OTTAWA – The industry will now have a chance to comment on BCE’s proposed Broadcasting Accessibility Fund and Canadian Broadcasting Participation Fund.
When the CRTC approved BCE’s purchase of CTVglobemedia, the conditions of approval included requirements that BCE make specific commitments to benefit the broadcasting system, including the funding of an independent Broadcasting Accessibility Fund to improve the accessibility of the Canadian broadcasting system, and the creation of an independent Canadian Broadcasting Participation Fund to help pay the costs of public interest groups that participate in Commission broadcasting proceedings.
BCE’s proposal addresses, among other things, accountability measures, a funding…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has announced plans to develop a regulatory framework for the French-language television market.
Wednesday’s notice of consultation said that this process “will determine the most appropriate approach to take in regard to the French-language television market, to define the obligations to be imposed on French-language conventional television broadcasters and to establish the relevance of a group-based approach, in order to meet the objectives of the Broadcasting Act”.
During the hearing, which has been scheduled for December 5th at the Omni Mont-Royal Hotel in Montreal, the Commission pledged to address a group-based approach, programs of national interest, independent…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – GoodLife Fitness Centres has paid a $300,000 fine after being investigated by the CRTC for its telemarketing practices.
The Commission said Tuesday that GoodLife had used automated calling devices known as robocalls to inform its members of new club openings and invite them to grand opening events without obtaining their prior express consent. The CRTC’s automatic dialing and announcing device rules prohibit telemarketers from using these devices to sell or promote a product or service unless a consumer has consented to be called by them.
In addition to paying the administrative monetary penalty to the Receiver General for Canada,…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has loosened the restrictions around customer/carrier services groups after receiving industry feedback on their roles and regulations.
A customer/carrier services group (CSG) is a distinct, functionally separate group within a telecommunications or broadcasting company whose role is to liaise and coordinate with competing service providers when conducting a variety of inter-carrier activities, primarily with respect to customer transfers.
Historically, the main purpose of a CSG has been to isolate and safeguard competitively sensitive information pertaining to retail customers and competing companies from other internal groups, such as sales and marketing. The reason for this practice is to…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC released two reports Monday which it says reiterates its commitment to official-language minority communities (OLMC).
The reports, Annual report on results – Implementation of Section 41 of the Official Languages Act (2010-2011) and Results-Based Action Plan – Implementation of Section 41 of the Official Languages Act (2011-2014) highlight recent CRTC decisions which the Commission claims “will lead to improved access to broadcasting and telecommunications services, and increased OLMC representation within the broadcasting system”.
“OLMCs have increased their participation in processes that affect their development. They have shared their viewpoints and priorities,” said CRTC…
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A MONTH FROM TODAY, Canadian Cable Systems Alliance members, their supporters and suppliers will gather at the Fairmont Tremblant in Mont Tremblant Quebec for Connect 2011, its yearly conference and annual general meeting.
The gathering will begin Sunday with a board meeting and CCSA members-only sessions, followed by an evening President’s Reception for all attendees.
After breakfast on Monday, September 19, Rob McCann of Clearcable Networks will host a technical session “to talk about recent development relevant to independent operators,” said CCSA president and CEO Alyson Townsend.
After that will be the popular trade show (last year’s, held in Niagara-on-the-Lake, is pictured below)…
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GATINEAU – John Traversy, the CRTC’s executive director, telecommunications, has been named the next Secretary General of the CRTC, Cartt.ca has learned, replacing Robert Morin, who is retiring.
In a short note to staff, CRTC chairman Konrad von Finckenstein let the folks at the Commission know that a notice tomorrow on the federal government’s public service staffing web site will note Traversy’s promotion after “a recent competitive process,” wrote the chair. “The appointment cannot be made officially until next Thursday the 25th, but since you will all see the announcement on the web site, I thought I would advise…
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OTTAWA – Campus and community radio stations in Canada must maintain their current levels of Canadian content, the CRTC said Thursday. It also declined to set requirements on volunteer participation.
While the Commission originally released its revised campus and community radio policy in July 2010, it launched three follow-up proceedings calling for comments on amending the radio regulations, Canadian content requirements and volunteer participation, and the structural and operational plan proposed by the Community Radio Fund of Canada.
In Thursday’s follow up proceeding, the CRTC directed campus and community radio stations to maintain their current level of musical…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Consumers will continue to take advantage of new capabilities and platforms to access content and services, making it even more critical to understand the dynamics of convergence, according to a new report released Thursday by the CRTC.
Navigating Convergence II: Charting Canadian Communications Change and Regulatory Implications identifies trends in network developments and content consumption that could disrupt traditional regulatory approaches to achieving policy objectives. Using independent research and views from CRTC stakeholders such as consumers, public-interest advocates and members of the broadcasting and telecommunications sectors, it also examines developments in technology and business models that raise…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CBC has received permission from the CRTC to continue broadcasting its analog over-the-air television signals in 22 markets for another full year.
The Commission said Tuesday that the national broadcaster now has until August 31, 2012 to “find solutions” for viewers who may lose access to its over-the-air signals after the transition to digital television.
The CBC operates 25 local stations in mandatory markets whose over-the-air transmitters will be converted to digital in time to meet this year’s August 31st deadline. It also operates 22 analog transmitters that rebroadcast its stations’ signals into other communities that are also considered…
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