OTTAWA – Facing a slashed federal budget and an NHL lockout that could freeze out Hockey Night in Canada, Hubert Lacroix learned today he will continue on as head of CBC/Radio-Canada for another five years as the government reappointed him president and CEO for a second term. But it doesn’t get any easier for Lacroix as the CBC faces its first CRTC license renewal hearing in 13 years on November 19.
Cartt.ca had heard the rumours of his reappointment last month but the executives we had talked with were sure M Lacroix would be…
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OTTAWA – In his first public appearance as chair of the CRTC where he was the one answering and not asking the questions, Jean-Pierre Blais gave the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage a brief look at the direction and the future he envisions for the Regulator so many Canadians (including some MPs) misunderstand.
Chairman Blais has already put his stamp on the CRTC by signalling rather overtly that under his watch the Commission will be consumer, or citizen-focused like never before. He has already hired a chief consumer officer, Barbara Motzney and during the hearing into…
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PETER AND TONY VINER are a rare pair in the world of business, let alone broadcasting. The two brothers, separated by two years, each and on their own rose to the top of major, multi-billion dollar broadcasting businesses headed by two of Canada’s most celebrated entrepreneurs.
Peter, 67, helped the late Izzy Asper build Canwest Global into a multi-billion-dollar international media powerhouse before the company fell on hard, debt-burdened, times. Tony, 65, built Rogers Media from two Toronto radio stations (Ted Rogers’ famous first media asset, CHFI-FM, and CFTR-AM, now 680News) when he came on board in 1982 to a…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU, WASHINGTON – The CRTC and FTC are closing down a total of seven alleged tech support scams based mostly in India that tricked tens of thousands into paying from $49 to $450 for the removal of bogus viruses and spyware by allowing the scammers to remotely access their computers.
The CRTC is demanding Pecon Software Limited and Avaneesh Software Private Limited cease their current telemarketing practices and pay fines of $495,000 and $12,000 respectively for breaking Canada's telemarketing rules.
The CRTC charges these companies were making unsolicited telemarketing calls to Canadians who had…
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OTTAWA – It may not have all the drama of the Obama vs Romney debate, but new CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais’ faceoff Thursday afternoon before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage promises to be far more informative. The committee is charged with examining the role and future mandate of the CRTC.
It will be a reversal of fortune for Chairman Blais who will be answering, not asking, the questions when he meets with MPs for the first time since he took over as head of the CRTC this past June. The meeting gets under way tomorrow afternoon…
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WHILE CONCEDING THAT THE various accusations and complaints levelled against it over the past weeks and months show a high level of “competitive and financial tension” evident in the Canadian TV business nowadays, Bell Canada told the CRTC Friday that this tension should not impact the approval of its purchase of Astral Media.
In its final written reply to the CRTC hearing into the purchase, Bell Canada insisted its decision to buy Astral Media and all of its radio stations, TV properties and other assets is in the public interest and that only by owning the…
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SAINT JOHN – The Canadian Media Guild (CMG) is urging the CRTC to impose local and news programming conditions on the license renewals for Big John FM and CFBC in Saint John owned by Halifax-based MBS Radio.
In its submission to the Commission it writes that it has serious concerns about MBS Radio's commitment to the community of Saint John whose local radio staff have been on strike since June 25.
"As we've said from the beginning, our fight on the picket line is really about the survival of local radio, and serving the…
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OTTAWA – After years of delay, will this be the venue where the government finally provides details about its digital economy blueprint for the country? Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture), will provide the closing keynote address at the 2012 International Institute of Communications (IIC) Canada Conference, Innovation, Investment and Infrastructure, on October 30th.
In late August Paradis spoke at the Economic Club of Canada in Toronto where he once again promoted the importance of the digital economy, but provided scant details on what the government’s upcoming digital economy strategy will…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has pulled the chair from “The Entertainment Desk” in denying Rogers Communications bid to launch a Category B entertainment news channel. The ruling comes even though the Commission received no interventions, not even from E! the closest potential competitor owned by BCE.
Rogers applied for a broadcasting licence to operate a national, English-language niche specialty Category B service that would be devoted to entertainment news and the entertainment industry back in February.
In its submission, Rogers contended that its proposed channel would not directly compete with E! since that service…
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YELLOWKNIFE – Embattled telecom Northwestel has announced a new partnership with Aurora Communications of Norman Wells to create a new business that will focus on providing voice and data solutions for the exploration industry. Borealis Communications will operate in the Tulita District of the Northwest Territories.
"Northwestel has enjoyed great success with partnerships for over 20 years," said Paul Flaherty, Northwestel President and Chief Executive Officer. “Bringing our expertise in telecommunications to specific markets identified by partners like Aurora Communications has worked very well for all parties involved, especially northern customers. Based on the continued growth in…
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