OTTAWA – The CRTC is set to consider a number of new TV channels this summer, ranging from The Wedding Channel to Reggae TV to an application from CanWest that sounds a lot like its former Lonestar network.
The non-appearing hearing, which will begin on July 19, will consider applications from the likes of High Fidelity (for The Wedding Channel), Astral (for a French-language children’s network called Vrak junior), and TVA Group for an entertainment channel called Star Système and TVA Mode, which will be dedicated to fashion, beauty and personal well-being.
CanWest’s application for a channel called Specialty A describes…
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TORONTO – As Canadian broadcasters shop for U.S. programming this week, ACTRA said that it will press for higher spending requirements for Canadian content and the imposition of exhibition requirements for Canadian programming during the 2011 licence renewal hearings.
Noting that private broadcasters spent “a record amount” on U.S. and foreign shows in 2009 – $846.3 million, or 59% of all of their programming expenses, the organization said Friday that it blames the current CRTC policy for giving “Canadian broadcasters free rein on their exhibition of TV drama and doesn’t require that they air any of those programs”.
“Our Canadian broadcasters are…
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KELOWNA – There might not be any buy-in from the country’s largest BDUs for Pelmorex’s new Emergency Alert Service yet, but governments are excited to finally have something like this in Canada.
During a session at the CommTech Trade Show and Seminars here in Kelowna, Capella Telecommunications’ representative Dave McCreath outlined the decades of public service American broadcasters have provided (at the behest of their government), first by the Emergency Broadcast System and now with its own, ever-changing, EAS.
Despite numerous calls over the years to create our own or copy the U.S., Canada has never had such a system.
Over the…
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OTTAWA – Bell Canada must either credit or reimburse its residential rotary dial customers who were charged in error for touch-tone service that they didn’t have, a practice that the CRTC called “inappropriate”.
The Commission said Wednesday that it received an application by consumer groups the Consumers’ Association of Canada and Canada Without Poverty last December, alleging that Bell was charging a monthly rate of $2.80 for touch-tone service to the company’s grandfathered rotary dial customers. The groups called the fee "an unauthorized rate increase".
Bell Canada acknowledged that some grandfathered customers were affected by its revenue assurance program, which was supposed to be limited to…
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OTTAWA – It is possible to open the Canadian telecommunications market to greater foreign investment without sacrificing cultural sovereignty in the broadcasting world, Industry minister Tony Clement said last week.
Speaking to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, Clement acknowledged that it won’t be easy, but it’s doable.
“Is that going to require some stick handling? There’s no question. We are in shades of grey,” he said in response to a question from fellow Conservative Peter Braid. “But I think that we can, with good public policy that is clear with its intent and…
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OTTAWA – The federal government has pledged over $200 K towards a new French language radio station in Ottawa called radio communautaire francophone d’Ottawa (RCFO).
In an announcement on Friday, Heritage Minister James Moore said that the $224,531 in funding came from his department’s Strategic Funds of the Community Life component, and will be put towards the station’s startup costs.
"Our Government is a leader in this country in supporting the development of official-language minority communities," Minister Moore said in a statement. "RCFO will contribute to the growth of the Ottawa Francophone community by fostering a sense of identity among its members. The…
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TORONTO – CRTC chair Konrad von Finckenstein, and CWTA President Bernard Lord will join Industry Minister Tony Clement as speakers at this year’s Canadian Telecom Summit.
Scheduled for June 7 – 9, 2010 at the Toronto Congress Centre, the three day event will also feature leaders from Canada’s top wireless companies and suppliers, all of whom, to varying degrees, will outline their visions for the role that wireless communications can play in the lives of all Canadians.
Now in its ninth year, this year’s theme is ‘New Economic Realities, New Approaches: The Communications Industry in Transition’.
For more information or to…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has approved BCE’s plan to introduce usage-based billing, but only under certain conditions.
Thursday’s decision means that Bell Aliant and Bell Canada can introduce new speed options, usage-based billing rates and levy excessive usage charges (together, UBB) for their wholesale residential gateway access services (GAS).
While the Commission granted interim approval of the plan last October, this decision allows Bell to “implement its economic ITMP (Internet traffic management practices) only once it charges UBB rates to all its retail Internet service customers”.
According to telecom analyst Mark Goldberg, this is not what Bell wanted, and in…
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STRATFORD – Does Canada need a single Communications Act, one that blends the Telecommunications Act, the Broadcasting Act and the Radiocommunication Act?
CRTC chairman Konrad von Finckenstein seems to think so.
Speaking Monday at the Canada 3.0 forum, von Finckenstein urged attendees to consider “the policy, legislative and regulatory changes that will be required to deal with the new technologies”.
“I can sum up in three points the changes that I believe are necessary”, he said in the address. “We need a conceptual rethinking of our whole approach to regulation; new comprehensive legislation for the whole field of communications; and an improved institutional…
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OTTAWA – Mobilicity has received CRTC approval to proceed with the launch of its new wireless service.
In its ownership and control review, the Commission determined that, subject to certain modifications to the company’s amended and restated shareholders agreement, Mobilicty meets the requirements of the ownership and control regime making it eligible to operate as a Canadian telecommunications common carrier.
In a statement released that afternoon, chairman John Bitove said that Mobilicity has agreed to implement the changes within the required timeframe.
"We have been given the approval to offer Canadians truly competitive wireless services," Bitove said in the statement. "It has taken four…
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