a few months now, we’ve been hard at it,” Corus CEO Doug Murphy told Cartt.ca Wednesday in an interview. “Many felt it might go the other way, but the industrial logic, if you would, of bringing these two businesses together make a lot of sense…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has found that Rogers Media’s decision to cancel local third-language newscasts on its OMNI stations does not constitute a breach of its conditions of licence, and subsequently turned down requests by Urban Alliance on Race Relations and Unifor Local 723M seeking an expedited public hearing on the matter.
The Commission said Tuesday that it will instead review the OMNI stations’ ongoing performance and requirements, including their obligations regarding the provision of local third-language programming, as part of the upcoming hearing that will form part of the licence renewal process scheduled to begin later this year.
“This will…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC wants to hear Canadians’ views on local and community programming.
On Tuesday the Commission opened an online discussion forum, available now through February 3, to allow Canadians to comment on its new working document based on initial feedback from its review of local and community programming that kicked off last September.
The working document contains proposals such as a fund to support local news and incentives to broadcast professional local news on community channels in markets where there is no over-the-air television, but cautioned that it is only to providing possible approaches to stimulate discussion and debate.
“The Commission is also…
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OTTAWA – The Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) officially acknowledged Thursday’s CRTC decision to introduce a new Television Service Provider Code of Conduct which it will administer.
CCTS currently administers two industry codes developed by the CRTC – the Deposit and Disconnection Code, which applies to residential phone service, and the Wireless Code, which applies to wireless services.
“The CRTC asked, and we agreed, to take on administration of this new Code,” said CCTS Commissioner and CEO Howard Maker, in a statement. “We support the CRTC’s efforts to introduce clarity and certainty into the relationship between TV service providers…
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LAS VEGAS – “Cable companies find it hard to accept that people don’t just want to watch TV in the living room anymore,” said Jay Mehr, EVP and COO of Shaw Communications as it announced the launch of its FreeRange app Wednesday at the Consumer Electronics Show.
The app makes content instantly available to subscribers no matter where they are and Mehr (pictured) told a gathering of industry partners and press that the cable company had partnered with Comcast and Cisco to leverage Comcast's X1 platform to provide a truly disruptive mobile experience by providing live…
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OTTAWA – The overwhelming majority of community TV channels do not meet the minimum criteria for operating a community TV channel under current CRTC policy, says the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS).
As the CRTC prepares to review the policy framework for local and community television programming later this month, the organization said Thursday that it has filed complaints of non-compliance with the Commission’s community TV policy against 47 cable community channels for not airing at least 60% local content and at least 50% access content.
CACTUS’ allegation includes research by CACTUS member and Newwest.tv executive director…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Canadian television subscribers will soon receive clear notice on the channels they pay for and be better informed of service package and pricing changes under the CRTC’s new Television Service Provider Code released Thursday.
The new mandatory code, which will come in to effect September 1, 2017, will help Canadians make more informed choices about their television service providers plus resolve disputes in a fair and effective manner, the Commission said.
It will apply to all companies that provide subscription television services to more than 20,000 subscribers, including cable, satellite and IPTV providers, and will be implemented by…
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OTTAWA – Independent ISPs and consumer groups are telling the federal government not to buy Bell Canada’s assertions that investments in next-generation fibre networks will come to a standstill if the CRTC’s wholesale fibre access decision is allowed to stand.
A day after the Justin Trudeau Liberals swept into power in Ottawa on October 19, Bell filed appeal with the Governor-in-Council seeking a Cabinet order overturning Telecom Regulatory Policy 2015-326. The company claims the decision favours “resale over investment” which will lead to less capital for fibre to the home…
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OTTAWA – Changes to the Canadian broadcast industry stemming from the CRTC’s Let’s Talk TV decisions could lead to sweeping job losses and funding cuts to Canadian programming, according to a new study commissioned by advocacy groups and unions representing Canadian producers and creators.
Co-authored by Nordicity and communications lawyer Peter Miller, Canadian Television 2020: Technological and Regulatory Impacts was commissioned by the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA), the Canadian Media Guild, Directors Guild of Canada, Friends of Canadian Broadcasting and Unifor.
Using three scenarios, the study examines the potential impact of policy decisions such as…
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