OTTAWA – The CRTC has tightened up the rules around telecommunication ownership and control reviews.
After establishing a new framework last July, the Commission announced Thursday that it will be modifying the data collection forms used to gather information about the ownership and control of Canadian carriers.
It also announced that it will be adding a new list of eligible telecommunications common carriers (the eligible TCC list) to its website, and detailed the procedures for carriers that do not respect their annual filing obligations.
Click here to view the full bulletin.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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TORONTO – While an Ontario Superior Court judge on Friday gave Shaw Communications the green light to move ahead with its plan for CanWest Global, other companies have come forward to say, “hey, we would have liked to get in on the bidding, too.”
However, companies which wanted to take a close look at the troubled broadcaster and newspaper publisher had to first sign a non-disclosure agreement which prevented them from even talking to Goldman Sachs, which is the key creditor as the 65% equity holder of CW Media Holdings, the division which owns and operates CanWest’s specialty channels.
Canwest…
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CALGARY – The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has approved Shaw’s takeover bid of Canwest, despite a last minute rival bid lead by investment fund Catalyst Capital, the Asper family and two former Rogers execs.
The Calgary-based cable company has entered into agreements with Canwest and certain 8% senior subordinated noteholders for a minimum commitment to buy $95 million worth of Class A voting shares in a restructured Canwest, which represents 20% equity and an 80% voting interest.
Shaw’s initial equity interest will exceed 20% depending on the number of Canwest creditors that elect cash rather than shares in restructured…
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OTTAWA – CRTC chair Konrad von Finckenstein said Friday the regulator had “made a mistake” in eliminating Canadian content spending requirements for over-the-air broadcasters back in 1999.
Speaking in conversation with broadcast veteran Trina McQueen during the CFTPA Prime Time in Ottawa conference, von Finckenstein added, “It doesn’t make sense.”
However, the chair noted that the system “can’t turn back.” While failing to confirm expenditures would be revived in upcoming regulation, it looks like the CRTC is heading that way.
McQueen noted that the CRTC should not want “to make the same mistake over again” (by not changing the rules).
Can’t the amount…
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OTTAWA – Comments filed on the CRTC’s reconsideration of speed matching strike a familiar refrain: Would-be competitors say Canadians will suffer if the CRTC doesn’t mandate speed matching and access to higher-speed local access facilities for them, while incumbent telcos tell the Commission that doing so will threaten future network investments.
Telcos were already required under CRTC regulations to provide speed matching (also referred to as service parity) to competitors over both legacy copper facilities as well as their faster fibre, or next-generation networks (NGNs). But the implementation of the rule was put on hold following appeals to the…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC has announced a new area code to help manage the telephone number shortage that will affect the area currently covered by area code 819.
Starting March 19, 2011, new telephone numbers assigned in the 819 region may be given the area code 873. Existing customers will keep their current area code and phone numbers.
These measures are being implemented in response to the report that the Canadian Numbering Administrator presented to the CRTC last year, which warned that area code 819 is expected to run out of telephone numbers by February 2015.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has dropped Mediadenovo’s application from its public hearing scheduled for February 22, but will reschedule it at a later date, said the brief notice of consultation.
In response to an email inquiry from Cartt.ca, Mediadenovo CEO Glenn O’Farrell said that he “was expecting this”, and predicted that a new date for his company’s hearing will be set shortly. He said that the application would have remained part of the non-appearing hearing “only if there had been few interventions”.
Mediadenovo has applied to sell ad time on US specialty channels’ local avails in Canada and direct…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC is set to consider 19 new broadcasting licences at a hearing scheduled for April 14, 2010, without the appearance of the parties.
Former Chum executive Jay Switzer has submitted four applications for English language category two television channels, two for action and adventure channels called Velocity and Adventure, and two for romance and relationship-focused channels called KISS and The Love Channel.
Calgary-based Canyon TV has applied for three English and French language category two TV channels to be known as Canyon Money, Canyon Extreme Sports and Canyon Technology, while Ontario’s Cable Cable has applied for a regional…
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OTTAWA – Add CPAC to Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium.
The Cable Public Affairs Channel received CRTC approval late last week to carry the V network’s French-language coverage of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, including commercials, to viewers across Canada.
“No other network understands the bilingual nature of Canada more than CPAC,” said Ken Stein, president of CPAC’s board of directors, in a statement. “As our country plays host to the world in Vancouver, we want to do our part by ensuring that Canadians receive full access to these historic events in their official language.”
Through CPAC, V will televise 284…
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CALGARY – Shaw Communications announced this morning that it intends to purchase control of CanWest Global Communications.
The Calgary-based cable company has entered into agreements with Canwest and certain 8% senior subordinated noteholders to acquire a minimum 20% equity interest and 80% voting interest in the broadcaster, which includes effective control of a restructured Canwest. Shaw’s initial equity interest will exceed 20% depending on the number of Canwest creditors that elect cash rather than shares in restructured Canwest, says the press release.
Full financial terms were not disclosed.
"We are excited about the Investment and gaining effective control of one of the…
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