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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DARTMOUTH – Small market radio station owner Newfoundland Capital Corporation delivered “one of its most impressive years on record” after posting double-digit revenue growth that doubled the industry average.
For the year ended December 31, 2010, the company reported growth of 12%, ending the year with revenue of $117.4 million, while EBITDA was $25.6 million compared to $21.1 million last year. Net income for the fourth quarter of $4.7 million and $10.7 million for the year were lower than last year due to the CRTC Part II fee reversal, an increase in copyright fees, a broadcast licence impairment charge in…
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OTTAWA – For even more proof on how political the issue of usage-based billing (UBB) has become, one need look no further than at a few press releases that arrived in Cartt.ca’s in box on Monday.
The first was from the Liberal party calling on the CRTC “to protect open, affordable Internet access” by expanding the scope of its review of its initial decision on UBB. In the release, Liberal Industry, Science and Technology critic Marc Garneau also encouraged Canadians to sign a petition at a website featuring the title “Don’t give the CRTC a second chance to make the same mistake”,…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – It’s official – the CRTC has given its stamp of approval for BCE to buy CTVglobemedia Inc.
In an announcement late Monday afternoon, the Commission noted that the $3.2 billion transaction will improve access to local programming through the carriage of at least 43 additional conventional and community television stations on BCE’s satellite television service.
“We are pleased that BCE has addressed our questions regarding how this transaction would contribute to the vitality of the Canadian broadcasting system,” said CRTC chair Konrad von Finckenstein, in a statement. “BCE will provide stability to the CTV Television Network. It will…
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MONTREAL – Bell will introduce a new business unit called Bell Media and retire the CTVglobemedia holding company name once its acquisition of CTV is finalized early in the second quarter of this year.
Bell Media will include all CTV properties plus Bell’s Sympatico web portal. Those properties include CTV with its 28 conventional stations; 29 specialty TV channels; on-line digital media destinations such as CTV.ca, MuchMusic.com, MTV.ca, RDS.ca, TSN.ca and TheComedyNetwork.ca; as well as CHUM Radio, which operates 33 radio stations across the country.
"The CRTC’s expeditious approval of the CTV transaction means Bell is on track to complete our acquisition in early…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC estimates its total broadcasting regulatory costs for the the 2011-2012 fiscal year are $29.881 million.
The broadcasting licence fee regulation provides for the payment of Part I licence fees by specific distributors, as set out in section 9(1) of the Broadcasting License Fee Regulations.
The Commission also calculated the annual adjustment for the 2009-2010 fiscal year at $2.060 million. The net billing for the Part I licence fee for the 2011-2012 fiscal year, taking into account the adjustment, is $31.941 million, which is a 10.8% decrease (or $3.871 million lower) than last year’s net billing of $35.812…
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OTTAWA – Let’s not get lost in the weeds, Canadian broadcasters have told the CRTC.
With respect to calls for more specific Canadian content spending requirements suggested by some parties to the group-based licence renewals of the private broadcasters, broad and flexible rules will do a much better job than micro-managing the broadcasters’ Cancon spending obligations – and any requirements to spend additional money on Canadian content should be rejected, say those broadcasters.
CTVglobemedia, Rogers Media, Shaw Media and Corus Entertainment argue that many, particularly those from the creative sector, are trying to re-write the rules by requiring specific spending obligations…
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