OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Revenues at Canada’s AM and FM radio stations dropped 5.2% to $1.5 billion for the broadcast year ending August 31, 2009, a CRTC report said Thursday.
Expenses, however, also fell by approximately 1.7% to $1.2 billion in 2009, due in part to a reduction in the industry’s work force. The commercial radio industry employed 10,191 people and paid $632 million in total salaries for the 2009 fiscal year, compared to 10,347 people and $635.4 million in total salaries for 2008. Total profits before interest and taxes (PBIT) were $272 million for the fiscal year, and the PBIT margin fell to…
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TORONTO – CBC’s digital channel bold will launch in high definition this Friday, just in time for its coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.
All 64 matches from the world’s most-watched sporting event will air in high def on bold HD (as well as on CBC Television, Radio-Canada Télévision, and their respective websites) from June 11 to July 11, including 8 exclusive live games on June 22, 23, 24 and 25. In addition to its World Cup coverage, bold HD will continue to air performing arts, drama and comedy series, some of which will be in…
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OTTAWA – Last June, when it released its report on new media, the CRTC decided it would continue to exempt the Internet and wireless providers from regulation in Canada.
However, it also asked the Federal Court of Canada to take a look at whether it could consider Internet Service providers as broadcasters after all.
The court will hear arguments from both sides today in Ottawa. The ISPs, of course, say no way. Content creators say that yes, because they transmit video, ISPs certainly should be considered akin to BDUs (and perhaps be made to pay a Canadian-content-making fee, like BDUs…
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MONTREAL – The new area code 579 will be introduced in the territory served by the 450 code in Quebec starting August 21, 2010.
The two area codes will coexist within the same geographic territory. The 579 code will come into use gradually and will be assigned only to new numbers throughout the entire region served by the 450 code but until then, numbers with 450 will continue to be issued until they run out.
The 450 area code, introduced in June 1998, covers a broad territory including Laval and the North Shore, the South Shore, Lanaudière, Montérégie, parts of Estrie…
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OTTAWA – Bell Canada threw a new wrinkle into the CRTC proceeding on wholesale access to certain next-generation high-speed services by proposing a solution that it says will encourage investment in networks, while also giving competitors access to incumbent facilities.
Testifying before the CRTC on Monday as part of Telecom Notice of Consultation 2009-261, the company said that it would give competitors access to sub-loops (smaller versions unbundled local loops) that would enable those competitors to offer high-speed services, but also encourage investment in network facilities by both incumbent telcos and competitors.
“Imposing access to sub-loops would rely on…
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OTTAWA – Telus executives told the CRTC today that it might resort to becoming a reseller of DOCSIS 3.0 high-speed cable services if the Commission changes the value proposition of the company’s network investments by giving competitors access to its high-speed next-generation services.
“If you make those margins large enough, I will look at opportunities to use cable DOCSIS versus build options, and then choose the most economical path, if that serves the economic interests of our shareholders,” Eros Spadotto, executive vice-president of technology strategy at Telus told commissioners on day two of the hearing looking at mandating certain…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC has tweaked the linkage and distribution rules for BDUs.
The revisions, which impact class 1 and 2 licensees and direct-to-home satellite operators, are designed to allow more flexibility in the packaging of Canadian specialty services with non-Canadian-originated services, including authorized U.S. superstations, to ensure that all BDUs are competing on a level playing field.
The Commission’s old regulations mandated that a Canadian pay television service be packaged in a given discretionary tier with no more than five channels containing any of the non-Canadian-originated services specified in either Section A or Section B of its list of Part…
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OTTAWA – As Bell gears up to launch its new IPTV services this year in Toronto and Montreal, the telco is asking the CRTC to change rules that it claims have long favoured cable companies when it comes to signing up new subscribers.
"Decade-old rules that have ensured a competitive advantage for cable companies need to change, never more so than now as Bell prepares to enhance competition and consumer choice in television in Canada’s largest urban markets," said George Cope, president and CEO of Bell Canada and BCE, in a statement. "We expect the CRTC to apply regulatory symmetry…
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OTTAWA – After issuing its new policy on advertising in the local availabilities of non-Canadian services, the CRTC has agreed to hear Media de Novo’s plans to do just that.
The Commission said Friday that it has re-scheduled the company’s non-appearing hearing for July 7 after postponing its appearance last February.
Led by former CAB president Glenn O’Farrell, Media de Novo has applied to sell ad time on US specialty channels’ local avails in Canada and direct the majority of the revenues to Canadian programming.
Click here for more on the company’s plans on targeted advertising.
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OTTAWA – The CRTC appears to be trying to clear up the loose ends around advertising in video-on-demand content.
After releasing its decision last March to allow ads in video-on-demand content, the Commission issued a letter to all VOD licensees on Thursday advising those licensees currently prohibited from advertising by their existing conditions of licence may do so after they have applied for an amendment
“However, it has been decided that the application of the existing VOD conditions of licence will be suspended, pending receipt and Commission consideration of applications for amendment to such conditions of licence from…
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