OTTAWA – One of the most critical aspects of developing regulation is to actively engage Canadians in their formulation, CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais told the annual workshop of the Community of Federal Regulators in Ottawa on Monday.
The CRTC’s new approach of “reaching out to Canadians as citizens, creators and consumers” has both taught some valuable lessons and helped the Commission to become “a more responsive regulator”, he said.
Sharing the process around the creation of the new wireless code of conduct, Blais said that the Commission used social media to solicit feedback and draw…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has turned down a request from Rogers Communications to shift its licenses for its cable business, on-demand business and Sportsnet service to Mountain Cablevision as part of a corporate reorganization.
Rogers acquired Hamilton Ontario-based Mountain Cablevision from Shaw earlier this year. In an application to the CRTC, Rogers requested the issuance of broadcasting licences to Mountain under the same terms and conditions as those in effect under the current licences and authorization for Rogers Communications Partnership (RCP) to continue operating its broadcasting distribution, video-on-demand, and pay-per-view undertakings. Rogers explained its request was for…
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OTTAWA – Canadians should take full advantage of the opportunity to share their views on Canada’s current and future television systems with the CRTC, says the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC).
That input should include their satisfaction (or not) with their cable, satellite and Internet Protocol television (IPTV) retail packages, the organization said in a statement Thursday.
“This is a key opportunity for consumers to comment on an industry that they care deeply about and pay dearly for but have for too long have had very little voice in shaping,” said John Lawford, executive director and…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has tweaked some of the conditions around audits between broadcasters and broadcasting distribution undertakings (BDUs).
The Commission said Thursday that the revised audit provisions clarify the manner in which audits are conducted by programming undertakings, thus ensuring a proper verification of the subscriber information held by BDUs.
It also announced plans to issue a notice of consultation setting out proposed amendments to section 15.1 of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations to bring into force the audit provisions set out in the appendix to this regulatory policy.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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OTTAWA – The CRTC cleared up confusion around how the new Wireless Code applies to wireless services with tab billing models (tab contracts) in response to queries from Rogers and Telus.
Under a tab contract, the customer obtains a device at a reduced upfront cost and the amount of the device subsidy goes onto the customer’s “tab.” Thereafter, a percentage of the customer’s monthly bill is used to “pay down” their tab.
In its response, the Commission also provided clarification on how the maximum early cancellation fee may be calculated for tab contracts, and what…
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MARKHAM, ON – Corus Entertainment COO Doug Murphy will join the panel of the executive town hall session next week at the Ontario Association of Broadcasters’ fall conference.
Moderated by radio executive Ross Davies, the session will ask high level industry executives from different areas of the broadcast industry to provide their perspective on the state of radio, television and advertising.
Other confirmed panelists include:
– Caroline Gianias; EVP trade & communications activation, Aegis Media;– Patrick Grierson; president, Canadian Broadcast Sales;– Catherine Kelly; VP electronic operations, BBM Canada;– Geoff Poulton; president, Vista Radio;– Raj Shoan; Ontario Commissioner, CRTC; and Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The CBC is asking the CRTC to tweak its broadcasting licences for its Espace Musique and Radio 2 networks and stations across Canada.
In an application made public on Wednesday, CBC is proposing to amend the conditions related to sponsored programming and embedded advertising. As Cartt.ca reported, CBC was given the green light to introduce advertising on its Radio 2 and Espace musique properties last May, but only for three years.
The deadline for comments or interventions is November 19, 2013.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is calling for comments on a targeted review of its policies for commercial radio.
The Commission said Wednesday that a comprehensive review is not necessary at this time, noting that the sector has remained relatively stable, both financially and in terms of tuning, since the last policy review in 2006. Nevertheless, the CRTC continued, the commercial radio sector would benefit from an update of certain regulatory and policy elements.
The regulator requested comments on the following topics:
– the Commission’s approach to calls for applications and to small markets;
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – To keep up with the growing demand for new phone numbers, the CRTC said Wednesday that it will add new area codes to Alberta and southwestern Ontario within the next three years.
Starting April 9, 2016, the area code 825 will join current area codes 403, 587, and 780 in serving Alberta.
Effective June 4, 2015, new telephone numbers assigned in the 226 and 519 regions of southwestern Ontario may be given area code 548.
Existing customers will keep their current area codes and phone numbers.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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TORONTO – The Canadian wireless market is a competitive success story that doesn’t require micro-managing from any level of government, the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association president Bernard Lord told the Toronto Board of Trade on Monday.
Saying “we need to be mindful of the risk of economic engineering experiments that could change that value for our country and for Canadians,” the text of Lord’s speech noted that the Canadian market is growing well and serving Canadians nicely as “smartphone adoption continues at a very rapid pace. We’ve gone from a penetration of just 36% two years ago to…
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