GATINEAU – The CRTC hearing into whether or not BCE can purchase CTV will begin in Gatineau on February 8, the Commission made official on Thursday.
BCE is acquiring the 85% of the broadcaster it doesn’t own in a deal valued at $3.2 billion ($1.7 billion of which is debt).
While the big telco “is of the view that no tangible benefits are required in the circumstances,” according to its original application, additional letters in November and December from BCE saw tangible benefits proposals go from $70.3 million and then to $220.8 million.
The meeting notice said the Commission will be examining…
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TORONTO – It’s a far smaller media company Leonard Asper is running this time around.
The former CEO of Canwest Global Communications has emerged from the dismantling and sale of that giant media company as an investor and CEO of category two digital specialty channel The Fight Network. Existing shareholders Loudon Owen and Ed Nordholm, who have been searching for investors for some time, are staying in as co-owners.
When interviewed by Cartt.ca on Wednesday, Asper didn’t want to give away his strategies for the channel – and it’s something he no longer has to divulge publicly anyway. “It’s a private…
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TORONTO – Former CanWest Global CEO Leonard Asper has bought a piece of The Fight Network and has assumed the title of CEO of the category two specialty channel.
In a memo to staff on Wednesday afternoon, GM Anthony Cicione said that in addition to a “significant ownership stake”, Asper becomes the channel’s CEO effective immediately.
“Leonard brings experience and his valuable relationships to the table and has solidified our management team in his new role as CEO effective immediately”, Cicione’s note reads. “He is very enthusiastic about the future of TFN and plans to re-energize our overall business plan, which includes investment in capital, programming, marketing,…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC is preparing to resume its hearing into the operation of community-based campus radio station CKLN-FM this Wednesday in Toronto.
As Cartt.ca has reported, the Commission originally adjourned the hearing on May 12 due to on-going litigation and judicial mediation before the Ontario Superior Court concerning the governance of CKLN Radio and the legitimacy of the current board of directors.
The hearing will examine the station’s operation including its programming, governance structure, and day-to-day management, as well look into other complaints, the Commission said in a statement. It will take place Wednesday beginning at 9 a.m. at the…
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OTTAWA – Eleven companies that provide basic international telecommunications services (BITS) to Canadians have had their licences revoked by the CRTC.
The Commission said Friday that the companies failed to comply with annual reporting requirements despite receiving a notice last month to either file the required information with the Commission, or to make representations as to why they should not be required to comply with the conditions of licence.
Any person or company providing BITS in Canada without a licence from the Commission is subject to fines ranging from $50,000 to $1 million. The companies are as follows:– AstraQom Corp. Continue Reading
MONTREAL – Most telecom customers don’t know that if their service provider fails to address a complaint to their satisfaction, they may ask the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) for help.
To coincide with the CRTC hearing on CCTS, the consumer group Option Consommateurs has released a research report called Do I have the right number? Customer Service at Telecommunications which recommends that the CCTS be given more power and greater publicity.
“Presently, consumers have no idea where to complain once they are convinced that they cannot get any satisfaction from their providers’ customer services”, said the report’s…
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OTTAWA – Sports network The Score has asked the CRTC if it can spend more money on Canadian content, but show less of it.
In an application made public on Monday, The Score proposed that its Canadian programming expenditure requirement be upped from 45% to 47.8% of its gross revenues, but that its overall Canadian programming exhibition requirement be lowered to 75% of the broadcast day, down from 80%. The national English-language analog channel also asked to draw programming from additional program categories, and that its wholesale rate be de-regulated.
Interventions and comments are due by January 4, 2011.
www.crtc.gc.ca Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The CRTC has sided with Bell Canada in a dispute with Telus over 911 network access charges in the province of British Columbia.
In a decision on Friday, the Commission directed Telus to credit Bell Canada for overbilled 911 charges in the province from March 2003 to February 2009, in accordance with Telus’ terms of service.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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TORONTO – Satellite radio competitors XM Canada and Sirius will merge in Canada, just as their American parent companies did over two years ago.
Wednesday’s announcement said that the all-stock merger values the combined company at approximately $520 million, which includes long-term debt of $130 million.
Under the terms of the agreement, Sirius Canada shareholders will be issued treasury shares of XM Canada parent Canadian Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. (CSR) representing a 58.0% equity interest in CSR immediately following closing of the transaction. The approximate ownership interest in CSR following closing of the combination transaction will be as follows:
– CSRI Inc., an entity controlled…
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OTTAWA – The Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) is urging the government to protect independent producers from what it calls “the negative impact (of) consolidation” in the broadcasting industry.
Appearing Tuesday before the House of Commons Standing Committee of Canadian Heritage, the CMPA claimed that the three integrated private broadcast corporate groups in English Canada are “using their dominant position to secure unreasonable terms that undermine independent producers’ businesses and put at risk the thousands of high-skilled jobs”.
“I would like to think that independent producers are well positioned to make a significant contribution to Canada’s burgeoning digital economy”, said CMPA…
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