TORONTO – Hours after Citytv announced that it was cutting news shows and staff, local news channel CP24 trumpeted the arrival of two new early evening news shows for its viewers in the Greater Toronto Area.
“Toronto deserves a 5 p.m. local newscast,” said station VP and GM Bob McLaughlin, in a statement. “CP24 now gives our viewers a chance to watch at home or listen in the car from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. LIVE AT 5 and LIVE AT 5:30 is all part of our ongoing commitment to give Torontonians the news when they want it.”
CP24’s lead…
Continue Reading
WINNIPEG – First quarter profits are up at debt-laden Canwest Global.
For the three months ended November 30, 2009, Canwest reported operating profits increased 29% from $137 million last year to $176 million, excluding the $29 million gain from the reversal of the CRTC Part II fees.
Revenue of $571 million was down 10% from $634 million for the same period in the previous year (revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2009 included results of the defunct E! Network which it shuttered on August 31, 2009). Excluding these operations, revenue for first fiscal quarter of 2010 decreased by 6%.
The company…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – At least one Canadian broadcaster is opposing Rogers’ request to carry the digital multicast signals of a U.S. broadcaster.
In a letter to the CRTC, the S-VOX Group of Companies recommended that the Commission use a process similar to the one used when it considers adding non-Canadian linear services to the eligible satellite lists. Specifically, applications should be required to include at least as much information, S-VOX said.
“In S-VOX’s opinion, there should be no difference in regulatory treatment between digital multicast services being proposed by Canadian BDUs and non-Canadian services being sponsored for entry into this country”, S-VOX’s letter…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – CACTUS has some prickly words for the CRTC.
As the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS) prepares for the Regulator’s review of community TV in April, it has accused the Commission of denying Canadians access to information about the 139 cable-run community channels in Canada.
"The lack of publicity by the CRTC about this important hearing along with the absence of meaningful and objective data, together deny Canadians the opportunity to understand how $116 million dollars that cable subscribers paid for community TV in 2008 alone, were actually spent”, said spokesperson Cathy Edwards, in…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Score Media has reported its highest quarterly revenue and EBITDA in its history.
For its first quarter ended November 30, 2009, revenue grew 8% ($0.9 million) to $11.4 million, compared to $10.5 million in the same quarter last year, while EBITDA was $3.3 million, compared to $1.2 million in the previous year.
Excluding the impact of the $0.8 million CRTC Part II regulatory fee reversal, EBITDA for the quarter more than doubled with an increase of $1.3 million to $2.5 million, compared to $1.2 million in the previous year. Net income was $1.1 million, compared to $0.2 million in…
Continue Reading
CALGARY – Despite hinting at its future wireless service, Shaw was short on details around when and how it may eventually introduce a mobile offering.
“During fiscal 2010 we also plan to take initial steps to commence wireless activities, with build out planned over the next several years", said CEO and vice chair Jim Shaw, in a press release Thursday morning that detailed the company’s first quarter results.
However, when asked about wireless during a conference call with media and industry analysts on Thursday afternoon, Shaw would only confirm that the company is focused on “fundamental issues” around the project…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Saying it will launch in both Edmonton and Ottawa next month, Wind Mobile, the country’s newest national wireless provider – announced today the launch of a hiring campaign to recruit both full-time and part-time employees in both cities.
Available positions include: store managers, assistant store managers and sales associates. An open house session will take place at the Westgate Shopping Centre on Ottawa Thursday, January 21st, from 1 to 9 p.m.
Wind (better known so far as its parent company, Globalive) launched its service in December in Toronto and Calgary after battling incumbents and the CRTC for the right…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – As it awaits its turn in front of the CRTC next month, Mediadenovo said that it has devised a way to provide an additional layer of funding for the beleagured Canadian TV broadcasting system.
Through an expansion of its commercial insertion system (CIS), the company said that it could offer new program rights protection measures to Canadian broadcasters by allowing them to work with BDUs to jointly develop non-simultaneous substitution (NSS) for Canadian program rights.
For broadcasters who own Canadian program rights, this would provide an opportunity to support NSS by offering a way to insert commercials in both…
Continue Reading
CLIFFORD, ON – Wightman Telecom appears to be gearing up for expansion.
As the independent telco readies its video-on-demand launch scheduled for early this year, it has asked the CRTC to expand the area that it is currently authorized to serve to include the entire province of Ontario.
Wightman offers broadcast services in ten markets, though its current VOD authorization only covers six – Clifford, Teeswater, Mildmay, Neustadt, Gorrie and Ayton, ON.
In its application, the company outlines plans to expand services beyond these markets over the next few years.
Interventions or comments are due by February 16, 2010.
www.wightman.ca Continue Reading
OTTAWA – CACTUS wants to rally Canadians to “take back” their local community channels from cable companies.
The Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS) says that there “are virtually no true community channels left since the cable companies started to ‘professionalize’ them more than 10 years ago”, and is encouraging consumers to demand that CRTC hand back control when it undertakes a review of community TV in April.
The group has published a free guide to the forthcoming review, and is urging consumers to share their views about community TV, including their hopes for its…
Continue Reading
