OTTAWA – There is an easy fix to the ongoing dispute between the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. and the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada, according to the chair of the CRTC, Konrad von Finckenstein.
In an appearance before the House of Commons Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Committee, von Finckenstein said Parliament just needs to change the Access to Information Act. The former judge and Competition Bureau chief noted the current dispute hinges on a double exemption contained in section 68.1 of the Act.
This section of the Act says that CBC’s journalistic, programming and creative activities are…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC holds dear four key principles: transparency, predictability, fairness and timeliness. As a public institution, the CRTC has a right to provide the public with the clearest possible picture of how it operates and how they can interact with the commission, said chairman Konrad von Finckenstein today.
In his opening remarks during an appearance in front of the House of Commons Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Committee, the chair acknowledged the committee is interested in how the CRTC deals with access to information and the broadcasters, von Finckenstein said the commission takes this very seriously.
“Our…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is taking a tougher stance on television services found to be in non-compliance with its logging requirements.
TV services are required to file a program log or computer record of all programming aired in a month within 30 days after the end of each month, which must also include a certificate attesting to the accuracy of its contents. Currently, licensees that fail to do so receive a letter of non-compliance from Commission staff requesting the submission of the appropriate logs. If the non-compliance continues after the receipt of this letter, licensees receive further letters from Commission…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC has struck an agreement with two Mexican-based companies selling Cancun vacation packages in violation of Canada’s do-not-call rules.
The Commission said Monday that it received “thousands of complaints” about Marketing 4 Sunset Group and Cancun Unlimited’s telemarketing activities, prompting an investigation which included working with Mexico’s consumer protection agency PROFECO. The investigation confirmed that calls were made on behalf of the two companies to Canadians registered on the National Do Not Call List (DNCL). In certain instances, the calls were made using automated calling devices without prior express consent, while on other occasions, the calls…
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TORONTO – With executive director, telecom, John Traversy taking over as the Commission’s secretary general this month, Chris Seidl has been moved into Traversy’s old office.
"To bridge the gap in the position of executive director, telecommunications until a competitive process is completed, I am pleased to announce the acting appointment of Chris Seidl as of 20 October 2011,” reads a memo from CRTC chairman Konrad von Finckenstein, sent to staff Wednesday.
“Chris’ experience in telecommunications in both the CRTC and the private sector, as well as his recent work as director general, convergence policy will serve…
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OTTAWA and TORONTO – Industry stakeholders encouraged the CRTC not to take its eye off the ball when it comes to the potential negative impact that over-the-top (OTT) services may have on the Canadian broadcast industry.
Responding to Wednesday’s report from the Commission that found its OTT fact-finding exercise inconclusive, the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) said that it is “pleased” the CRTC has recognized the potential negative impact that OTT services could have, and reiterated that reducing broadcasters’ current Canadian programming obligations is not the solution.
“We have always said the best way for broadcasters to compete effectively is to focus on supporting…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC’s much ballyhooed fact-finding exercise into on-line and mobile broadcasting has produced “inconclusive results”, the Regulator said Wednesday.
Spurred on by the industry, the Commission launched a month-long investigation in May into over-the-top video options and on-line broadcasting services available to Canadians, and their impact on the Canadian communications system. It even extended its deadline for submissions at the behest of the On-line Broadcast Working Group, a group of some 35 senior private sector executives from the country’s distribution, telecommunications, broadcasting, production and creative sectors.
The CRTC said that the responses filed did not contain “any…
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TORONTO – The first annual Canadian ISP Summit is coming to Toronto from November 14 – 16, presented by the Canadian Network Operator’s Consortium (CNOC) and the Canadian Association of Internet Providers (CAIP).
Designed for ISPs large and small across the country – and open to participants in the Canadian ISP industry – this conference will allow attendees to address the challenges and opportunities of the current business environment. The event will also be co-located with the Internet Society’s (ISOC) ION Conference, which will take place on Monday afternoon.
Keynote speeches will be made by representatives from the CRTC, Industry Canada, Telus…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has caught another telemarketer for violating the National Do Not Call List (DNCL) rules.
London, ON based Green Shield Windows and Doors Ltd. has been fined $12,000 for initiating ten telemarketing calls to consumers whose telephone numbers were registered on the DNCL, and for initiating two of those without having paid all applicable fees to the national DNCL operator, in violation of the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules.
The Commission said in its decision that it received numerous complaints about calls from the company between January 10 and November 20, 2010, prompting it to issue a notice…
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OTTAWA – The Supreme Court of Canada said today it will decide whether or not the CRTC has the jurisdiction to institute the fee-for-carriage (or value for signal) regime it okayed in 2010.
When the CRTC made its policy announcement in March of that year, it referred the jurisdictional question to the Federal Court (pre-empting the carriers, who would have done the same thing). Then in March 2011, the Federal Court issued a 2-1 decision saying the CRTC did, in fact, have the right to okay a new value-for-signal policy where off-air TV broadcasters would have the right…
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