OTTAWA – The CRTC is helping to promote the discoverability of Canadian TV programming after revising BDU regulations around local availabilities.
The Commission said Wednesday that it is amending the authorization relating to the use of the promotional periods of time made available on U.S. television services, known as local availabilities, so that at least 75% of that time be made available for use by Canadian TV services to promote first-run, original Canadian programs.
The remaining 25% may still be used promote a BDU’s broadcasting and telecommunications services, as set out in general authorizations for broadcasting distribution undertakings.
“This amendment will provide Canadians…
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MONTREAL – Stingray Digital Group has received a five year renewal of its broadcasting licence from the CRTC for its national pay audio service Stingray Music.
Under the terms of the renewal, Stingray will contribute each year a minimum of 4% of the annual gross revenues earned by its pay audio programming undertaking to eligible third parties associated with Canadian content development allocated as follows:
– 25% to FACTOR;
– 25% to MUSICACTION,
– 5% to Community Radio Fund of Canada and;
– 45% to Stingray Music Rising Star to discover, encourage and promote new Canadian artists.
"We are pleased by with the CRTC's…
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TORONTO – Bite TV, the TV channel that was one of the original brands of what is now Blue Ant Media, will be no more as of Monday when it completely alters course as Makeful.
The company describes Makeful as “a new lifestyle specialty channel celebrating the maker community and the creation of one-of-a-kind, handmade goods. Featuring passionate, entertaining makers who share their ideas and provide inspiration, Makeful’s programming combines food, design, style and DIY series. Makeful also unites craft-enthusiasts and provides opportunities to learn new skills through its digital and social platforms. BeMakeful.com”
“While the channel provided our loyal audience…
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OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, the Canadian government’s ambitious Canada’s Wireless Policy took great steps from being a strategy to becoming a reality. The amount of spectrum made available to mobile wireless operators (and to fixed wireless operators) increased significantly, as Industry Canada delivered three auctions (700 MHz in March 2014, AWS-3 in March 2015 and 2500 MHz in April 2015) and is getting ready for a fourth one, scheduled in August 2015.
August 2015: Industry Canada’s residual auction
Industry Canada is holding its third auction in 2015 – a sealed-bid auction for “Residual Spectrum Licences in the 700 MHz and…
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OTTAWA – Wireless customers who fail to pay their bills must receive two notices that they will lose their service before they actually do so, the CRTC has confirmed.
Responding to an application filed by Rogers Communications in February that the notice requirement in the Wireless Code does not apply to service suspensions, the Commission ruled Friday that the notice requirement does, in fact, apply to both suspensions and disconnections. The decision is consistent with the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services’ interpretation of the disconnection provisions of the Wireless Code.
The Wireless Code requires wireless service providers (WSPs) to…
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OTTAWA – Aboriginal Voices Radio has been granted a temporary reprieve from a CRTC decision ordering it to shut down its radio stations in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.
The Federal Court of Appeal stayed the suspension of license for the four stations pending the outcome of an application by the broadcaster for a leave to appeal CRTC 2015-282 issued June 25.
“In the event that the application by AVR for leave to appeal this Decision has not been determined by August 31, 2015, the broadcasting licences for these four radio stations shall continue on the same terms and conditions as those that were…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has kicked off a show cause proceeding to examine whether its existing 9-1-1 obligations should apply directly to non-carriers that provide local exchange, wireless voice, local voice over Internet Protocol, or payphone services.
While the Commission can impose conditions on the offering and provision of telecommunications services by Canadian carriers, it does not have the authority to directly impose these conditions on non-carriers (also known as resellers), and defined as providers other than Canadian carriers. Instead, where it was considered necessary, the Commission has directed the underlying carriers that provide services to non-carriers to ensure…
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OTTAWA – Canada’s publicly traded television service providers combined lost almost six times more TV subscribers in the first half of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014, and almost double what they lost in all of 2014, according to new research released Wednesday.
Ottawa-based research and consulting firm Boon Dog Professional Services also found that BCE, Rogers, Shaw/Shaw Direct, Vidéotron, Cogeco, Telus, and MTS (IPTV subscribers only) combined lost approximately 113,700 TV subscribers in their respective fiscal 2015 first and second quarters, up significantly from the 19,200 lost in the same quarters in 2014, and almost double…
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MONTREAL – In its first financial report since becoming a public company, Stingray Digital said that it has started its new fiscal year “on a solid note” despite posting a $1.77 million net loss.
For the first quarter ended June 30, 2015, Stingray said that the loss was due primarily to costs related to the one-time IPO expenses and CRTC tangible benefits, and the related income tax impact. On an adjusted basis, net income increased 33.2% to $4.8 million, up from $3.6 million a year ago, as a result of its recent acquisitions combined with the signing of new international contracts,…
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TORONTO – Corus Entertainment has announced that Teletoon Retro will cease to exist as of September 1st.
The company's Cartoon Network Canada will be shifted into its place for those TV providers who don’t already carry that channel, two carrier sources have told Cartt.ca. Both sources asked not to be named as they do not have permission to speak publicly on the matter but have been told by Corus representatives that is the plan.
While some had assumed that the channel would be rebranded as a Disney service, since Corus now owns the rights to that programming going forward and will…
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