GATINEAU – Thanks to the “certainly created in the industry by the new Canada Media fund and the need to give this fund time to establish itself,” the CRTC today called off its proceeding looking into amending its benefits policy.
Two years ago, the Commission decided it would examine the policy that says 10% of the value of any business transaction involving broadcast companies must be set aside for “benefits”, that is, something the acquiring company might not normally spend on. So, if a broadcaster is purchased for $100 million, the rule of thumb has said that $10…
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GATINEAU – The five-year term of commissioner Michel Arpin, the CRTC’s vice-chair broadcasting, expires at the end of August and according to sources, the Prime Minister’s Office has been firm in saying it won’t be extended.
We’ve heard many rumours from a number of sources who asked not to be named about potential replacements, a few of whom were mentioned in our original story speculating on who may replace him in that role. We’ve also heard speculation that the position may just be left vacant for a while.
Arpin is a well-respected broadcast policy veteran with a long history in…
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GATINEAU – The squeaky wheel gets the, well, the expanded regulatory proceeding.
Today the CRTC said it would restart its look at regulatory symmetry in the telecom world when it comes to the handling of customer cancellations and transfers (BTNC 2010-406) so that it will include wireless as well.
As reported by Cartt.ca here and here, Rogers Communications repeatedly asked for the Commission to expand the scope of the proceeding, arguing it didn’t make any sense to examine how the transfer of TV, land-line telephony and internet customers from one company to another is handled, but to exclude…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC will have the opportunity to bless the marriage of CanWest and Shaw at a hearing scheduled for September 20, 2010.
The $2 billion deal was approved by an Ontario court in June, but still requires approval by the Commission and the Competition Bureau.
The Regulator said Thursday that it will first consider an application by CanWest Global Communications for a multi-step corporate reorganization which would see its broadcasting and specialty channel assets fall under one entity.
Next up will be Shaw’s application to transfer the effective control of Canwest Global’s broadcasting entities to a wholly-owned Shaw…
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INDUSTRY JOURNALIST, Cartt.ca contributor and our friend, Norma Reveler died Thursday night after a long battle with cancer. She was 46.
Norma was well known among cable, radio, television and telecom industry folks as a determined, hard working journalist who knew this industry as well as anyone.
“Norma was a terrific reporter and very committed to her craft,” said Greg O’Brien, editor and publisher of Cartt.ca. “And she loved this industry. She worked as long as she could, covering last month’s Banff TV Fest for us. She was so hopeful that she even accepted another assignment from me for next month.”
“Norma contributed…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC wants Canadians to sound off about their access to basic telephone and Internet services.
The Commission launched an on-line consultation Friday as part of a proceeding that will include a public hearing beginning on October 26, 2010, in Timmins, ON. The Regulator said that it wants to examine its current regulations in response to the numerous “technological and competitive changes” in the industry, and whether the obligation to provide certain services should be modified in light of the technologies available today.
The topics for discussion are:
– the services that should be included as part of a basic telephone service;– the role of…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC introduced a new policy for community and campus radio stations on Thursday which, among other revisions, will provide the sector with stable funding.
The Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC) will see its annual funding increase by over $700,000, which will be distributed among the more than 140 community and campus radio stations across the country. The CRFC is a not-for-profit organization that supports the development of non-commercial, community-based broadcasters.
The funds will be supplied by commercial radio broadcasters through a reallocation of the contributions they must make each year toward the development of Canadian content, benefitting the…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has nabbed two more companies for violating the national do not call list (DNCL), and has slapped them each with $20,000 in fines.
Between July 21, 2009 and January 19, 2010, the Commission said that it received numerous complaints in relation to fax telemarketing telecommunications made by Roofing by Peerless Mason Ltd. After issuing a notice of violation and a fine of $20,000 to the company on February 15, 2010 and receiving no reply, the Commission imposed an additional $20,000 administrative monetary penalty on Wednesday. The fine plus any outstanding amount is due by August…
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OTTAWA – A decision released this week by the Federal Court of Appeal (FCA) denying a Telus Corp. appeal of two CRTC rulings related to the ongoing Department of National Defence (DND) telecom contract dispute is only a minor setback, the company says.
“It’s a small part of the larger picture and in no way impedes, or in fact, affects in any way our larger concern which is frankly the state of, and the prognosis for, a competitive market in the enterprise segment,” Ted Woodhead, Telus’ VP of telecom policy and regulatory affairs, tells Cartt.ca in an interview….
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC is gearing up for the projected telephone number shortage expected to affect Toronto within the next five years.
The Commission said Tuesday that it will establish a relief planning committee to evaluate various options and make recommendations for the area in southern Ontario currently served by area codes 416 and 647.
The Canadian Numbering Administrator, which is the authority that administers the distribution of phone numbers in Canada, told the CRTC that this area is expected to run out of telephone numbers by July 2015.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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