By Ahmad Hathout
Organizations representing news media and their workers are warning the CRTC not to redirect any of the $100 million they were earmarked by Google toward public interest participation in CRTC proceedings related to news linking matters.
The Broadcasting Participation Fund (BPF), which bankrolls public interest participation in CRTC proceedings, filed a Part 1 application this summer requesting that the commission expand its mandate to include matters pertaining to large technology platforms that must pay to link to Canadian news content under the Online News Act. Google has already agreed to put an annual inflation-indexed $100…
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By Ahmad Hathout
The Federal Court of Appeal has granted Rogers’s application to challenge the CRTC’s decision to pick, in final offer arbitration, Quebecor’s offer to ride on the cable giant’s mobile wireless network.
The appeal court released its decision on August 16, almost exactly a year after Rogers filed an appeal disputing the July 2023 decision on the basis of an alleged lack of transparency by which the CRTC decided to select the Montreal-based company’s rate to lease wireless capacity.
Rogers has always claimed that the rate selected by the CRTC is “materially lower than…
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Media conglomerate Postmedia announced Thursday it is partnering with content and marketing company Contend to launch Postmedia Studios, which they say will leverage the new funding ecosystem brought by the Online Streaming Act to bring Canadian stories to film, television and short-form formats.
The companies said they already have a slate of original programming created by Canadians in the works, and all intellectual property will be created, owned and produced by Canadians.
“This includes film, television, and short-form formats that delve into compelling real-life stories and memorable historical events that have shaped the nation,” a press release said. “These productions will…
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Videotron’s discount brand Fizz announced Thursday it has expanded into new areas of British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebecor to cover 2.2 million more people.
The new areas include Whistler and Kelowna in B.C.; Lethbridge and Red Deer in Alberta; Portage and La Prairie in Manitoba; and Gaspesie, Cote-Nord and Bas-Saint-Laurent areas of Quebec. The full service area list as of Thursday is available on the Fizz website.
The expansion is made possible by agreements Videotron has with larger mobile network operators under the CRTC’s mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) framework.
“We are proud to expand Fizz’s service…
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Rogers has submitted to the CRTC a restated application for an immediate temporary stay of the speed-matching requirement for its new retail gigabit internet services.
The amended application dated Aug. 23 was posted to the commission’s website on Aug. 29.
The changes to the cable giant’s initial application asking for an interim speed-matching exemption reflect the CRTC’s Aug. 13 decision to expand the last-mile fibre regime nationwide, Rogers explained in its new application.
The regulator had informed Rogers via an Aug. 6 letter that it would not consider the company’s request for an expedited…
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Telus announced late last week that it’s putting more streaming services into its EnContinu+ bundle for Telus and Koodo customers in Quebec.
Subscribers to the service will now get two options: a basic plan, which includes Netflix with ads, Club illico, Amazon Prime Video, and Telus Films and Series for $25 per month; and a premium plan, which all of the above and Netflix without ads for $38 per month. The bundles also include the Amazon Prime shipping service, whose subscription alone would give subscribers access to the video service.
“By bringing three of Quebec’s most popular streaming services into one plan, EnContinu+…
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Bell moves to remove fault on Rogers for not knowing about non-compete restrictions
By Ahmad Hathout
The president of content sales at Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) allegedly told the U.S. content producer’s deal representative to continue negotiating with Rogers despite being told that the company had an outstanding non-compete agreement with Bell that allegedly prevented it from negotiating a licensing deal with a competitor for two years beyond the existing deal’s expiry on January 1, 2025.
“Between May 2023 and August 2023, I had understood that David Decker effectively said … continue negotiating without being concerned about the non-compete agreements, right?” said…
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By Connie Thiessen
The CRTC has released its annual snapshot of the broadcast sector for 2022-23, which overall remained profitable, with the exception of conventional television.
For the 2023 broadcast year, ended Aug. 31, 2023, the commission’s report says Radio, Discretionary TV, and Broadcast Distribution Undertakings (BDUs) remained in the black, while Digital Media Broadcasting Undertakings (DMBU), like Spotify and Disney+, experienced ongoing revenue growth. Conventional television continued to operate at a loss. In total, broadcasting revenues decreased by 0.37 per cent from the 2022 to 2023 broadcast year.
Commercial Radio reported a revenue decrease of .55 per cent, Conventional TV (-7.16 per cent), Discretionary TV…
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Peladeau lambasts “contradictory” decision
By Ahmad Hathout
The CRTC said Thursday that Quebecor must come to an agreement on separate terms with Bell unrelated to the commission-approved tariff in order to access the telco’s national wireless network.
After the commission picked Bell’s access rate in final offer arbitration with the regional carrier last fall, Quebecor filed a complaint to the CRTC alleging Bell is attempting to delay its access to the large network by making it agree to terms that were outside of those already approved by the commission – and that there was an expected access date of…
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The CRTC is committing more than $17 million through its Broadband Fund to Bell Canada, TBayTel, Telus Communications and Sogetel Mobilité to build new cell towers and improve mobile wireless service along eight major roads, the telecom regulator announced Wednesday.
The four telecommunications service providers submitted their funding applications in response to the CRTC’s third call for applications to the Broadband Fund.
Bell has been approved for up to $1.05 million in funding to build a cell tower to serve approximately 15 kilometres of Route 330 near the community of Gander Bay South in Newfoundland and…
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