LOOKED AT THROUGH A Darwinian lens, the current Canadian television industry is at an evolutionary crossroads.
Changes in the ecosystem have resulted in a new species of TV-content provider: the non-Canadian, unregulated video sector, known as over-the-top (OTT). Among those migrating into the country are Netflix, Boxee, Apple and Google TV (oh, there are more – and more to come).
Like any addition to an environment, it’s changing the landscape, but the question is whether it’s a threat or will it be assimilated.
“We don’t see a big problem at this point. Look at OTT, whether Netflix or Apple TV or Google….
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Canadian Satellite Radio (XM Canada’s parent) and Sirius Canada announced this week that with regulatory approvals in place, the companies are scheduled to close their long-awaited merger on June 21, 2011 contemporaneously with the closing of CSR’s refinancing.
CSR’s refinancing consists of an exchange offer and consent solicitation for its 12.75% senior notes due 2014 and a concurrent private placement offering of its 9.75% senior notes due 2018.
On November 24, 2010, CSR and Sirius Canada entered into a securities purchase agreement to combine the companies in an all-stock merger. On February 17, 2011, CSR received the support…
Continue Reading
BANFF – The independent production community got a close look at the new terms of trade agreement on Tuesday during a standing room only breakfast session with the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) and representatives from Corus and Bell Media here at the Banff World Media Festival.
The deal, which was struck in April, applies to all independent productions produced by English-language Canadian independent television producers and private broadcasters Astral, Bell Media, Rogers Broadcasting, Shaw Media and Corus. Its terms, which came into effect on June 1st, apply to the entire life cycle of a show – from first…
Continue Reading
BANFF – The chief content officer for Netflix, Ted Sarandos, worked hard to dispel the notion that his company is “the devil in Canada” or “one of the four horseman of the apocalypse”, preferring to paint the content-streaming service as a new but savvy deep-pocketed buyer of Canadian content.
At his keynote presentation Wednesday morning at the Banff World Media Festival, Sarandos ackonwledged that a bad rep seems to come with the territory.
“I don’t know when, in any time in history, a new buyer has ever been a bad thing”, he told the packed room. “And that’s all we are, is a new…
Continue Reading
BANFF – Vertically integrated media companies in Canada are essential to the long term health and viability of the Canadian production industry, delegates at the 2011 Banff World Media Festival heard Sunday afternoon.
Speaking at a panel discussion called ‘Canadian Media Leaders: The State of the Nation’ here on opening day, it wasn’t a shock that representatives from Bell Media, Rogers Media and Shaw Media took that tack. But it was somewhat surprising that CBC and Astral, neither of whom is affiliated with a BDU, would agree so readily.
“There’s a lot to be said for how’s this industry has been working…
Continue Reading
DARTMOUTH, N.S. – Radio broadcaster Newfoundland Capital Corporation boasted revenue of $26.9 million in the first quarter of 2011, $1.2 million (5%) higher than last year. This increase was attributable to organic (same-station) revenue growth, said the company.
EBITDA of $4.9 million in the quarter was 8% higher than last year and profit for the period of $2.9 million was 103% better than the same quarter last year due to improved EBITDA as well as the increase in market value of marketable securities.
Other developments in the quarter, ended March 31st, included:
• The company launched its FM conversion in Brooks, Alberta…
Continue Reading
WELL, THAT WAS predictable.
We awoke Wednesday morning to a new report on wireless – this time on data roaming charges – from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The press release bellowed: “More effective competition and better regulation needed to cut high mobile data roaming costs, says OECD”.
When an international body with an unwieldy membership and fuzzy, broad mandate such as the OECD says we need more regulation of this or that, my automatic bullshit antenna engages. I also wondered aloud right away where Canada would rank in the report and in the press release (the only bit…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Toronto’s Caribbean and African communities will be getting their own radio station at last, the CRTC confirmed Thursday.
In 2006, the Commission awarded a licence to Intercity Broadcasting Network Inc. on the condition that it secure a radio frequency. At that time, no application was submitted within the prescribed period, causing the authorization to lapse. However, Intercity, which is controlled by A. Fitzroy Gordon through his ownership and control of Maja Media Group Inc., recently obtained Industry Canada approval for the 98.7 FM spot on the dial and the Commission gave the greenlight for the company to…
Continue Reading
LAST FALL, JUST BEFORE THE annual onslaught of new television programming was scheduled to air, a few friends and I discussed cutting the cord.
One couple said they were doing it in mid-September. Another said they weren’t going to give up cable altogether, but they were going to trim. The third set, my husband and I, didn’t say anything. We had already shaved to a basic package plus kids’ programming.
Fast-forward a few weeks. The ones who planned to trim, did. They had wanted to switch carriers too, but when they tried, they were seduced by a better deal with…
Continue Reading
WE DON’T WANT TO SUGGEST that over-the-top programming services aren’t a potential threat to the Canadian broadcasting system or that the matter shouldn’t be taken seriously.
Pelmorex is a passionate proponent of a strong Canadian system. We believe it is appropriate for the Commission to look into the matter and it is doing exactly that with its Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2011-344 (with a deadline extension now).
But, (and there always is a “but’, isn’t there), as OTT becomes the “issue du jour”, caution must be taken to ensure that the OTT threat is not to be used…
Continue Reading
