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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OTTAWA – More than 2,560 Canadians have weighed in on the role of community television in Canada, according the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Status (CACTUS).
The comments now form part of the CRTC’s online and written public record for its 2010 review of community television scheduled for April 26, 2010. The deadline for responses to the Commission’s questions on community TV was February 1st.
CACTUS, who will be front and centre at the review, says that it has developed a model that will allow most communities in Canada to establish their own multi-media centres and “take back”…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has denied a request from wireless industry stakeholders that it conduct separate reviews of the mobile data services framework and its applicability under the recently established Internet traffic management practices (ITMP) framework.
Bell Aliant, Bell Canada, NorthernTel, Télébec société en commandite and SaskTel supported the requests made by Telus and Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, while the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and the Canadian Film and Television Production Association opposed the requests.
In its decision, the Commission said that it “is not persuaded that the scope of NoC 2010-43 should be modified as requested”, and…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has issued a report examining telecommunications, broadcasting, and the evolving converged world of communications in an effort to help shape future regulation.
Called Navigating Convergence: Charting Canadian Communications Change and Regulatory Implications, the document seeks to:
– compile cultural, economic and technological trends toward convergence, to reflect the pace at which change is occurring and to present the resulting challenges and opportunities for traditional regulatory models;– outline the high-level structural changes and regulatory considerations that will need to be navigated between now and 2014; and – provide a specific, but not exhaustive, list of mid-term issues that…
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TORONTO – FreeHD Canada received CRTC approval Monday to provide national direct-to-home satellite TV and wholesale programming satellite distribution (SRDU) services in Canada.
However, the Commission declined to rule on certain parts of FreeHD Canada’s application – such as its request for a free local program package and exemption from LPIF contributions, until it has issued policy on all matters related to Canada’s upcoming digital transition.
“…the Commission notes that specific issues related to the digital transition, and, in particular, possible alternatives to free conventional television signals in those markets where broadcasters do not construct digital facilities, are under consideration in the…
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Several months after establishing conditions under which small incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) would have to face competition in their local markets, the CRTC has put those plans on hold.
In a consultation issued late last month, the Commission decided to reconsider the competition framework for small ILECs, as well as the potential impact that wireless number portability (WNP) could have on them. As a result, 12 cases of local competition implementations and one case of WNP have been suspended pending the outcome of the proceeding.
Jonathan Holmes, executive director of the Ontario Telecommunications Association (OTA), says…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has approved the use of deferral account funds by Bell Aliant and Bell Canada to expand broadband services to 38 distribution serving areas in 10 Ontario and Quebec communities.
Harriston, Hastings, Hepworth, Lanark, Michigan, Tweed, and Wingham, Ontario were approved, as were La Patrie, Napierville, and Yamaska in Quebec.
The Commission denied the Bell companies’ request to use deferral account funds in 29 other distribution serving areas in eight additional Ontario and Quebec communities.
Click here to read the full decision.
www.crtc.gc.ca
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OTTAWA – Wireless industry stakeholders are calling on the CRTC to initiate a separate review of the mobile data services framework and its applicability under the recently established Internet traffic management practices (ITMP) framework, rather than include the matter in a broader consultation on certain legacy telecom obligations.
They say the matter is largely administrative in nature and can be best handled separately.
“It would be a lot simpler in my mind to have dealt with that in a very small paper proceeding,” Michael Hennessy, Telus’ senior VP of regulatory and government affairs said in an interview.
“I suspect…
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