TORONTO – Veritas Investment Research says the speech by CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais to the 2013 Banff World Media Fest last week appears to foreshadow a negative ruling for Bell/Astral II and that investors should pay heed.
In a research note to clients last week, Veritas noted that investors are betting that the answer from the CRTC will be affirmative, and not negative like the first go-around in October of 2012. It’s not a safe bet, says the company. “Astral Media Inc.’s class A shares are trading at approximately $48.50, compared to BCE Inc.’s offer price…
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INUVIK, NWT – The CRTC began its public hearing today to review the regulatory framework and proposed modernization plan for Bell-subsidiary Northwestel.
“This review will attempt to strike the right balance between market forces, network investment and regulatory intervention to meet these goals for the North,” CRTC chair Jean-Pierre Blais said in his opening statement.
“As we study Northwestel’s modernization plan, the hearing panel will be looking at the degree to which it will provide northern Canadians with access to services that are comparable to the rest of the country.”
In 2011, the CRTC…
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OTTAWA – The Federal government has filled two important positions at the CRTC, naming commissioner Peter Menzies as vice-chair telecom and Raj Shoan as Ontario regional commissioner.
While a formal announcement has not yet been made on either appointment by the government or the Commission, both men are shown to have been appointed to those roles on the “Apppointments” web page of the Governor-In-Council.
Menzies has been a full-time commissioner since was appointed as Regional Commissioner for Alberta and Northwest Territories in June of 2009 and his term was due to expire in June of 2014. He was…
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QUISPAMSIS, NB – The Canadian Cable Systems Alliance Inc. (CCSA) has announced that Cartt.ca editor and publisher Greg O’Brien will join the judging panel for the inaugural Community Channel Awards.
O'Brien will be joined by John Thomas and Michel Arpin on the judging panel. An industry veteran, Thomas has more than 40 years experience heading prominent industry associations including CCSA, CCTA and Cable Television Standards Foundation. He was president and CEO of independent cableco Delta Cable until its sale in 2005. Delta was long known for the quality of its community programming.
Arpin, who began his…
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TORONTO – Specialty investment company Difference Capital Financial announced today the appointment of Jim Shaw and Ivan Fecan to its board of directors.
Shaw is best known for his 12 years as CEO of Shaw Communications. He joined the company his father founded in 1982, moving through a succession of leadership positions in the company. Under his leadership as CEO, the share price of Shaw Communications increased 11% per year and the company became a leader in the North American cable industry. Currently, he serves as a director of Shaw Communications Inc. and United Communities L.P.
Fecan was president and CEO…
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OTTAWA and GATINEAU – Profits for conventional television stations fell by 85% in 2012, according to the CRTC’s latest statistical and financial report for this sector released Thursday.
The Commission said profits before interest and taxes (PBIT) for private TV stations declined from $151.6 million to $22.9 million in 2012.
Revenues dropped by 5% from $2.14 billion in 2011 to $2.04 billion in 2012. While local advertising sales remained relatively stable at $354.6 million, down just 0.2% from the previous year, national advertising revenues decreased 7.5% from $1.47 billion in 2011 to $1.35 billion in 2012.
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TRACKING TRENDS REMINDS ME of what Henry Ford said when he was quizzed about popular trends and his new Model T, "If I had asked people about what they really wanted they would have said a faster horse!" But here at the Banff World Media Fest there are some bankable trends emerging.
First, the rise of the multi-gadget digital viewer is a hyper-fact, and very often creators enjoy working with niche media and OTT platforms for the freedom and multi-platform thrill and innovation of it all. However, there is still nothing quite like broadcast television for the immediate future.
Second, broadcast…
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BANFF – CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais told Banff World Media Fest delegates it’s time for Canada to talk TV – really talk about it – in order to figure out what we as a nation want from our television system as the global electronic media universe just keeps changing and growing.
In the fall, said the chairman, the Commission will embark on an ambitious plan to potentially remake the regulatory system so that the rules work better in the face of the rampant technological development and consumer behavioural shifts we see today.
“I am already on the record as saying we…
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OTTAWA – Shaw Communications now has 100% ownership of specialty channel TVtropolis after the CRTC approved its application in a decision Tuesday to acquire Rogers’ 33% interest in the Category A service for a reported $59 million.
The acquisition of Rogers’ remaining interest in TVtropolis is part of a number of transactions between Shaw and Rogers announced in January. At that time Rogers said it would acquire Shaw’s cable system in Hamilton, Ont. and secure an option to purchase Shaw’s Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum holdings in 2014. Rogers said it would also enter into…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is not satisfied with Telus’ proposals to address violations of undue preference regulations regarding the marketing of OUTtv, and has given the telco until June 20 to come up with a more detailed marketing plan to promote the national gay and lesbian network as part of a lifestyle extra package on its OptikTV service.
In its December 2012 decision, the Commission found that Telus failed to market OUTtv in a manner comparable to other similar services on its Optik TV distribution service and subjected OUTtv Network to an undue disadvantage. The…
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