OTTAWA – News that Bell must carry Canada’s seven independent community TV channels as part of its basic service by next year was welcomed by the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS), who said that the move may spawn the creation of more such services.
"This is the first decision that the CRTC has made since 2002 to encourage the distribution of truly community-based television programming services", said CACTUS spokesperson Catherine Edwards, in a statement.
The CRTC included the directive during its approval of Bell’s purchase of CTV last week. The seven channels are among 43 local…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has excluded Whitehorse, Yukon; Yellowknife, Northwest Territories; and Iqaluit, Nunavut from the list of mandatory markets for conversion to digital television.
The Commission said Monday that broadcasters intend to shut down five of the six television transmitters in Whitehorse and Yellowknife, and noted that the transmitters are located in small and remote markets, that they do not operate on channels 52 to 69, and that their continued operation would have no impact on television stations in adjacent markets. The CBC transmitter in Yellowknife is scheduled to remain in operation and converted to digital.
The Commission also noted that…
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TORONTO – Money worries and digital strategies seem to be the key business issues keeping radio industry honchos awake at night, judging by their comments during a special radio exec panel session at the annual Canadian Music Week convention held in Toronto last week.
“Our company is in a tremendous growth pattern right now, but I worry about 2008 happening again,” said Christopher Grossman, owner and president of Haliburton Broadcasting Group. Haliburton owns radio stations in 18 small markets in central and northern Ontario, with expansion into two more communities expected soon. “I worry about what would happen if…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC has decided to open its review of wholesale Internet access services to the public.
In an annoucement on Friday, the Commission said that Canadians will have an opportunity to share their views at a public hearing starting on July 11 in Gatineau, or through an on-line consultation. It will release more details on both the hearing and consultation shortly.
The scope of the proceeding will not be limited to reviewing usage-based billing proposals, as the CRTC said that it intends to focus on issues such as:– usage-based charges, whether aggregated between the small Internet service providers (small ISPs)…
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By Steven James May
TORONTO – Nearly two years after its switch to digital TV, the American broadcasting industry has turned its attention to some of the new potential digital can deliver.
When the American presenters rolled into Eaton Theatre at Ryerson University Tuesday for SMPTE Toronto’s meeting on Canada’s upcoming digital television transition, their enthusiasm for the ATSC and ATSC Mobile TV digital television standards was palpable.
With the U.S. digital television transition well behind them, speaker Jerry Whitaker, vice president for standards development at ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) reminded everyone that his organization continues to offer grants…
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OTTAWA – Those in charge of the digital television transition have dropped the ball in informing Canadians on the impacts of the change to DTV, said some MPs during The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage meeting this Monday.
The Department of Canadian Heritage, which has taken the lead on the digital TV transition file, has set up a web site (www.digitaltelevision.info.gc.ca and www.televisionnumerique.info.gc.ca) and a toll-free number that are supposed to provide Canadians with information on how the transition may affect them.
Despite these initial efforts, committee members questioned why a broad public awareness campaign has yet to…
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OTTAWA – The Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) said that it is “pleased” with the CRTC’s decision to require BCE to allocate $100 million to independently-produced programs of national interest as part of its acquisition of CTV.
“This decision ensures there’s new money to put new Canadian programs on our screens – programs that otherwise would not be made,” said president and CEO, Norm Bolen, in a statement. “And it means these new programs will be produced by independent, lean, entrepreneurial companies that reflect a diversity of voices from across the country.”
However, the organization expressed disappointment that the Commission approved…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has asked for comments over a review of the regulatory measure associated with the provision of detailed monthly billing statements to customers.
Parties interested in participating in this proceeding must notify the Commission by March 21 and all comments are due by April 18, 2011. The CRTC said that it expects to publish a decision on the issues raised in this notice within 120 days of the close of record.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has agreed with a decision made by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) over a complaint about the broadcast of a show called Bully Beatdown on MTV Canada.
Bully Beatdown is a reality program hosted by Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) champion Jason “Mayhem” Miller that allows victims of bullying to get even with their bullies by inviting those bullies to compete against a real MMA fighter. After receiving a complaint about the show from a viewer, the CBSC issued a decision last July which determined that the show did not breach the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ violence code.
But…
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TORONTO – While the CRTC’s approval of BCE’s purchase of CTV will put more than $140 million into new Canadian television, digital and radio programming, the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) is “disappointed” that less than half of the total package will be going to new on-screen programming initiatives.
Monday’s decision requires BCE to contribute 10% of the value of the television assets to public benefits, however ACTRA says that those funds should have been directed towards more Canadian dramas, documentaries and award shows that promote Canadian culture.
“We’ve come a long way from the start of…
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