OTTAWA – The CRTC is calling for comments on access to inside wire in commercial and institutional properties.
Specifically, the Commission said Thursday that it would like feedback on a proposal made by Bell on amending the BDU regulations to permit access to inside wire owned by BDUs that is located in commercial and institutional properties, such as long-term care establishments, prisons, student residences, military bases, restaurants, hotels and motels, hospitals and work camps.
Intervention are due by June 3, and the deadline for submitting replies is June 13, 2011.
www.crtc.gc.ca
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Quebecor has asked the CRTC to intervene in its battle with Bell over Sun News.
As first reported by Cartt.ca, the new Quebecor’s news-talk channel was removed from the Bell TV satellite line-up at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 3, and while Quebecor claims this is clearly a matter of undue preference under sections 9(1) and 9(2) of the Broadcast Distribution Regulations, Bell says that simply isn’t so and is but one of multiple disagreements the companies have with each other.
While the Sun News channel slot itself remains, the feed has been replaced with text telling customers that…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – CBC/Radio-Canada applauds the CRTC’s decision to have satellite television providers carry more local television stations, noting it could be the shot in the arm that some of them need.
Responding to Wednesday’s revised satellite distribution policy, the Corp called the new rules “a critical step” in strengthening local programming in Canada.
“Local stations provide a fundamental public service to their communities”, said Steven Guiton, VP and chief regulatory officer, in a statement. “They help citizens connect with their local government, businesses, schools and community organizations. They help define, build and sustain the local culture and local democracy. Our five-year strategy,…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) said that it “deplored the lack of vision” after the CRTC declined to create a fund for rural broadband access in Tuesday’s obligation to serve decision.
"If there is no rural broadband now, there will not be any more thanks to this decision," said PIAC counsel John Lawford, noting that the organization argued for a contribution fund for rural broadband access at the CRTC hearing last November. "You’re on your own Canada – see you at the bottom of the OECD broadband lists."
PIAC also described the CRTC decision to…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Bell TV and Shaw Direct must carry more local television stations, the CRTC said Wednesday while announcing its updated its satellite distribution policy.
Beginning September 1st, Canada’s two satellite distributors must offer an affiliate of each national television network; five English- and five French-language CBC stations – or as many CBC stations as are distributed from a private broadcasting group in either official language; one television station per province from each major Canadian broadcasting ownership group; and two stations from each of the other Canadian broadcasting ownership groups.
“Canadians in all markets should have access to their local…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The CRTC declined to add an American sports channel to its list of eligible services on Tuesday citing genre protection, a decision that prompted dissenting opinions from two of its commissioners who said that the policy is past its prime.
Rogers Communications asked the Commission to add Fox Cable Networks-owned Fuel TV to the digital lists last June. In its application, it described the channel as “an English-language programming service that offers a range of action sports programming portraying the lifestyle and culture of non-mainstream action sports and the underlying social relationships and communities of…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC has set a speed target for broadband Internet and has maintained the obligation for telephone companies to provide basic home telephone service in what’s widely known as its ‘obligation to serve’ decision released late Tuesday.
In what will surely be a surprise to the country’s telephone companies, the Commission mandated that all Canadians have access to broadband speeds of at least 5 Mbps for downloads and 1 Mbps for uploads by the end of 2015.
“A well-developed broadband infrastructure will serve as a gateway for Canadians to participate in the digital economy,” said CRTC chairman Konrad von…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Quebecor’s Sun News was removed from the Bell TV satellite lineup at 10 a.m. this morning (Tuesday, May 3).
While the channel slot itself remains, the feed has been replaced with text telling customers that the channel “has been taken down at the request of the owners of Sun News."
According to Sun News head of development Luc Lavoie, Bell forced Quebecor’s hand and it had to demand signal removal. “They have carried the signal on their satellite without trying to even have an agreement with us,” he told Cartt.ca this morning.
When Sun News launched last month, it…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – According to a source with direct knowledge of the matter, Quebecor’s Sun News was removed from the Bell TV satellite lineup as of 10 a.m. this morning (Tuesday, May 3).
According to the source, and confirmed by another, the channel slot itself will remain but the feed has been replaced with text telling customers that the channel “has been taken down at the request of the owners of Sun News."
When Sun TV undertook its rebrand last month, Bell approached the CRTC to clarify under which license the newly branded channel fell under (either the old over-the-air license or…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Quebecor’s Sun News was removed from the Bell TV satellite line-up at 10 a.m. this morning (Tuesday, May 3) but it turns out that this is but one of multiple disagreements that the companies have with each other.
While the Sun News channel slot itself remains, the feed has been replaced with text telling customers that the channel “has been taken down at the request of the owners of Sun News."
According to Sun News head of development Luc Lavoie, Bell forced Quebecor’s hand and it had to demand signal removal. “They have carried the signal on their satellite…
Continue Reading
