MONTREAL – Continued growth in Cogeco’s Canadian division helped to hold third quarter profits steady at the Montreal-based company.
For the quarter ended May 31, 2010, revenue at Cogeco Inc. increased by 4.6% ($14.6 million) year-over-year to reach $330.9 million. Net income of $10.7 million was virtually unchanged compared to the same period of the previous fiscal year, however, net income in the third quarter of 2009 included an unfavourable income tax adjustment of $2 million related to the certain items at the company’s Portuguese subsidiary Cabovisao.
Operating income before amortization grew slightly by $1.3 million, or 1%, to reach $127.9…
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OTTAWA – While ruling that Internet Service Providers are not, in fact, broadcasters and therefore not subject to Canadian content exhibition or contribution requirements, the Federal Court of Appeal today also issued a bit of a caution on the issue of net neutrality.
When the CRTC issued its broadcasting in new media report in June of 2009, it also decided to ask the Federal Court of Appeal to decide whether the act of providing a pipe through which customers can bore into the Internet and draw programming to their various devices makes ISPs broadcasting entities – and therefore subject…
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MONTREAL – Cogeco is one step closer to buying up Corus’ radio stations in Quebec.
The cableco said Tuesday that it has submitted an official application to the CRTC detailing “the radio broadcasting strategy Cogeco intends to implement following this major acquisition”. The $80 million deal, announced in April, includes 11 radio stations: French and English stations in Montreal (CFQR-FM 92.5, CHMP-FM 98.5, CKOI-FM 96.9 and CKAC-AM 730); Quebec City (CFOM-FM 102.9 and CFEL-FM 102.1); CJRC-FM 104.7 in Gatineau; Sherbrooke (CKOY-FM 104.5 and CHLT-FM 107.7); CHLN-FM 106.9 in Trois-Rivieres and CIME-FM 103.9 in St-Jerome.
"We worked really hard to chart a…
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OTTAWA – Wireless data is now subject to same net neutrality rules as wired.
The CRTC said late last week that it will amend the forbearance framework for mobile wireless data services by making the offering and provision of these services by Canadian carriers subject to the Commission’s powers and duties under the Telecommunications Act.
Further, the Commission determined that the policy framework established for Internet traffic management practices applies to the use of mobile wireless data services to provide Internet access.
Click here for the full decision.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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CALGARY – Stable growth at Shaw Communications’ cable and digital phone divisions helped to drive up its third quarter earnings by 20%, the company announced Wednesday.
Consolidated service revenue for the quarter ended May 31, 2010 and year-to-date periods of $944 million and $2.78 billion, respectively, was up 10% over each of the comparable periods last year. Total service operating income before amortization of $436 million and $1.34 billion, respectively, improved 10% and 17% over the same periods. Excluding a one-time CRTC Part II fee recovery, the year-to-date increase in service operating income before amortization was 10%.
Net income of $158…
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OTTAWA and TORONTO – CTV says that only “urgent regulatory relief” can help to keep its struggling stable of ‘A’ channels afloat.
In an application to the CRTC, CTV said that its six ‘A’ stations, which it acquired as part of its 2007 purchase of CHUM Ltd., “continue to lose tens of millions of dollars annually”, despite improved ratings and an investment of approximately $240 million in programming over the last three years.
In order to ensure that the stations “are in a position to continue to operate in the short term”, CTV has asked the Commission to extend “interim…
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CHICOUTIMI, QC – Another day, another radio station sale.
According to a report on infopresse, Corus Quebec has sold CKRS 98.3 FM in Saguenay to a consortium of local business people in the region, which includes Guy Carbonneau, a former captain and coach of the Montreal Canadiens.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, and the transaction is subject to CRTC approval.
The station was excluded from the sale of many of Corus’ other Quebec radio stations to Cogeco, announced at the end of April.
www.corusent.com
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TORONTO and CALGARY – It’s been a busy week for Canada’s radio industry.
After buying up BOB-FM (CHST-FM) earlier this week, Rogers Broadcasting also acquired Edmonton’s BOUNCE (CHBN-FM) from CTV’s CHUM Radio and Milestone Media Broadcasting.
"Rogers has been active in the Edmonton radio market for four years and we’re keen to expand our local presence," said Rogers radio CEO Paul Ski, in the announcement. "The acquisition of BOUNCE will strengthen Rogers’ position in this important young adult demographic and will allow us the opportunity to offer a more enhanced service to both our listeners and our advertisers."
Hit music station…
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CALGARY – The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has approved the sale of CanWest’s TV assets to Shaw Communications.
However, the transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals from the CRTC and the Competition Bureau. Sources told Cartt.ca that the CRTC hearing on the deal has been tentatively scheduled for the week of September 20th.
Wednesday afternoon’s approval comes after a group of Canwest Global shareholders and the Asper family challenged the deal in court on Tuesday, calling the $2 billion sale “unfair”. The dissenting group will receive $11 million under a new version of the deal hammered out on Wednesday.
"This is an…
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MONTREAL – The federal government’s plan to increase foreign ownership in the telecommunications sector will not result in cheaper wireless service, and could serve to undermine plans for universal access, says Canada’s largest telecommunications union.
Dave Coles, president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP), said that CEP-commissioned research actually disputes claims that wireless services are more expensive in Canada than in other countries.
"Existing studies compare pricing in markets that have very different usage, that don’t have special plans with unlimited minutes, or free phones, for example, like we do in Canada," Coles said. "When taking all of that…
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