WATERLOO, ON – Sandvine CTO Don Bowman is one of seven industry thought leaders that have been invited to participate in the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Roundtable on the Technological Aspects of an Open Internet this week.
The roundtable will consider the technical aspects of open Internet scope, transparency, blocking, mobile networks, and reasonable network management. It will take place this Friday at 1:30 PM ET in Washington, DC and will be streamed live here.
Both Sandvine and Bowman, (pictured), have actively contributed to global initiatives aimed at helping to define and promote an open Internet,…
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GATINEAU – The CRTC briefly changed the channel on Monday. The Let‘s Talk TV policy hearing turned its attention away from the impact that Netflix and over the top (OTT) services could have on the Canadian broadcasting system and instead tuned into the role that set top box (STB) viewership data should play in providing more granular audience measurement and therefore enhance the ability of broadcasters to monetize programs.
Rentrak, a U.S. corporation that provides a service combining both sample and census data, took the stand in the morning to explain how its offering can be of significant value to…
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GATINEAU – Of all the interveners appearing so far at the CRTC’s TV Policy Review, the CBC’s might be the most contentious – and its executives endured a good grilling by the commissioners Friday morning on the fifth day of the Commission’s TV Policy Review.
The Crown Corp, which has had a rough past 24 months as most know, has come to the CRTC asking for a number of new things, but three aspects are drawing the most attention. It wants: to be able to shut off its transmitters and charge subscription TV providers a wholesale fee; for the Commission…
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GATINEAU – The non-vertically integrated cablecos, Cogeco and members of the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA) entered the Let’s Talk TV policy hearing discussion fray on Thursday with both arguing the Commission must ensure they can acquire programming rights at reasonable costs without onerous terms.
Keith Stevens, chair of the board at CCSA member Execulink Telecom, noted during the CCSA’s opening remarks that the recent affiliation agreement with Bell Media is a prime example of the harm small cable TV providers face when dealing with VI providers. Under this deal, Execulink was required to maintain packaging requirements as they were…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC must ensure a vibrant, healthy Canadian television industry or risk losing Canadian talent and audiences, the Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) told the Commission during its appearance at the Let’s Talk TV hearing Thursday.
“The great success stories of Canadian television came about because Canadian creators have had opportunities to collaborate with experienced colleagues,” said executive director Maureen Parker. “Quantity is needed to create quality. If the industry shrinks as a result of some proposals on the table, the talent will simply leave the country.”
Speaking on behalf of its members, some 2,200 professional English-language screenwriters across…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has granted Gold Line Telemanagement Inc. regional broadcasting licences to operate terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings serving Vancouver and Victoria in B.C. and various locations in Ontario, including Toronto, Ottawa, Windsor and Hamilton/Niagara.
Based in Richmond Hill, ON, Gold Line distributes prepaid phone cards and long distance services in Canada. According to the company’s website, it is also the frontline sales and marketing department for all of Group of Gold Line's products and services, which includes IPTV and VoIP. The Commission says that Gold Line is wholly owned and controlled by Ata Moeini.
Gold Line has…
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MARKHAM, ON – CRTC Ontario Commissioner Raj Shoan will address Ontario Association of Broadcasters members and take part in a town hall at the organization's annual general meeting next month.
The AGM will be held just prior to the organization’s fall conference, Connection 2014, at 8:00 AM on October 30 at the Marriott Toronto Airport Hotel in Toronto. Commissioner Shoan will address the membership during the AGM.
He will also participate in the Executive Industry Town Hall later that day and discuss the hot issues, challenges and opportunities affecting broadcasting today and tomorrow. Other confirmed panelists include Erica Farber, CEO, Radio Advertising Bureau (U.S.); Geoff…
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GATINEAU – The funding of big budget Canadian programming as well as the role of the U.S. TV channels in the broadcasting system were put under the microscope during the fourth day of the CRTC’s Let’s Talk TV policy hearing.
Rogers Communications, Shaw Communications and Cogeco Cable warned of significant negative consequences to the Canadian system if the commission removed US 4+1s (CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX + PBS) from basic cable packages. The CRTC’s proposal was certainly a bone of contention for Rogers with the company saying it would face the wrath of subscribers if these channels were removed from…
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GATINEAU – Late Wednesday evening, after the TV lights had long been turned off and almost everyone else had gone home, Corus Entertainment stated its belief that despite the myriad changes happening in the global media market, the CRTC shouldn’t really do too much to upset the Canadian apple cart.
However, if the Commission does move on a smaller, mandated basic package, which is one of the many proposals under review, Corus asked that new regs be sure to include kids programming in the lineup. Corus is a big kids content producer, of course, but the company didn’t ask that…
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OTTAWA – V Media Group received CRTC approval Thursday to proceed with its purchase of French-language music channels MusiquePlus and MusiMax from Bell Media.
The Commission said that the transaction, as modified in this decision, is in the public interest and contributes to fulfilling the objectives of the Broadcasting Act as it will foster competition in the French-language market and ensure the continued availability of a major showcase for Canadian musical talent. It revised the value of the deal to $22.87 million.
The decision also approved, subject to certain modifications, an application to amend certain conditions of licence relating to…
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